Bay Area Biotech Day 2025: Bridging Academia and Industry for Transformative Drug Discovery
On July 22, 2025, the University of California, Berkeley, hosted the inaugural Bay Area Biotech Day at the Li Ka Shing Center with over 250 participants from UC Berkeley, other Bay Area schools and several prominent biotech companies. This landmark event was sponsored by the Molecular Therapeutics (MTx) Division within UC Berkeley’s Molecular & Cell Biology Department, jointly with the Molecular Therapeutics Initiative (MTI), MTx’s outreach and fundraising arm. This dynamic gathering brought together leading academic researchers, industry pioneers, and emerging scientists to foster collaboration and accelerate the translation of cutting-edge biological discoveries into life-changing therapeutics. With a packed schedule of keynote addresses, company presentations, and networking opportunities, the event underscored the Bay Area’s role as a global hub for biotech innovation and showcased the MTI’s mission to bridge academia with translational science.
A Day of Inspiration and Collaboration
The event kicked off at 8:30 AM with registration, followed by opening remarks from Michael Rapé, head of the Molecular Therapeutics (MTx) division and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. Rapé set the tone for a day dedicated to pushing the boundaries of drug discovery by uniting fundamental research with industry expertise. The schedule was thoughtfully curated to highlight three key areas: neurodegeneration and aging, next-generation anticancer drugs, and groundbreaking approaches to drug discovery.
Keynote Address: Dr. Carolyn Bertozzi’s Vision for Translational Science
The highlight of the morning was a keynote address by Dr. Carolyn Bertozzi, introduced by MTx Professor and MTI co-director Roberto Zoncu. A Nobel Laureate in Chemistry (2022), Bertozzi is a towering figure in both academia and industry, renowned for her pioneering work in bioorthogonal chemistry and glycobiology. As a UC Berkeley and then Stanford professor, serial biotech entrepreneur, and co-founder of companies like Lycia Therapeutics and Palleon Pharma, Bertozzi brought a unique perspective to the event. Her keynote explored the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in translating fundamental discoveries into therapies for unmet medical needs, such as cancer and infectious diseases. She emphasized how academic curiosity can fuel industry innovation, inspiring attendees to think boldly about the future of drug development. Bertozzi’s talk resonated deeply with the audience, blending her academic rigor with practical insights from founding and scaling biotech ventures. Her ability to navigate the “valley of death” between lab discoveries and clinical applications served as a powerful example of the MTI’s mission to create a seamless pipeline from bench to bedside.
Session I: Tackling Neurodegeneration and Aging
Moderated by Roberto Zoncu, the first session focused on neurodegeneration and aging. Kate Monroe, Senior Director at Denali Therapeutics, highlighted Denali’s innovative biologics and small molecules designed to cross the blood-brain barrier for conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Carmela Sidrauski, Vice President of Biology at Calico Labs, discussed Calico’s groundbreaking work on chemical modulators of the integrated stress response, and their therapeutic applications to neurodegenerative disease. These talks showcased how mechanistic insights are driving transformative solutions for complex diseases.
Session II: Ushering a New Generation of Anticancer Drugs
Moderated by Michael Rapé, the second morning session showcased recent advances in oncology. Pete Wildes, Senior Vice President of Cancer Biology at Revolution Medicines, presented the company’s precision oncology platform, focusing on RAS-targeted molecular glues for challenging cancers. Gwenn Hansen, Chief Scientific Officer at Nurix Therapeutics, detailed Nurix’s protein degradation strategies to eliminate cancer-causing proteins. Ken Lawson, Senior Director of Translational Sciences at Arcus Biosciences, highlighted Arcus’s immune-oncology pipeline, emphasizing the rigorous use of medicinal chemistry to advance early hits into the clinic. These presentations underscored the diversity and innovation in the Bay Area’s oncology landscape.
Lunch and Networking
The lunch break provided attendees with an opportunity to connect informally, fostering discussions between students, postdocs, faculty, and industry professionals. The collaborative atmosphere underscored the event’s goal of building bridges between academia and biotech, with many attendees noting the value of these interactions for career development and future partnerships.
MTx Spotlight: Professor Robert Saxton
Following lunch, Professor Robert Saxton, a rising star in UC Berkeley’s Molecular Therapeutics division, delivered a highly anticipated talk introduced by Michael Rapé. Saxton’s research focuses on the systematic re-engineering of cytokine signaling pathways, with implications for autoimmune and metabolic disorders, as well as cancer. His work exemplifies the MTI’s commitment to training the next generation of drug discoverers by combining rigorous academic research with translational potential. Saxton’s presentation highlighted how his lab’s discoveries could inform novel therapeutic strategies, inspiring students and researchers to pursue careers at the academia-industry interface.
Session III: Groundbreaking Approaches to Drug Discovery
Moderated by Daniel Nomura, MTx and Chemistry Professor and MTI Co-Director, the final session highlighted innovative drug discovery platforms from three leading Bay Area companies. Matt Patricelli, Chief Scientific Officer at Vividion Therapeutics, presented Vividion’s chemoproteomics approach to targeting “undruggable” proteins, aligning with the MTI’s focus on tackling challenging therapeutic targets. Kevin Webster, Chief Scientific Officer at Frontier Medicines, discussed Frontier’s ML-driven covalent platform for identifying small molecules that reactivate mutated oncogenes for cancer therapy. Dan Anderson, Vice President of Biology at Eikon Therapeutics, closed the session by highlighting Eikon’s use of single-molecule imaging to uncover new drug targets. These talks underscored the Bay Area’s leadership in integrating cutting-edge technologies like AI, proteomics, and imaging into the future of drug discovery.
Poster Session, Networking, and Reception
From 4:45 to 8:00 PM, the event transitioned into a vibrant poster session and reception, allowing students and postdocs to present their research to industry leaders and academic peers. This session was a cornerstone of the event, fostering mentorship opportunities and sparking potential collaborations. The day concluded with a speaker dinner at Revival Bar and Kitchen, providing an intimate setting for further networking.
The Molecular Therapeutics Initiative: A Catalyst for Innovation
The Bay Area Biotech Day was a testament to the Molecular Therapeutics Initiative’s vision, launched in 2024 with a $10 million gift to accelerate drug discovery. The MTI aims to bridge academia and industry by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, training students for biotech careers, and advancing research into “undruggable” targets. By partnering with leading Bay Area companies like Denali Therapeutics, Calico Labs, Revolution Medicines, Nurix Therapeutics, Arcus Biosciences, Vividion Therapeutics, Frontier Medicines, and Eikon Therapeutics, the MTI is creating a robust ecosystem for therapeutic innovation.
The event also highlighted the Bay Area’s unique biotech landscape, which combines world-class research institutions like UC Berkeley with a vibrant startup ecosystem and access to venture capital. This synergy positions the region as a global leader in life sciences, with the potential to drive the next wave of medical breakthroughs.
Looking Ahead
The Bay Area Biotech Day was more than a one-day event; it was a bold statement about the future of drug discovery. By bringing together academic luminaries like Carolyn Bertozzi and Robert Saxton with industry trailblazers, the MTI demonstrated its commitment to translating fundamental science into real-world impact. As one LinkedIn post announced, the event was a “unique opportunity to advance” drug discovery and life sciences, fostering connections that will shape the next generation of therapeutics.
For those interested in future events or collaboration with the MTI, contact Roberto Zoncu (rzoncu@berkeley.edu) or Michael Rapé (mrape@berkeley.edu). The Bay Area Biotech Day has set a high bar, and its success signals an exciting future for biotech innovation in the Bay Area and beyond.