On October 22, 2024, Scripps Research welcomed leading executives, philanthropists and investors to campus for a daylong discussion on the future of science and medicine and how academia, industry, investors and philanthropists together can tackle the pressing health challenges of our time.
The event, “Catalyst: Future of Science and Medicine,” hosted by Scripps Research board member and Yucaipa Companies founder, Ron Burkle, included special guest Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation, which has provided major support for Scripps Research’s global health efforts.
Scripps Research President and CEO Peter Schultz, PhD, kicked off the event, sharing how Scripps Research is pioneering a new model for non-profit research institutes that bridges the gap between fundamental research and the development of innovative medicines to address the major health challenges facing humanity, while at the same time amplifying investment in the scientific enterprise.
Schultz’s presentation was followed by a deeper dive with leading scientists at Scripps Research into some of the most exciting areas of science, from sensory biology and aging to pandemic preparedness and artificial intelligence in medicine. Presenters included professor and Nobel laureate Ardem Patapoutian, PhD, the Presidential Endowed Chair in Neurobiology; Michael Bollong, PhD, associate professor of Chemistry and the Early Career Endowed Roon Chair for Cardiovascular Research; Arnab Chatterjee, PhD, vice president of medicinal chemistry at Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines; and Scripps Research Executive Vice President Eric Topol, MD.
The speakers discussed how Scripps Research accelerates breakthrough discoveries to real-world advancements through its unique bench-to-bedside model. Guests also had the opportunity to engage with presenters about their research and discuss the health challenges facing countries around the world, strategies to address these crucial needs, and how Scripps Research is pioneering a path forward across several of these areas.
Following the presentations, a panel discussion brought together extraordinary leaders to discuss how to bridge the gaps between academia, industry and nonprofits and where investment can best catalyze promising areas of science to drive advances in medicine.
Moderator Nancy Thornberry, a Google Ventures advisor and the former CEO of Kallyope, who led the development of Januvia® at Merck, was joined by Gates; Gerald Chan, ScD, a life science philanthropist, Scripps Research board member and founder of Morningside; Rajiv Kaul, Manager of Fidelity Select Biotechnology Fund (FBIOX), one of the world’s largest investors in life sciences; and Mikael Dolsten, MD, PhD, the Chief Scientific Officer and President of Pfizer Research & Development.