H.E. Dr. Alawi Alsheikh-Ali is an Emirati physician-scientist and currently serves as the Director General of the Dubai Health Authority. He is a Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and member of the Board of Trustees at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences where he was previously the Founding Dean of the College of Medicine and University Provost.

He is a member of the Emirates Scientist Council and of the Dubai Future Councils. Dr. Alsheikh-Ali is active in several professional societies in the UAE and the region and is Past President of the Emirates Cardiac Society and member of the Board of Directors of the Gulf Heart Association and a Founding Board Member of the Gulf Heart Rhythm Society.

In recognition of his academic and research accomplishments, Dr. Alsheikh-Ali has received several awards, including the Rashid Award for Scientific Excellence for three cycles, the Abu Dhabi Award for Excellence in Medical Research, the Martin Loeb Memorial Award in Human Medicine, and the Louis Lasagna Memorial Prize in Medicine from Tufts University.

Aaron Weaver is Chief Commercial Officer at Molecule, a pioneer in the Decentralized Science (DeSci) movement, working to transform biomedical research through tokenized IP and community-driven biotech funding. At Molecule, he leads commercial strategy and ecosystem development, helping connect researchers, funders, and biotech DAOs to unlock new models for early-stage drug discovery.Before joining Molecule, Aaron was a Senior Partner at Apeiron Investments, where he focused on frontier technologies in biotech, longevity, and mental health. He has served on the boards of Rejuveron Life Sciences and Alto Neuroscience, and was Investment Director at Frontier Acquisition Corp, a NASDAQ-listed SPAC focused on longevity. His early career spans roles in investment banking at Credit Suisse and law at Allen & Overy LLP in London.

Alexandra Sakatos is a co-founder & CEO of Ancilia Biosciences, a biotech startup harnessing the natural function of CRISPR to develop a new class of bacterial therapies for broad applications. Prior to founding Ancilia, Alexandra was an entrepreneur-in-residence at Deep Science Ventures, a London-based biotechnology fund where she worked to scope out opportunities for company creation across the biotechnology arena. Alexandra completed her PhD in Microbiology at Harvard University and her BA in Neuroscience from Carleton College.

Dr. Asma Mahmoud Fikri is a Drug Discovery Scientist (PhD) with a subspecialty in anti-cancer drugs, genomics, metabolomics and biomarkers discovery. She is the Director of Government and Corporate Partnerships at Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park. Dr. Fikri is an R&D expert with extensive experience in many sectors including healthcare, wellbeing, advanced technology and whole-of-government. Dr. Fikri was leading strategy, policy and research at the Ministry of Health & Prevention, the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, and internationally as a consultant with the WHO. She is a member of the Royal Society of Biology, a fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK and a UAE National Experts Program Alumni.

Christopher Reyes, PhD, currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Bloom Science, a company he co-founded that has a stated mission to develop novel therapeutics for patients with rare and complex neurological and metabolic disorders. He is a biophysicist and entrepreneur with a passion for creating solutions to improve our health, environment and economic sustainability. Prior to Bloom Science, he served as global head and VP of Biologics at Bionomics. He co-founded and served as CSO and Director at Eclipse Therapeutics, a spin-out of Biogen IDEC, prior to its acquisition; and Scientist at Biogen-IDEC. Dr. Reyes has a Ph.D. in Biophysics at the University of California, San Francisco and B.A. in Molecular and Cell Biology, Biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Reyes was a postdoctoral fellow at The Scripps Research Institute.

Henning Steinhagen is CEO of Lario Tx. He joined Epidarex in 2019 and is a senior executive with 20 years of experience across the pharma, biotech, and CRO/CDMO industries, spanning multiple therapeutic areas and all phases of research and early development.

Before joining Epidarex, Henning served as President of Research and Development at Aptuit, where he led the growth and transformation of the integrated ex-GSK site in Verona into a profitable organization, and was a key player in Aptuit’s $300 million sale to Evotec in 2017. Prior to Aptuit, he was Senior Vice President and Head of Global Drug Discovery at Grünenthal in Germany, where he built the immuno-inflammation area and advanced the CNS portfolio, including executing multiple R&D partnerships and licensing deals. Earlier, he was Director of Medicinal Chemistry at Sanofi-Aventis and began his career at Bayer Pharma.

Alongside his role as Venture Partner at Epidarex, Henning co-founded and leads Epidarex Exeed Ltd. as CEO and Board member since the end of 2019. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Caldan Therapeutics Ltd. and is a senior advisor to several organizations, including Osthus Group and tesa Labtec. He is a member and former chair of the board of MedLife.

Henning holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from University of Heidelberg and a degree in Molecular Genetics. His academic experience includes post-doctoral study with Nobel laureate E. J. Corey at Harvard University, as well as an Adjunct Professorship at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. He also holds an executive MBA from IMD in Lausanne.

Dr. Jason Mitchell, ND is a board-certified naturopathic doctor, educator, and industry leader with approaching three decades of experience in natural health, product innovation, and regulatory science industry. He is the founder and President of Probulin® Probiotics where his work focuses on the gut microbiome and its foundational role in whole-body health. Over the course of his career, Dr. Mitchell has been directly involved in the development and commercialization of more than 500 OTC products, dietary supplements, and personal care formulations distributed across the U.S. and international markets. He has served as a Founder / Owner, In C-Suite Executive leadership roles for multiple successful health and wellness companies, guiding product development, education initiatives, and global expansion into thousands of retail locations.

In addition to his industry leadership, Dr. Mitchell is a respected speaker and educator who brings complex health topics into clear, practical focus. He is the Founder & host of the new “Ask Doctor Jason” podcast where he answers real-world questions about nutrition, gut health, and integrative wellness, mental health and so much more helping listeners better understand how to support their health with evidence-informed, whole-body and dietary approaches. Through his teaching, speaking, and media work, Dr. Mitchell remains committed to equipping individuals and professionals alike with knowledge that is grounded, accessible, and actionable.

Laurie Keefer, PhD is a Clinical Health Psychologist and Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. For the past 20 years, Dr. Keefer has been a champion for integrated psychosocial care in gastroenterology settings and has trained many in this model around the world.

Dr. Keefer’s scientific contributions include the development and implementation of self-management and behavioral intervention tools, known called brain-gut behavior therapies for conditions such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS and GERD. She is the inventor of the “GRITT Method,” a systematic approach to risk stratification, team communication and personalized care planning for patients with chronic conditions seen in multidisciplinary settings.

Dr. Keefer founded the Rome Foundation’s international GastroPsych organization and now serves as the non-profit’s Chief Executive Officer. She has more than 250 peer-reviewed publications and is a sought-after speaker, mentor and collaborator.

Michael Schelper dedicated his career to the healthcare and life sciences sector, on the operating and investing side. With decades of executive experience scaling businesses, he drives innovation at the intersection of data, AI, and patient outcomes. Prior to joining Deerfield, Michael served in senior leadership roles at Oracle Health (prev. Cerner Corp), scaleups in Oncology and Surgery, in a VC and a Family Office, as well as most recently overseeing the Healthcare & Life Sciences Cluster at the Abu Dhabi Investment office.

Niels Sharman is an Investment Principal focused on biotechnology, drug development, and advanced medical innovation. He works on global biotech investments and strategic partnerships supporting Saudi Arabia’s National Biotechnology Strategy. Previously, he worked at Europe’s largest early-stage VC fund, where he invested across therapeutics, AI-driven drug discovery, MedTech, and digital health, and served on the boards of multiple portfolio companies. His experience spans seed to growth-stage investing alongside leading strategic and financial investors. Niels holds a background in biology and business, combining scientific depth with institutional investment expertise.

Dr. Rasha Msallam is an immunologist and clinician-scientist specializing in translational research across non-communicable and infectious diseases. She holds a DDS and a PhD in Immunology, with advanced training in immune mechanisms, biomarker discovery, and clinical research translation. Her work focuses on integrating immunology, molecular biology, and clinical data within multidisciplinary teams to advance regulatory-ready research and patient-centered solutions. With over 15 years of international experience, she actively bridges academia, research institutes, industry, and public takeholders through public–private partnerships in biotech, healthtech, and medtech. She was recently elected to represent academia on the Dubai Science Park Leadership Network, contributing scientific expertise to ecosystem-level strategies that accelerate innovation, clinical impact, and sustainable health systems regionally and globally across diverse healthcare settings.

Dr. Sacha Sidani, MD, is a Staff Physician within the Gastroenterology Department of CCAD Digestive Disease Institute. Prior to joining CCAD, Dr. Sidani worked as a Consultant Gastroenterologist at the University of Montreal Hospital Center in Montreal, Canada. He was also appointed Director of the Neurogastroenterology and Motility Laboratory at the University of Montreal, as well as the Gut Microbiota Lead in the Division of Gastroenterology, at the Faculty of Medicine.

Dr. Sidani received his medical degree from the University of Montreal in Canada. He completed his Internal Medicine residency and Gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Montreal Hospital Center. He then underwent additional advanced training in the gut microbiota and gut-brain axis disorders at the renowned Farncombe Family Digestive Health Institute at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada.

Sadyk is an MD- and MBA-trained healthcare and biotech specialist with experience spanning clinical medicine, research, pharma leadership, and biotech business development. He began his career as an ENT surgeon in France and later conducted immunology research, publishing with the European Respiratory Society. He has held medical leadership roles at Bayer, Sanofi, and Ipsen, before transitioning into global biotech licensing and partnering, focusing on the evaluation and structuring of innovative therapeutics and platforms. Sadyk is also active on the investor side, advising and supporting early-stage healthtech and biotech companies, with a focus on translating science into scalable partnerships and investment cases.

Sandra Mikhail is a globally recognised dietitian, author, and the founder and director of Nutrition A-Z, as well as the co-founder and CCO of HER. With degrees from Monash University, ETH Zurich, and the International Olympic Committee, she specialises in digestive health, eating disorders, sports nutrition, and corporate wellness. Sandra has collaborated with leading brands including FC Zurich, She’s Mercedes, Johnson & Johnson, Thomson Reuters, and Adobe.

Driven by a clear mission, Sandra challenges the status quo to ensure women receive the care, clarity, and respect they deserve. She continues to advocate, write, and speak until women’s health is no longer treated as an afterthought. A committed mental health advocate, her workshops and articles on stress and nutrition have gained international attention. She was personally invited by Arianna Huffington to contribute to Thrive Global and has appeared on CNN discussing nutrition and stress in the workplace.

She is the author of The Gut Chronicles and co-host of The Gastroenterologist and His Daughter podcast.

Sarkis K. Mazmanian, Ph.D., is the Luis & Nelly Soux Professor of Microbiology and the Merkin Institute Professor in the Division of Biology & Biological Engineering at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles, where Dr. Mazmanian also received his doctoral training in microbiology and immunology. Dr. Mazmanian was a Helen Hay Whitney Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard Medical School. His research laboratory at Caltech has pioneered the study of the gut microbiome in human health, with a focus on developing novel therapies for immunologic and neurologic disorders, including Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Mazmanian has been a principal investigator on numerous NIH grants, and foundation and industry-sponsored projects. His research accomplishments have been recognized through many awards, including a Searle Scholarship, Damon Runyon Innovation Award, Catalyst Award (UCLA), Discover Magazine’s “Best Brains in Science under 40”, a MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Award, and the DuPont-Danisco Microbiome Science Award. He is a founder of 3 biotech companies and serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of over a dozen companies, academic centers, and not-for-profit foundations. Most importantly, Dr. Mazmanian has trained numerous students and fellows who have gone on to successful independent careers in academia, industry, and medicine.

Dr. Sascha Berger is an investment executive, board member, and strategic advisor with nearly two decades at the intersection of science, finance, and innovation. A former General Partner at TVM Capital, he led more than $100 million in biotech and medtech investments across the US and Europe, including multiple successful exits and a NASDAQ IPO. Today, as Investment Director at NEOM - part of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund ecosystem - he builds NEOM’s global biotech and AI investment platform and helps shape the Kingdom’s next-generation life-science ecosystem. Dr. Berger began his career with BCG, PwC, Deutsche Bank, and one of Germany’s largest family offices, gaining a foundation in strategy, M&A, and asset management. He has supported the structuring of cross-border funds exceeding $500 million, served on numerous boards, and advised founders and investors on scaling breakthrough technologies. Educated at leading academic institutions including Munich University or Technology, the National University of Singapore, and MIT, he holds a PhD in Finance and a training in (bio-) chemistry - a rare combination that enables him to bridge scientific insight with investment strategy. An active angel investor, mentor, and industry voice, Dr. Berger contributes regularly for many years at global forums such as BIO International, the Jefferies and JPM Healthcare Conferences, and the LSX CEO Congress. He also serves on the Executive Board of the Life Sciences Acceleration Alliance (LSAA).

Simba Gill, PhD, is the former president and chief executive officer of Evelo Biosciences, a Flagship VentureLabs® company leading the development of monoclonal microbials, a new modality of medicine for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

He is also a senior partner at Flagship Pioneering, where he provides strategic counsel and support to the firm’s portfolio companies. Prior to his roles at Evelo and Flagship, Simba was a partner at TPG, a major private equity investor, where he focused on global healthcare and biotech investments. He has also held leadership roles at Roche/Boehringer Manheim.

Simba has a long track record of identifying new technologies and geographies for high-growth business opportunities. He has founded and held leading roles in multiple pioneering companies in the fields of antibodies, stem cells, directed molecular evolution, gene therapy, and immunodiagnostics. Four of these companies have gone public and three were acquired through strategic trade sales.

Simba holds his MBA from INSEAD and received his PhD from King’s College, London, where he focused on developing humanized antibodies to treat cancer in collaboration with Celltech.

Dr. Stewart Campbell joined Vertero Therapeutics in 2017 and was appointed the company’s CEO in February 2021. Stewart has played a fundamental role in the company’s growth and strategy, bringing more than 30 years of experience leading and building teams that have strong track records of discovering and developing novel therapeutics for the patients who need them. As CEO, he secured multiple rounds of equity financing to support advancement and growth of Vertero.

Prior to joining Vertero, Stewart held various leadership roles in biotech, including Insmed, Ancora Pharmaceuticals (where he led its acquisition by Corden), and Surface Logix, after starting his career as a medicinal chemist at Boehringer-Ingelheim. During his career, Stewart is a co-inventor on more than 20 issued patents, including the foundational patents for the approved drug Rezurock®.

Stewart received a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Queen’s University (Canada) and completed his post-doctoral research at Duke University.

Ted Dinan is Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at University College Cork and Medical Director of Atlantia (a U.C.C. spinout). He was previously Chair of Clinical Neurosciences and Professor of Psychological Medicine at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London. Prior to that, he was a Senior Lecturer in Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin (1987-1992). He has worked in research laboratories on both sides of the Atlantic and has a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of London. His main research interest is in the role of the gut microbiota in stress-related disorders. He has also worked extensively on the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. He has an h-index of 165 and over 140K citations. He has published over 500 papers and numerous books on pharmacology and neurobiology.

Dr. Xavier Duportet is a genome architect and founder–CEO advancing a new class of in vivo, bacteria-targeted gene-editing medicines. He co-founded Eligo Bioscience during the final year of his PhD in synthetic biology (MIT–INRIA). With over $50 million raised from top-tier international investors, Eligo is developing precision therapeutics that directly modulate and reprogram microbioal gene expression in situ in immuno-inflammation, oncology, and infectious diseases.

Dr. Duportet is the author of 20+ peer-reviewed scientific publications in leading journals including Nature, Science Translational Medicine, and Nature Biotechnology, and an inventor on 30+ patents. He is the founder and president of Hello Tomorrow, whose alumni companies have raised over $7 billion, and Deeptech Founders, which has supported the creation of 50+ companies raising more than €800 million.

He has been recognized as MIT Technology Review French Innovator of the Year, a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader & Technology Pioneer, and a Henri Termeer Fellow.