2024 ISPE Biotechnology Conference
One of the things I like best about the ISPE Biotechnology Conference is its ability to bring together a diverse set of technologies, companies, and people from all over the globe right into my backyard, Boston, Massachusetts. Where else but an event like this could you start off with a fantastic dinner alongside colleagues you have only met virtually and then, the next day, get to attend their lively case study on the implementation of the newest ISPE Baseline Guides?
In between dinner Sunday Night and the Baseline Guides presentation Monday afternoon was a day filled with great discussions, including conference opening remarks by ISPE Boston Chapter’s President and Arcadis’ very own Kathy Marini to a brief history of mRNA vaccines and several talks on how companies are working to meet carbon reduction goals from early on in their projects. Lunch and the evening reception offered excellent networking opportunities, highlighted for me by several students and our intern, Ciara Kernan, who walked the floors, made connections, and conversed about how they impact the industry. Seeing this enthusiasm in our next generation of leaders is genuinely remarkable.
Tuesday was just as engaging. We explored other elements of biotechnology with talks on gene editing and advances in the design and operation of bioprocessing facilities. “Design of Facilities for Large-scale Bacteriophage Manufacturing was presented by our US Director of New Process Technology, Emily Heffernan, to a packed audience. One of my team members commented on the rich scientific content this conference offers compared to other larger conferences, and I couldn’t agree more. The ISPE Biotechnology Conference is a great place to meet with scientists and managers while learning about the latest and greatest technologies in the life sciences industry.
I look forward to seeing how the emerging technologies discussed this week mature over the next year and what we will learn next summer when the conference returns to Boston.