Café Conversation: Dr Susan Whoriskey and Gavin Killeen

Date:  Friday 23 September 

Time:   8.45am – 10.00am

Location: The Bunker Room, Sandwich Co Diamond

 Agenda:

8.45am – Registration and coffee served

9:00am – Anna Doherty, Interim CEO Londonderry Chamber of Commerce welcomes all attendees and introduces Gavin Killeen, Managing Director, Nuprint Technologies and Dr Susan Whoriskey for conversation over coffee.

10.00am – Event close

Event Overview:

Kindly hosted by the Sandwich Co Diamond, Derry Chamber continue our informal Café Conversation series by welcoming guest Dr Susan Whoriskey, US-based research scientist and pioneering biotechnology entrepreneur with strong Donegal roots.

Gavin Killeen, Managing Director, Nuprint Technologies and Chamber Board member, will lead the conversation with Susan over coffee and scones, served in the relaxed surroundings of the Bunker Room.

Chamber members are invited to join the conversation and learn how Dr. Whoriskey has helped build some of the most successful US Biotechnology companies from the ground up as a member of the Founding Executive Teams of Vera Therapeutics, Moderna, Momenta Pharmaceuticals and Cubist Pharmaceuticals.

As head of Technology Strategy, Susan played a unique role in the C-Suites creating cohesion at the interface of research, intellectual property, and business in the critical early phases of translating the “big science idea” from the lab bench to the clinic.

Speaker Bio:

Susan K. Whoriskey, PhD

Dr. Whoriskey has helped build some of the most successful Biotechnology companies from the ground up as a member of the Founding Executive Teams of Vera Therapeutics, Moderna, Momenta Pharmaceuticals and Cubist Pharmaceuticals. These companies have pioneered cutting edge technologies and developed lifesaving

medicines and protective vaccines, creating significant value and contributing numerous jobs to the local economies. As head of Technology Strategy, Susan played a unique role in the C-Suites creating cohesion at the interface of research, intellectual property, and business in the critical early phases of translating the “big science idea” from the lab bench to the clinic. This included managing company growth through seed and venture funding, scientific proof of concept, IPOs, clinical development, and the achievement of multiple FDA drug approvals. Cubist was purchased by Merck in 2014 for $9.5B. Momenta was acquired by J &J in 2020 for $6.5B. Moderna and Vera Therapeutics remain public companies.

Susan has held various positions in academics, venture capital andbiotech executive management. She has been a Research Fellow in MolecularGenetics at Harvard Medical School with a Nobel Laureate, a consultant to venture capital firm Polaris Venture Partners, and an Entrepreneur inResidence at MIT.

Dr. Whoriskey earned a PH.D. in Molecular Biology & Molecular Genetics from UCLA and a Bachelor of Science in microbiology from University of Massachusetts-Amherst. She is a proud recipient of an Honorary Doctorate in Biotechnology and Entrepreneurism from the University of Ulster. She is an inventor on 50 issued and pending patents and has written grants that have received over $30M in federal funding for scientific research.