2nd Annual Life Sciences Award
Progressing Forward through Science: Facilitating Innovation for Greater Health

Thursday, April 30th, 2009This event, co-sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Chamber Foundation and in partnership with the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation explored the importance of advances in life sciences and biomedical research to America’s health. The event included a discussion of the forthcoming white paper, “The Value of U.S. Life Sciences: A White Paper Exploring Competitiveness, Delivery and Challenges,” authored by Kevin Klowden, Benjamin Yeo, and Ross DeVol of the Milken Institute.

Speakers included:

• Jeffrey Cossman, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer, The Critical Path Institute & President, U.S. Diagnostic Standards
• Vittorio Daniore, Ph.D., Science Attaché, Embassy of Italy
• Jesse L. Goodman, MD, MPH, Chief Scientist and Deputy Commissioner (Acting), FDA
• The Honorable James H. Herring, Vice  Chairman, Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation
• Dan Leonard, President, National Pharmaceutical Council
• Paul S. Speranza, Jr., Immediate Past Chairman of the Board of Directors, U.S. Chamber of Commerce & Vice Chairman, General Counsel, and Secretary, Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.
• Mary Woolley, President, Research America

Access the agenda (pdf)

Watch the webcast

Research in life sciences, including drugs, biologics, vaccines, medical devices and diagnostics, is vital to the health of our nation.  Innovative medical therapies promote the health of every American, while also representing a critical component of our nation’s economy.

The event featured the second annual Life Sciences Awards luncheon, which provided approximately $50,000 in awards to a preeminent American scientist, a high school science teacher, as well as a high school biology student and a chemistry student.

Awards categories and winners are as follows:

• $25,000 Chairmen’s Distinguished Life Sciences Award—presented to an adult scientist/researcher working in the field of life sciences.
  - Dr. Byron Petersen
  Ph.D. Associate Professor at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL
• $10,000 Life Sciences Educator Award—presented to a current secondary school educator promoting the study of life sciences.
  - Beenu Gupta
  Biology Teacher at The Charter School of Wilmington in Wilmington, DE
• $5,000 Biology Student Award—presented to a current secondary student making contributions to the study of biology.
  - Henry Zheng,
  Senior at Centennial High School in Ellicott City, MD
• $5,000 Chemistry Student Award—presented to a current secondary student making contributions to the study of chemistry.
  - Justin Grzyb
  Senior at Westchester Country Day School in Greensboro, NC
• Click here to learn more about the Life Sciences Award.

For more information on the event, please contact Ben Askin at (202) 463-5500 or email ncfevents@uschamber.com.

Thank you to our media sponsor:

Thank you to our marketing partners: 
International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE)
America’s Health Insurance Plans