Janet Yancey-Wrona, PhD, Technology Business Development Manager, University of Maine, Moderator

Janet is the Technology Business Development Manager for the University of Maine, helping to commercialize important new discoveries from the University. This position follows a variety of management positions in life sciences-based companies. After beginning her professional career as a research scientist at IDEXX Labs, Janet served as the founding President of the Maine Technology Institute, overseeing more than $40 million in investments for R&D in Maine-based organizations. From there, she moved on to manage two pharmaceutical start-ups, a research products company and served a variety of marketing roles, most recently as Director of Marketing for the testing business at Lonza, one of the world’s largest healthcare manufacturing companies. Janet’s background includes a doctoral degree in biology from the University of North Carolina, and a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health.

Jeri Bowers, Vice President of External Affairs and Chief of Staff, MDI Bio Lab

Jeri joined the MDI Biological Laboratory in 1999 as the Director of Development and Public Affairs, responsible for all fundraising, communications and government relations activities for the institution. As a member of the Executive Team, she has played a key role in the institution’s growth from an operating budget of $1.2 million in 1999 to nearly $20 million today.

Prior to joining the MDI Biological Laboratory, she held management positions in fundraising and communications at The Jackson Laboratory. Jeri is dedicated to strengthening Maine’s R&D sector, and has helped secure more than $120 million in funding through private and public sources to support biomedical research in Maine.

A nineth generation Maine native, she is deeply committed to creating opportunities for all Maine residents to live and work in Maine, and to ensuring the MDI Biological Laboratory’s continued growth and success. Jeri is the past president of the Association of Independent Research Institutions, a national membership organization dedicated to advocating for the ability of independent research institutions to improve human health and advance scientific knowledge.

Beth Orcutt, PhD, Vice President for Research and Senior Research Scientist, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences

Jeri joined the MDI Biological Laboratory in 1999 as the Director of Development and Public Affairs, responsible for all fundraising, communications and government relations activities for the institution. As a member of the Executive Team, she has played a key role in the institution’s growth from an operating budget of $1.2 million in 1999 to nearly $20 million today.

Prior to joining the MDI Biological Laboratory, she held management positions in fundraising and communications at The Jackson Laboratory. Jeri is dedicated to strengthening Maine’s R&D sector, and has helped secure more than $120 million in funding through private and public sources to support biomedical research in Maine.

A nineth generation Maine native, she is deeply committed to creating opportunities for all Maine residents to live and work in Maine, and to ensuring the MDI Biological Laboratory’s continued growth and success. Jeri is the past president of the Association of Independent Research Institutions, a national membership organization dedicated to advocating for the ability of independent research institutions to improve human health and advance scientific knowledge.

Jessica Davis-Knowlton, PhD, Senior Research Scientist, BBI Solutions

Eva Rose Balog, PhD, Associate Professor, Chemistry, University of New England

I received my Ph.D. in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and my B.S. in Biology from the California Institute of Technology. I also trained as a postdoctoral fellow at Los Alamos National Lab’s Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies before returning to my home state of Maine to join the faculty of the University of New England in 2014. My research uses biochemical and biophysical techniques to create and characterize novel proteins for various applications in biotechnology and biomaterials.

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