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The Westchester Biotech Project (WBP), a not-for-profit organization that brings together a global network of scientists to foster scientific research and collaboration, will present its Rare Disease Symposium from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 18 at Iona College.

As part of the symposium, leading experts, scientists, and entrepreneurs will highlight current efforts to diagnose and treat some of the 350 million people affected around the world by 7,000 known rare diseases, of which 95 percent do not currently have a single FDA-approved drug treatment. So too will they address why Westchester is well positioned to become a global research hub for curing some of the world’s rarest diseases.

WBP, a borderless nonprofit organization, is connecting the region’s science brain trust with resources for international impact and is currently developing the Rare Disease Hub for international researchers.

Panalists:      Dr. Antonio Molina-Pachon, the keynote speaker, will discuss why Westchester can compete globally in the field, along with his collaboration with the WBP and its international partners to develop a Rare Disease Research Hub. David Bettoun, Ph.D., vice president, Discovery and Preclinical Development, Chondrial Therapeutics, will discuss the company’s journey to develop treatments for Friedreich’s Ataxia, a rare progressive disease that damages one’s nervous system. Scott Mellis, Ph.D., vice president, Rare Disease Early Clinical Science, Regeneron, will share what it was like to lead clinical development at Regeneron for a medication for an ultra-rare auto-inflammatory disease. Dr. Sergei Petukhov, DVM, partner, Enso Ventures, will provide unique insights into why some companies succeed while others fail and what investors look for in a company.

When:  8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Where: Iona College, 715 North Avenue, New Rochelle, N.Y. Ryan Library.