Join us for the 10th Annual Lobster Pot, an exhilarating evening celebrating the leadership and innovation of women in biotech. This event will spotlight women-led startups as they pitch groundbreaking ideas to a panel of distinguished venture capitalists. Each pitch session will include Q&A and feedback, offering valuable insights into the innovation landscape.

The evening will conclude with a vibrant networking cocktail hour, providing opportunities to connect with industry leaders and peers. Be part of Women In Bio’s mission to advance diversity and inclusivity in life sciences, and don’t miss this inspiring showcase of talent, vision, and innovation!

Ticket includes two drink tickets.

Program

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.  Registration
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.  Pitch Sessions & Cocktail Hour

Speaker Bios

Venture Capitalists

Lauren Mifflin, PhD, Principal at Frazier Life Sciences

Lauren is a Principal of Company Creation at Frazier Life Sciences, where she is building stealth NewCos in immunology and neuroscience. Previously, Lauren co-founded and built several biotech companies working with 82VS/Alloy Therapeutics and 5AM Ventures focused on developing treatments for cancer, autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative conditions, and rare diseases. Early in her career, she was a health tech investor with Jump Capital and a management consultant with Monitor Group. Lauren completed her BA/BSc at the University of Pennsylvania through the Vagelos Life Sciences and Management (LSM) program, her MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and her PhD at Harvard Medical School, where she worked with Dr. Junying Yuan on RIPK1 inhibitors.

Stella Paffenholz, PhD, Principal at Nextech Invest

Stella is a Principal at Nextech Invest, a venture capital firm that supports precision medicine approaches in oncology and beyond. Prior to Nextech, Stella gained experience in venture creation at Apollo Health Ventures, management consulting at McKinsey, and in-house consulting at Merck KGaA. Stella holds a BS in molecular biomedicine from the University of Bonn, an MS in molecular biosciences from the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg as a Helmholtz Fellow and a PhD from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York with her research focused on cancer genetics. Throughout her studies, Stella was supported by a fellowship from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation. Outside of work, Stella can be found running, cycling, or swimming to train for her next marathon or triathlon.

Chaya Patel, PhD, Principal, Mission BioCapital

Chaya is a Principal at Mission BioCapital, where she focuses on investing in therapeutics companies and supporting portfolio companies through operating roles. Chaya is also active in the Boston venture ecosystem as a leader for the Emerging Venture Capitalists Association (EVCA). Prior to this, Chaya worked on company creation at a family office and the growth of their portfolio company, Alloy Therapeutics. Chaya received her PhD from Dartmouth, where her research advanced the understanding of creating maternal immunity to prevent neonatal viral infections. She received her BS in microbiology and immunology from UCLA.

Aniqa Tasnim, PhD, Associate at 5AM Ventures

Aniqa is an Associate at 5AM Ventures based in Boston, MA. At 5AM, she focuses on early-stage life sciences investments and company creation. Prior to joining 5AM, Aniqa completed her PhD in David Ginty's lab in the Neurobiology department at Harvard Medical School. In Dr. Ginty's lab, she studied sensory alterations in mouse genetic models of autism spectrum disorders and was a recipient of a National Science Foundation Graduate Research fellowship. Aniqa earned her BA in neuroscience from Johns Hopkins University.

Pricing Information

• Members/Guests: $60

• Non-members*: $100

*Not a Member? Click here to purchase a WIB membership and gain access to our video library, mentorship opportunities, and more. 

Please read WIB's Code of Conduct, In-Person Event Waiver, and Refund Policy.

Note: A confirmation email will be sent after registration has been completed. 

Maximum Capacity

180

Parking Information

Parking is available nearby at Technology Square Garage, Kendall Center Yellow Garage, and on-street.

Public Transit Information

Redline - Kendall/MIT Stop