After the rapid progress of AI in the life sciences, the next wave is the application of quantum computing. Join our expert panel to explore how quantum technology builds on AI and learn about current uses and future applications.

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Speaker Bios

Shayne Gilbert, Founder of Convergence Quantum Center

Shayne founded the Convergence Quantum Center in 2025 following earlier work in the international quantum community. Leveraging her experience and connections in technology and the life sciences through the communities she founded, the Chatham Conference (formerly the Nantucket Conference) and the Convergence Forum, she has built a quantum community of industry leaders and quantum innovators through the Convergence Quantum Center. With a specific focus on applied quantum in the life sciences, she has engaged biopharma executives, quantum founders and investors to assess opportunities, define breakthrough points and understand relevant applications. Shayne is a graduate of Wellesley College and the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Kamayani Gupta, Co-Founder of KAMI Think Tank, Moderator

Kamayani is the co-founder of KAMI Think Tank, an AI research organization in the healthcare life sciences. She has been in the life sciences area for the past 14 years and uses data-centric approaches to optimize complex business processes. Over the past decade, she has enjoyed working with new technologies to reduce redundant workflows and biases in the drug discovery to commercialization pipeline. She was one of the first members of Watson for Drug Discovery and the former Head of HCLS R&D at Slalom.

Laura Matz, Chief Science and Technology Officer for Merck KGaA

Dr. Laura Matz is the Chief Science and Technology Officer for Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, driving innovation and digitalization across the 3 business sectors, Life Sciences, Healthcare, and Electronics. Serving as an Executive Vice President within Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, she is responsible for the corporate innovation teams, including new digital business models. Until early 2025, Laura was also CEO of the data-sharing platform company Athinia®, which focuses on enabling secure data sharing within the semiconductor ecosystem. She possesses 20 years of experience in semiconductor manufacturing and a decade of experience in running semiconductor materials businesses. Prior to becoming the Chief Science and Technology Officer, she was a Senior Vice President within EMD Electronics (previously Versum Materials and Air Products Electronics division). She has always been a key contributor to the growth in semiconductor materials, driving a strong R&D presence to enable business growth. Laura is a strong advocate for young talent in science and engineering. As a leader, she builds teams to find innovative solutions to the problems facing humanity and implement them with the discipline and rigor to create the greatest impact. In 2023, she joined SEMI Impact for Skills as a board member, a governance program to support upskilling and reskilling, to attract new talent, and to unlock EU and national/regional funding. In addition, she is a board member of AIChE (American Institute of Chemical Engineers), a leading organization for chemical engineering professionals. Laura has a PhD in analytical chemistry from Washington State University and an undergraduate degree from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Stephanie Oestreich, Managing Director of the Myeloma Investment Fund, Moderator

Stephanie is Managing Director of the Myeloma Investment Fund (MIF) and is the chair of the McCloy Alumni Association. She is also on the faculty of MIT, a member of SpringBoard Ventures, an advisor at grIP Venture Studio, to Biognosys (a Bruker company), Invitris, the CART company CelineTx, and to the drug development and investment company OrangeGrove Bio. Previously, she was Chief Business Officer at Galecto, Vice President at cell therapy company Mnemo Therapeutics, a Venture Partner at RA Capital, and Executive Vice President at Evotec, where she built its North American investment arm and started an incubator with Samsara BioCapital. She also worked as an international business leader at F. Roche Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. and for Novartis in business development and commercial. Stephanie conducted the research for her PhD in biochemistry in the lab of a Nobel Prize winner at Harvard Medical School and obtained an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Pricing Information

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