Join us for a discussion hosted by WIB-Capital Region, in collaboration with BioBuzz, PMCDx, and FHAC, exploring the challenges and opportunities in ensuring timely and equitable access to advanced diagnostic testing. We're bringing together leaders from independent and community-based clinical laboratories, industry, and academia to discuss strategies that support patient care, innovation, and Maryland’s growing biotech ecosystem.

Program

4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.  Networking & Refreshments
4:30 p.m. – 4:40 p.m.  Welcome & Opening Remarks (Somy Hooshmand, Programs Committee Co-Chair of WIB-Capital Region & Chris Few, Founder of BioBuzz Networks)
4:40 p.m. – 5:40 p.m.  Panel Discussion
5:40 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.  Q&A / Closing

Speaker Bios

Courtney Cavin, Chief Operating Officer of Astek Diagnostics

Courtney is the COO of Astek Diagnostics, where she leads product development and day-to-day operations. She was recently named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2026 Healthcare list and is a named inventor on a 2025 patent for the company’s 1-hour UTI confirmation and antibiotic-susceptibility test. She is passionate about improving patient care. As COO, she works closely with investors and KOLs, engages clinicians nationwide, coordinates with developers and manufacturing teams, and meets regularly with the FDA to support Astek’s efforts to bring new diagnostic equipment to market. Outside of work, she mentors with UMBC’s Center for Women in Technology and serves on the STEM Advisory Committee for The Catholic High School of Baltimore, helping ensure young women have the resources they need to succeed in engineering careers. Courtney has a MS in biochemical engineering.

Sherry Dadgar, PhD, FACMG, Founder and CEO of Personalized Medicine Care Diagnostics (PMCDx), Moderator

Dr. Dadgar is a board-certified Clinical Molecular Geneticist and Founder and CEO of PMCDx, a CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited precision genomics laboratory based in Maryland. Recognized in 2025 for leadership in advancing precision medicine, she works at the intersection of genomics, policy, and innovation to expand equitable access to advanced diagnostics with a focus on adult genetics, nephrology, oncology, cardiology, and rare disease. Dr. Dadgar serves as Clinical Assistant Professor at George Washington University and is a member of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) Economics of Genetic Services Committee and ACMG Special Interest Groups in Adult Genetics and Public Health. She also serves on leadership and billing work groups within the National Independent Laboratory Association (NILA), where she advocates nationally for fair network access, patient choice, and sustainable diagnostic innovation.

Anne Le, MD, HDR, Founder & CEO of Gigantest (dba HealthieOne)

Dr. Le graduated from Paris Descartes University, Cochin Port-Royal School of Medicine, in France, where she obtained a Habilitation degree (Doctor of Sciences), the highest academic qualification a scholar can achieve in Europe. Dr. Le is a university professor and a pioneer in the field of metabolomics and metabolic aspects of diseases. Before founding Gigantest, Dr. Le led her team at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine to several breakthrough discoveries in the metabolism of cancer and other diseases. She is passionate about creating innovative solutions for improving human lives and has been helping scientists worldwide with metabolomics assessments. Her book, The Heterogeneity of Cancer Metabolism, has been downloaded over 300,000 times.

Yukari C. Manabe, MD, FIDSA, FRCP, Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Innovative Diagnostics for Infectious Diseases

Dr. Manabe is Director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Innovative Diagnostics for Infectious Diseases and an infectious disease clinician researcher in the Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases within the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, with joint appointments in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Departments of International Health and Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. As the Associate Director of Global Health Research and Innovation within the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health, she is dedicated to global research capacity building and fostering reciprocal research innovation. Her research has focused on infectious disease diagnostics and their impact on patient-centered outcomes. She is dedicated to accelerating the development, innovation, and access to infectious disease diagnostics to increase diagnostic certainty and targeted treatment, thereby improving global health. Dr. Manabe is an author of more than 300 peer-reviewed publications. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Yale University and her MD from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Susan Mitchell, Founder & CEO of Athari BioSciences, Inc.

Susan addresses a critical gap in America's life sciences infrastructure: the workforce required to sustain biodefense capacity and biomanufacturing growth. As Founder and CEO of Athari BioSciences, Inc., a BSL-2 CLIA-certified diagnostic, research, and training laboratory in Sterling, Virginia, she leads a facility that serves as both a biodefense and workforce resource, advancing national security and human health simultaneously. As a translational researcher and implementation scientist, Susan deploys specialized teams advancing diagnostic and therapeutic technologies that detect emerging disease threats while training laboratory professionals. This dual-function model creates sustainable pathways from education to employment for every community, demonstrating how technical capacity and preparedness reinforce each other.

Pricing Information

• Members: Free
• PMCDx Members: Free
• Non-members*: $15

*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 and Refund Policy.

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

Maximum Capacity

70

Building & Parking Information

Our event will be held on the second floor in Conference Room 2059. After exiting the elevator (or stairs), follow the posted event signs to find the room easily. Free parking is available at the venue in the smaller lot on the side of the building, marked “GIC Reserved.”

Public Transit Information

The building is located next to a Montgomery County Ride On bus stop near Goldenrod Lane & Observation Blvd. Montgomery County Ride On buses serve the Germantown area with multiple routes that connect to local transit hubs like the Germantown Transit Center and major destinations like Shady Grove Metro Station. Note: Ride On buses are generally free countywide.

Accessibility Information

The building is wheelchair accessible and has a working elevator.