WIB-RTP and the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) are excited to partner for an evening exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming the future of drug development, commercialization, and healthcare innovation. We're bringing together leaders across science, industry, technology, and policy to discuss the rapidly evolving role of AI in pharmaceuticals, including its impact on drug discovery, clinical development, regulation, intellectual property, and precision medicine.

Note: Ticket includes appetizers and two drink vouchers.

Program 

5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.  Networking & Appetizers
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.  Panel Discussion and Audience Q&A

Speaker Bios

Sharmila Bristol, Technology Strategist, Global Healthcare & Life Sciences at Slalom 

Sharmila is a seasoned healthcare and life sciences executive with global experience leveraging data, AI, and emerging technologies to accelerate innovation and deliver measurable business value. She is recognized for helping organizations navigate complex transformation initiatives by translating advanced technology trends into practical, executable strategies that improve outcomes across the healthcare ecosystem. Known for her collaborative leadership style and ability to align diverse stakeholders, Sharmila brings together business, technology, and industry leaders to build trusted partnerships and drive sustainable change. Her work focuses on digital transformation and the responsible application of innovation to create meaningful human impact. A dedicated advocate for women in STEM and leadership, Sharmila actively mentors and coaches emerging female leaders, championing inclusive growth and the advancement of women across healthcare and technology industries.

Elizabeth Brunk, PhD, Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Dr. Elizabeth Brunk is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Chemistry and Pharmacology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and Computational Medicine Program. Her laboratory integrates AI, machine learning, functional genomics, single-cell sequencing, and fluorescence imaging to understand how genetic and genomic variation alter cellular function, drive cancer evolution, and shape therapeutic response. Her recent work includes AI-driven variant annotation for precision oncology, multimodal analysis of drug-responsive subpopulations, and approaches to understand the role of extrachromosomal DNA in evolution and drug response. Dr. Brunk brings a translational perspective on how AI can improve patient stratification, therapeutic discovery, and precision medicine, particularly in oncology and translational drug development.

Katie Kelm, PhD, Director of Medical Writing at Thermo Fisher Scientific

Dr. Katie Kelm has over 15 years of clinical research experience across academic and CRO settings. As a Medical Writing Director, she leads complex programs and develops process guides, tools, and best practices to improve medical writing workflows and systems. She has played a key role in evaluating generative AI vendors to streamline document production, with a focus on reducing timelines and improving quality across diverse document types and templates with minimal configuration. She presented this work at the American Medical Writers Association national meeting in November 2025. Dr. Kelm also leads the AI Champions Program within her organization’s medical writing groups. Through small-group sessions and broader communications, the program helps team members adopt AI as a practical collaborator and stay informed on evolving use cases across medical writing organizations. She brings an end-user and operational perspective on AI implementation efforts within clinical development and pharmaceutical workflows.

Catie King, Founder of Stradia Partners, Moderator

Catie is the co-founder of Stradia Partners, a boutique consulting agency that helps organizations modernize how they manage and use data — moving beyond the spreadsheet workarounds that quietly cap their growth. She has advised Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and startups on operational optimization and technology strategy, and is passionate about designing practical, scalable solutions to complex challenges. Before founding Stradia, Catie spent a decade as a product executive at companies like Automated Insights and TransLoc, and most recently served as Head of Product at the private jet company flyExclusive. When she's not working, she's traveling with her wife, Lindsey, or relaxing by the lake at home in Durham, NC.

Arti Rai, JD, Professor at the Duke University School of Law

Arti is the Elvin R. Latty Distinguished Professor and Faculty Director of the Center for Innovation Policy at Duke Law. She is an internationally recognized expert in intellectual property law and the regulation of biopharmaceutical innovation. Her research on innovation policy, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical regulation has been funded by organizations including the NIH, NSF, Arnold Ventures, the Kauffman Foundation, and the Greenwall Foundation. Most recently, her work has focused on intellectual property and legal challenges posed by AI-enabled drug research and development. In 2021, Rai served as Senior Advisor on innovation law and policy issues to the Department of Commerce’s Office of General Counsel. She previously served as head of the Office of Policy and International Affairs at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office from 2009 to 2010. Rai has also served on numerous distinguished councils, including the National Academies’ Forum on Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation; the National Advisory Council for Human Genome Research; the American Law Institute; and the Administrative Conference of the United States. She brings a unique perspective spanning science, law, innovation policy, and commercialization, particularly surrounding AI-derived pharmaceuticals, patent law, and regulatory frameworks for AI-driven drug development.

Pricing Information

• Members: $25
• AMWA Members: $25
• Non-members*: $40

*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

150

Parking Information

Free parking is available on-site at the NC Biotech Center.