This roundtable brings together academic researchers and industry leaders to explore the future of funding in U.S. genomics and life sciences. With both sectors navigating colossal changes and uncertainty, the need for smarter, more collaborative funding strategies is pivotal. 

We will examine how academia and industry can align to close translational gaps, co-develop early-stage innovation, and sustain long-term investment in genomics across discovery, development, and delivery. 

Key Objectives 

• Understand Today’s Funding Realities 

• Public vs. private funding trends in genomics and biotech 

• Academic constraints: grant timelines, IP policies and tenure pressures 

• Pharma’s evolving approach to external innovation and early-stage partnerships 

• Break Down Silos Between Academia and Industry 

• Identifying opportunities for co-funding and earlier collaboration 

• Building trust and transparency in academic–industry partnerships 

• Rethink Translational Infrastructure 

• The role of accelerators, translational institutes, and hybrid R&D hubs 

• Support systems for spinouts, dual academic-industry roles, and early trials 

• Making institutional structures more adaptable to modern funding models 

• Look Ahead 

• Funding high-risk, high-reward science in a conservative funding landscape 

• Ensuring funding strategies also support equity, access, and responsible innovation 

• Creating partnership models that go beyond traditional licensing or research agreements 

Target Attendees 

Academic Leaders 

• Principal investigators in genomics, biotech, and translational medicine 

• Deans or department chairs at leading research institutions 

• Directors of translational research centers or clinical genomics programs 

Industry Leaders 

• R&D and translational medicine leaders (Director, VP, or above) 

• Heads of open innovation, academic collaborations, or external R&D 

Questions: 

• What are the biggest friction points in current funding pathways? 

• How can risk and value be shared more equitably between academia and industry? 

• What institutional changes are needed to support more agile funding and partnership models?