Scientific Committee

Bio: Thomas R. Caulfield, PhD is the Founder & CEO of Digital Ether Computing, a frontier biotech–AI company developing Liquid Adaptive AI, the Dynamicasome, and next-generation generative models for drug discovery and protein variant interpretation. A scientist, inventor, and engineer, Dr. Caulfield has authored multiple high-impact papers and patented dozens of novel therapeutics. His work integrates advanced mathematics, quantum-inspired AI, and functional genomics to accelerate breakthrough therapeutics across complex diseases

Bio: Xiaolei Zhu, M.D., Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Co-Director of the JH Center for the Advancement of HIV Neurotherapeutics. His research focuses on how microglial/macrophage and lymphocyte signaling contribute to neuropsychiatric and neurocognitive disorders, including chronic stress–related depression and HIV-associated brain dysfunction. Dr. Zhu’s laboratory integrates mouse models, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, and translational therapeutic development, with a particular emphasis on microglia-directed glutaminase inhibition and gut–brain immune mechanisms. He has published in journals such as Nature Immunology, Science Translational Medicine, and Neurotherapeutics, and serves on editorial boards and scientific committees in the areas of neuroimmunology, neuroHIV, and experimental neurotherapeutics.

Bio: Juhani Lahdenperä, M.Sc., is a seasoned COO with over 15 years of experience in biotechnology business management and leadership. He was previously CEO of PlexPress and Hermo Pharma, and afterward, he has been helping early-stage programs in their commercialization via Biotech Start-Up Management. He has received five innovation awards personally or for the companies he has represented. During his early academic career, he published in Nature among other peer-reviewed journals.

Bio: Pedro Fonte is Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Algarve, Portugal. He is also an integrated member at Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), University of Algarve, Portugal and collaborator researcher at the Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Portugal. He graduated in Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2010 and obtained his PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Nanotechnologies specialty at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Portugal in collaboration with the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2016. He also obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the Faculty of Economics and Business Management, Lusíada University, Portugal in 2012. His area of scientific activity is on the development of new drug delivery systems by means of colloidal carriers, structural characterization of proteins entrapped into micro- and nanocarriers, lyophilization of biopharmaceuticals, targeted and controlled delivery of drugs across biological barriers, solid state characterization of pharmaceuticals and drying of pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals. He is also conducting research in the regenerative medicine field, focusing in wound healing, tissue regeneration and cell therapy. In his activity he is enrolled in the up-scale of pharmaceutical products and is involved in entrepreneurship activities.