Pharmaceutical Manufacturing - Towards a Sustainable Future

Join the PDA West Coast Chapter in Foster City at Gilead’s campus for a Full-Day Conference: Sustainable Innovations in Biopharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing. This content-rich program will feature expert presentations and dynamic panel discussions centered on eco-friendly advancements and sustainable practices within the biopharmaceutical industry. Attendees will have the chance to explore innovative strategies aimed at reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainability across various aspects of biopharma.

The event will delve into industry efforts to improve resource efficiency, reduce waste, and integrate greener practices in manufacturing, process development, and quality assurance. Industry experts will provide insights on regulatory expectations and the rising demand for sustainable practices, while addressing common challenges and sharing innovative solutions. This is an invaluable opportunity for those dedicated to a more sustainable biopharma sector to learn, engage, and network with key players committed to a greener future in biotechnology.

Visitor and Vendor Policy:

Due to security measures, all attendees must be pre-registered on Eventbrite prior to attending.

Please Note: Everyone attending must have a ticket registered under their own name.

Speakers:

*Subject to change based on availability

Joydeep Ganguly, MBA

Senior Vice President of Corporate Operations and Interim Chief Information Officer | Gilead Sciences

Joydeep Ganguly serves as Senior Vice President of Corporate Operations and Interim Chief Information Officer at Gilead Sciences. In his current role, he is accountable for several strategic functions, including corporate engineering; capital and operations strategy; corporate real estate; risk management; global procurement, and Information Technology. Joydeep also serves as the Board Chair of the Gilead Foundation, as well as spearheading the company’s Sustainability efforts globally. Prior to Gilead, Joydeep spent 10 years at Biogen, in roles of increasing responsibility in the areas of process sciences, manufacturing and supply chain. In his role as Vice President and Global Head of Biogen’s Technical Operations function, he oversaw the company’s multi-scale biologics and small molecule operations, as well as led general operations for the company’s presence in North Carolina, Denmark and Switzerland. A past board member of the North Carolina Biosciences Organization (NCBIO) and the NC Museum of Life and Sciences, he currently serves on the Board of Directors of Bay Area Council, Biocom, and is a trustee at Town School for Boys. He also serves on the Board of Advisors for Culture Biosciences, as well on the Advisory Board for NC State University’s Supply Chain program. He earned an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, an M.B.A. from North Carolina State University, and an MHA from Cornell University.

Jennifer Brooks

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Manager | Fujifilm Irvine Scientific

Jennifer Brooks serves as the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Manager for Fujifilm Irvine Scientific (FISI), a subsidiary of FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation (HLUS). Joining the HLUS team in 2015, Jennifer initially supported the Radiation Safety program and other EHS compliance initiatives for FUJIFILM Medical Systems, now FUJIFILM Healthcare Americas. Since 2019, Jennifer has been dedicated to the Fujifilm Irvine Scientific sites, focusing on employee safety, product and regulatory compliance, environmental stewardship, and sustainability programs.

Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Healthcare Management from Lander University in Greenwood, South Carolina. Her professional journey began with an internship at FUJIFILM Manufacturing USA, which led to subsequent positions within the Fujifilm organization. In her current role at FISI, Jennifer oversees all EHS programs, ranging from occupational safety and operating permits to sustainability initiatives, adapting to the diverse responsibilities typical of EHS professionals. Additionally, she collaborates closely with HLUS and Fujifilm Tokyo teams on sustainability programs within Life Sciences organizations.

Will Caffery

Western Region Director | Benchmark Products

Will is dedicated to fostering innovation and delivering high-impact solutions in the cleanroom, bioprocessing, and contamination control industry. With a strong focus on compliance and risk mitigation, Will works to support pharmaceutical manufacturers, gene and cell therapy companies, and medical device businesses in achieving operational excellence in highly regulated environments.

As the Western Region Director at Benchmark Products, Will manages operations across eight states, building meaningful partnerships and providing tailored contamination control strategies and single-use bioprocessing systems to meet the unique needs of clients. Throughout Will's career, the emphasis has always been on creating value through collaboration and strategic insight. Will has consistently demonstrated a passion for driving growth and solving complex challenges. Will holds a Bachelor's Degree in Finance from the University of Denver's Daniels College of Business.

Ravi Chawla, PhD

Founder| Chakra Tech

Dr. Ravi Chawla is a scientist, engineer, and entrepreneur with over 15 years of interdisciplinary expertise in research and technology development. His work spans chemical engineering (process engineering and safety), life sciences (microbiology, molecular and cell biology), and materials science (polymer physics, characterization, and microfabrication). His pioneering research at the intersection of biology and engineering has led to over 10 high-impact publications and breakthrough discoveries. He has been recognized with numerous prestigious fellowships and awards, including the American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Research Excellence Award, and the Biochemical Engineering Research Excellence Award.

As the Founder of ChakraTech, he is pioneering carbon-negative biomanufacturing, using synthetic biology and biotechnology to create next-generation biomaterials that replace fossil-based plastics and drive the circular economy. His work drives cross-sector partnerships to scale solutions that accelerate supply chain decarbonization and adoption of sustainable biomaterials.

Tyler Cobian

Sustainability Life Cycle Strategy | Amgen

Tyler Cobian is a sustainability leader who works at the cross section of environmental data science and corporate strategy. He has led sustainability efforts in organizations ranging in size from startup to fortune 500 companies. In his current role as Senior Engineer at Amgen he brings deep experience as an industrial ecologist and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) expert driving the use of LCA in the pharmaceutical sector.

Regina Donaldson

Site Engineering/Sustainability Lead | Bayer

Regina is trained as a Mechanical and Chemical Engineer and currently serves as the Site Engineering/Sustainability Lead and Site Energy Manager. With over 17 years at Bayer, she has held responsibilities in infrastructure and utilities, corporate internal audit, and sustainability. Her professional experience spans the automotive, biotechnology/pharmaceutical, and legal industries. She has a strong interest in continuously learning about new technologies and scientific topics, mentoring and coaching others in their professional development, and watching international programs.

Fabio Fonseca, PhD

Sr Director of pDNA Process Development | Bionova Scientific

Dr Fonseca FV, has a PhD in Biochemistry and 04 Postdoctoral Fellowships in the areas of gastroenterology, microbiology, vascular biology and cell biology. Dr Fonseca FV has published over 35 peer-review articles and extended conference abstracts. His 33 years of scientific experience encompass academia and the CDMO/CMO space in many biological modalities: GPCR pharmacology and structure, uncovering molecular mechanism of diseases, protein expression and purification, viral vectors (AAV and Lenti), microbiome-based drugs, antibody and vaccines manufacturing, QC and analytical development.

Matt Hancock, PhD

Management Director for API | Thermo Fisher Scientific

Matt Hancock is an industry veteran of over 20 years focused on the efficient development and manufacture of pharmaceuticals. Currently, he is the business management director for API at Thermo Fisher Scientific whose mission is to enable their customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer.

Matt has a Ph.D. in organic chemistry and focuses his passion for drug development in the areas of small molecule API manufacturing, amorphous spray drying, and sterile fill-finish.

Steven King, PhD

Chief Sustainable Supply, Ethnobotanical Research, and IP Officer | Jaguar Health

Dr. King is currently the Chief Sustainable Supply, Ethnobotanical Research, and IP Officer at Jaguar Health, where he is focusing on the integration of traditional ethnomedical knowledge to develop novel therapeutics. He has focused on reciprocity with local collaborating communities and the conservation of biocultural diversity as part of this process.

Over the past 3.5 decades he has dedicated himself to the sustainable harvest and management of the Croton lechleri tree, also known as the Dragon's Blood tree, found in the Amazon rain forests of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Steve’s efforts have been crucial in developing Crofelemer from this tree into an innovative plant-based prescription medication (Mytesi), which is the first FDA-approved oral Botanical Drug. Crofelemer is also in development for cancer therapy-related diarrhea (CTD) and several other gastrointestinal indications.

Most recently he and many ethnobotanical colleagues who were scientific strategy team (SST) advisors to Shaman Pharmaceuticals, formed the Entheogen Therapeutics Initiative (ETI) that has led to the formation of Magdalena Biosciences, a joint venture between Jaguar/ETI and Filament Health in Vancouver, Canada that is also focusing on developing new drugs under FDA Botanical Drug Guidance.

Hiroshi Miwa

Director Facilities and Engineering | AstraZeneca

Behzad Torabifar

Senior Director - Head of Sustainable Operations | Genentech

Behzad Torabifar is a Senior Director and Head of Sustainable Operations at Genentech, leading the company’s journey toward Zero Emissions. With over 20 years of experience in engineering, sustainability, and operations, he has held both local and global roles in the United States and Switzerland. He oversees energy and water management program and utility budgets across a 60-building portfolio, including research, administrative, and manufacturing facilities. A visionary and servant leader, Behzad leverages data storytelling to drive innovation and influence global sustainability strategies at Genentech and Roche. He holds a master’s in Sustainability Management from Columbia University and a background in civil and environmental engineering.

Sponsors:

more info at www.bayer.com

more info at https://www.biomerieux.com/

more info at https://bionovascientific.com/

more info at https://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/

more info at https://www.element.com/

more info at https://www.emerypharma.com/

more info at https://www.eurofins.com/

more info at https://www.gene.com

more info at www.gilead.com

more info at https://globalcompliancepartners.com/

more info at www.nelsonlabs.com

more info at https://www.ntint.com/

more info at www.thermofisher.com

more info at https://www.sterile.com/

FAQs

How can I contact the organizer with any questions?

You can contact the event organizer by sending an email to rsvp@wccpda.org. Please allow a few days for the response, emails will not be monitored on the day of the event.

Is my registration fee or ticket transferable?

Tickets are not reimbursable, however you can transfer your ticket by 21APR25 to whomever would like to attend on your behalf.

My company would like to become a PDA WCC Sponsor, do you have a sponsorship program?

Yes, our PDA WCC Sponsorship Program offers a unique opportunity for companies that want to strengthen brand image, increase visibility, and gain access to leaders of the San Francisco Bay Life Science Community.

Cancellation & Refund Policy:

Tickets are non-refundable. Seating is confirmed and reserved in advance. All sales are final and no refunds will be provided, including but not limited to non-attendance at the event. If a registrant cannot attend, substitutions are welcome no later than 10 days before the event (21APR25). The Chapter reserves the right to cancel an event if the minimum number of attendees is not met by the Monday prior to the event. The Chapter reserves the right to not answer emails or phone calls on the day of the event.

Privacy Policy:

We manage your personal data responsibly and align with PDA Privacy Policy.

REGISTRATION AGREEMENT: By registering to this event, I consent to PDA WCC recording and/or photographing me and using those recording(s) and/or photograph(s) in the future PDA WCC promotional and marketing material, and to send me promotional information via email.

A limited number of complimentary tickets for Students/Postdocs are available for this event! Apply here.

These tickets will be distributed randomly through a raffle to individuals who have completed the registration form below by the deadline. Due to high demand, not all registrants may receive a ticket.

Please Note: to be eligible for the Student Ticket, you must be a currently enrolled student at an accredited school or university.

Application Deadline: Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025, 11:59 pm PDT