Meet the Speakers

Eugene Chen, PhD, Senior Principal Scientist, Genentech

Eugene Chen is a Senior Principal Scientist in the Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Department at Genentech, where he leads a team of scientists focused on evaluating and developing in vitro models to address questions related to drug transporters and permeability. Eugene earned his PhD in Pharmaceutical Science and Pharmacogenetics from the University of California, San Francisco, where he studied under Dr. Kathy Giacomini with a research focus on drug transporters.

Since joining Genentech, Eugene has made significant contributions to the advancement of transporter biology and permeability assessment methodologies. His leadership in developing innovative in vitro models, including P-gp knockout MDCK cells, intestinal organoids, and models of hepatobiliary elimination, has enhanced the department's capabilities to evaluate drug transport mechanisms and inform discovery and development programs. In addition to his laboratory leadership role, Eugene serves as DMPK Team Leader, where he provides strategic scientific guidance across multiple projects. Eugene is a member of the International Transporter Consortium and a Genentech representative on the IQ Consortium working group on Micro Physiological Systems. He also serves as Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Biopharmaceutical Sciences at UCSF.

Karissa Cottier, PhD, Manager of R&D, BioIVT

Dr. Cottier earned her PhD in medical pharmacology at University of Arizona where she focused on drug delivery in migraine headache model. In her post-doctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University Karissa utilized molecular and histology-based assays in an in vitro model to study cerebral malaria. We at BioIVT were pleased that Karissa decided to join our team in our lab in Baltimore Maryland following her post-doc. She has contributed to numerous projects, and importantly led our program to develop high-purity Kupffer cells as well as investigate new applications for our HEPATOPAC and HEPATOMUNE cultures.

Lawrence Florin, Chief Executive Officer, Hesperos

Mr. Florin joined Hesperos in May 2024. He possesses considerable executive business and product development experience helping found, build and grow multiple biopharma, preclinical, clinical and site management companies, in addition to clinical technology and consulting organizations.

Prior to joining Hesperos, Larry served as the Chief Clinical Officer of Immunicom, Inc., an immuno-oncology company, where he led all preclinical and clinical development activities and secured the company’s first product approval. He also is an advisor to several biotech and clinical technology organizations by supporting fundraising efforts and developing and operationalizing clinical development and go-to-market strategies, respectively.

Beyond his operational expertise, Mr. Florin is a frequent speaker and contributor to industry meetings and publications. He has been recognized for leveraging technology to improve patient recruitment and retention, risk-based monitoring, and overall preclinical and clinical development operations including spearheading the development and marketing of leading-edge enterprise clinical analytics and patient engagement systems. More recently, he has been a strong advocate of the utility of new approach methods, including organ-on-a-chip systems to better inform and accelerate product development in a capital efficient manner.

Rhiannon Hardwick, PhD, Scientific Director, BMS

Rhiannon is a Scientific Director in Discovery Toxicology at Bristol Myers Squibb, San Diego, where she oversees an in vitro toxicology laboratory and serves as a project toxicologist for discovery phase programs across therapeutic modalities. Her laboratory interests include the use of complex in vitro models and microphysiological systems in the identification and characterization of tox liabilities and mechanistic investigations. Rhiannon is a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology, an active member of the Society of Toxicology and serves as an Associate Editor for Toxicological Sciences. Rhiannon also is a member of the European Organ on a Chip Society Industrial Advisory Board and a BMS representative to the IQ Consortium Microphysiological Systems Affiliate where she has served on the executive committee, participated in the organization of several MPS-related workshops, and contributed to several manuscripts regarding qualification, standardization, and regulatory perspectives in the MPS field.

Mehrsa Mehrabi, PhD, Senior Scientist, VivoSim Labs

Dr. Mehrabi has over a decade of expertise in translational research, tissue engineering, and drug discovery. She earned her doctorate from the Edwards Lifesciences Cardiovascular Center at UC Irvine and has led cross-functional research initiatives in both academic and industry settings, including positions at Organovo, Viscient Biosciences, BioSpyder Technologies, and UCLA. Dr. Mehrabi’s experience encompasses vendor management, technical reporting, and strategic scientific development. She specializes in 3D tissue modeling and precision medicine platforms and is recognized for her collaborative leadership and ability to advance scientific projects from concept through execution. In addition to her scientific credentials, Dr. Mehrabi holds a Mini-MBA in Drug Commercialization & Product Strategy from Dignity Health Global Education, further strengthening her expertise in the business aspects of drug development and commercialization. Driven by a passion for translating innovative science into clinical impact, she continues to bridge research and real-world application at VivoSim Labs.

Shiny Rajan, PhD, Senior Director, Javelin Biotech

Shiny Rajan serves as Senior Director of Platform Development at Javelin Biotech, where she leads the development of human-relevant tissue models that are reshaping how drugs are evaluated before reaching the clinic. With a background in biomedical engineering and dual training in science and business (Ph.D./MBA, Virginia Tech–Wake Forest University), she brings both technical expertise and strategic vision to her role. Her early work in engineering, a six-organ integrated human tissue platform set the stage for her current leadership in advancing multi-tissue chips for drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and disease applications. At Javelin, she combines innovation in tissue engineering with collaborative partnerships across academia and industry to deliver predictive models that bridge preclinical research and human health outcomes.