AAPS Reveals Opening and Closing Plenary Speakers for PharmSci 360

AAPS has announced the opening and closing plenary speakers for the 2026 PharmSci 360, taking place October 25-28, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Julie Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H., President and CEO of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH), will open the conference on Sunday, October 25. From 2002-2009, she directed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She has also served in executive roles at Merck and currently holds adjunct faculty positions at University of California, San Francisco and Case Western Reserve University. Gerberding’s education includes a medical degree from Case Western Reserve University and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

David Berry, M.D., Ph.D., Managing Partner at Averin Capital, will conclude the event on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Berry co-founded Averin with the goal of driving improvements in health outcomes via emerging technologies. Previously, he co-founded over 30 life science and sustainability companies and was a General Partner at Flagship Pioneering. He received his M.D. from Harvard Medical School and a Ph.D. from MIT in biological engineering.

“I am personally looking forward to hearing firsthand from Dr. Gerberding on how we as an industry can cultivate global public-private partnerships, followed by Dr. Berry’s visionary take on the next wave of disruptive health tech,” said AAPS 2026 PharmSci 360 Scientific Programming Committee Chair Parag Kolhe, Ph.D.. “This is a rare opportunity to see the entire spectrum of pharmaceutical innovation brought to life.”