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Department Events

Events

• May

  21

  BTP Seminar Series: Michael Boyne & Greta Wodarcyk, CatalystBio

  McCormick-Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE)

  12:00 PM LR4, Technological Institute

  EVENT DETAILS

  Path to IND – Moving from the bench to the bedside

  The journey from promising preclinical discovery to human clinical trials represents a critical, yet complex, transition in drug development. Central to this transition is the successful submission of an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to regulatory authorities like the FDA. However, the path to IND is fraught with challenges, demanding rigorous scientific data, strategic planning, and a deep understanding of evolving regulatory expectations across preclinical development, Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC), and clinical trial design.

  Greta Wodarcyk, PhD is a scientist and biotech executive with expertise bridging product development, preclinical/toxicology, CMC, and clinical operations with a record of successful regulatory filings and clinical operational efficiency. Greta is a Co-Founder and Principal of CatalystBio, an advisory firm dedicated to moving first-in-class, first-in-kind technologies off the bench and into the clinic. Previously, Greta was the Sr. Director of Clinical Operations and Program Development at COUR Pharmaceuticals, where she oversaw COUR's product development pipeline and led IND and clinical operations efforts, opening four INDs and building out COUR’s internal clinical operations capabilities for early phase studies. Greta obtained her doctorate in biological sciences at Northwestern University and Bachelor of Arts in chemistry and in music from St. Olaf College.

  Michael Boyne, PhD is an accomplished scientific professional and an unabashed drug developer, having served as a regulator, consultant, and executive in biotech. Michael is a Co-Founder and Principal of CatalystBio, a Global Life Sciences Advisory Firm dedicated to moving first-in-class, first-in kind technologies off the bench and into the clinic. Michael has authored ~50 peer-reviewed publications and is an internationally recognized speaker on drug development. He currently serves on the Executive Advisory Board for Northwestern's Chemistry of Life Process Institute and the Gower Foundation.

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  TIME Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

  LOCATION LR4, Technological Institute    map it

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  CONTACT Will Chaussee    william.chaussee@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick-Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE)

• Jun

  4

  BTP Seminar Series: Sean Kevlahan, Nanite

  McCormick-Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE)

  12:00 PM LR4, Technological Institute

  EVENT DETAILSmore info

  Polymer, Platform, Partner: Lessons from Two Biotech Startups

  Sean Kevlahan’s entrepreneurial journey began with the cofounding of Quad Technologies, a startup focused on cell separation and activation technologies to enable scalable cell
  therapy manufacturing. As CEO, Sean guided Quad from concept to commercialization, ultimately leading to its acquisition by Bio-Techne. At Bio-Techne, he transitioned into a leadership role where he launched and scaled the Cell and Gene Therapy business unit, spearheading strategic initiatives that expanded the company’s footprint in advanced therapeutics. Driven by a continued passion for genetic medicine and delivery innovation,
  Sean went on to co-found Nanite—a next-generation non-viral gene delivery company. At Nanite, Sean is now leading the development of programmable polymer nanoparticles designed to unlock targeted, durable expression of therapeutic proteins and peptides via DNA delivery. His journey reflects a deep commitment to building platform technologies at the intersection of chemistry, engineering, and medicine, with the goal of transforming how genetic medicines are delivered and developed.

  Sean Kevlahan is the CEO and co-founder of Nanite, a biotechnology company pioneering the design of programmable polymer nanoparticles for non-viral gene delivery. He holds a
  B.S. in Biochemistry from Hofstra University and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Northeastern University. Throughout his career, Sean has worked at the intersection of materials science and genetic medicine. Prior to founding Nanite, he cofounded Quad Technologies, which was acquired by Bio-Techne. Following the acquisition, Sean went on to nucleate Bio-Techne’s Cell and Gene Therapy business unit, where he led all strategic initiatives in the CGT space.

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  TIME Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

  LOCATION LR4, Technological Institute    map it

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  CONTACT Will Chaussee    william.chaussee@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick-Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE)

• Jun

  5

  ChBE Seminar Series: TBA

  McCormick-Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE)

  9:30 AM LR5, Technological Institute

  EVENT DETAILS

  More details to come.

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  TIME Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

  LOCATION LR5, Technological Institute    map it

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  CONTACT Olivia Wise    olivia.wise@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick-Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE)

• Jun

  15

  2024-2025 Commencement Ceremony

  University Academic Calendar

  All Day

  EVENT DETAILSmore info

  2024-2025 Commencement Ceremony

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  TIME Sunday, June 15, 2025

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  CONTACT Office of the Registrar    nu-registrar@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR University Academic Calendar

• Jun

  16

  Northwestern Engineering PhD Hooding and Master's Degree Recognition Ceremony

  McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

  9:00 AM 2705 Ashland Ave

  EVENT DETAILS

  McCormick School of Engineering PhD Hooding and Master's Degree Recognition Ceremony. The most up to date information can be found on our graduation webpage.

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  TIME Monday, June 16, 2025 at 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

  LOCATION 2705 Ashland Ave   

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  CONTACT Northwestern Engineering Events    northwestern-engineering-events@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

• Jun

  16

  Northwestern Engineering Undergraduate Convocation

  McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

  2:00 PM 2705 Ashland Ave

  EVENT DETAILSmore info

  McCormick School of Engineering Undergraduate Convocation. The most up to date information can be found on our graduation webpage.

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  TIME Monday, June 16, 2025 at 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

  LOCATION 2705 Ashland Ave   

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  CONTACT Northwestern Engineering Events    northwestern-engineering-events@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

• Jun

  23

  Summer classes begin

  University Academic Calendar

  All Day

  EVENT DETAILS

  Summer classes begin

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  TIME Monday, June 23, 2025

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  CONTACT Office of the Registrar    nu-registrar@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR University Academic Calendar

• Sep

  16

  Fall 2025 Classes Begin

  University Academic Calendar

  All Day

  EVENT DETAILS

  Fall 2025 Classes Begin

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  TIME Tuesday, September 16, 2025

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  CONTACT Office of the Registrar    nu-registrar@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR University Academic Calendar