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Speakers and Panels

Philadelphia Life Sciences Real Estate: Reading the Current Market

Examining existing lab inventory, vacancy, leasing activity, development and conversions—and how owners and investors are underwriting risk today

Janice Wong

Janice Wong

COO

Gattuso Development Partners

Jeff DeVuono

Jeff DeVuono

EVP & Senior Managing Director

Brandywine Realty Trust

Pete Cramer

Pete Cramer

Market Executive, VP, Development

Wexford Science + Technology

Joe Traynor

Joe Traynor

VP, Development

Breakthrough Properties

Janice Wong

COO

Gattuso Development Partners

With more than 15 years of experience in commercial real estate, Janice Wong has

dedicated her career to creating high-quality, thoughtfully designed, and environmentally

sustainable urban places. As a key member of the executive leadership team at Gattuso

Development Partners, Janice oversees the firm’s daily operations and drives strategic

initiatives across real estate development, marketing and leasing, business

development, construction, and asset management.

Prior to joining Gattuso Development Partners, Janice served as Director of Real Estate

Development & Leasing at Liberty Property Trust, one of the nation’s largest real estate

investment trusts. In this role, she evaluated and underwrote commercial urban

development and redevelopment projects valued from $25 million to $500 million. She

also played a central role in the master planning of 21 acres along the Camden

Waterfront in New Jersey, including the development of the LEED Platinum–certified

American Water Headquarters.

Earlier in her career, Janice practiced architecture with SUH Architects in Seoul, South

Korea, and KPMB Architects in Toronto, Canada. She is a licensed architect in Canada

and holds both LEED and WELL Accredited Professional credentials. Janice earned a

Bachelor of Architecture from McGill University, a Master of Architecture from the

University of Southern California, and an MBA from the Wharton School of the

University of Pennsylvania.

Deeply committed to community engagement, Janice serves on the Board of Directors

of Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia, where she previously completed two terms as

Board Chair. Her leadership and industry contributions have been recognized with the

Philadelphia Business Journal’s Women of Distinction Award (2019) and as a Bisnow

Philadelphia Power Woman nominee (2022).

Conversant in Cantonese and French, Janice lives just outside Philadelphia with her

husband and daughters.

Jeff DeVuono

EVP & Senior Managing Director

Brandywine Realty Trust

Jeff DeVuono is the Executive Vice President and Senior

Managing Director of Brandywine Realty Trust’s Pennsylvania

Division.

Mr. DeVuono joined Brandywine Realty Trust in January of

1997. Prior to Brandywine Realty Trust, Mr. DeVuono worked

for LCOR, Inc., a private development company that had a

previous association with Brandywine, where he held a variety

of positions, all of which related to asset management. Before

joining LCOR, Mr. DeVuono was a sales and leasing representative for Cushman & Wakefield of

Philadelphia.

Mr. DeVuono currently serves on the Board, and is a former Chairman, of the King of Prussia

District and is a Board Member of the Center City District (CCD). He is also a member of

CoreNet, the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), the National

Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), the Sunday Breakfast Club, and the

University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School Samuel Zell and Robert Lurie Real Estate Center.

He is a Trustee and Master Planning Committee Member of The Westtown School and is a

Master Planning Committee Member of Waynesborough Country Club. Past Boards include the

Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, University City District, Bartram’s Garden, and The

Center for Emerging Visual Artists.

Pete Cramer

Market Executive, VP, Development

Wexford Science + Technology

Pete serves as Director of Development for Wexford Science & Technology. He actively manages the marketing, leasing, financing, operation and construction of uCity Square – Wexford’s project in the Philadelphia market.

uCity Square is a 6.5 million square foot mixed-use development project located in Philadelphia’s growing Innovation District. Specific buildings that Wexford manages include 3711 Market Street, 3737 Market Street, and 3675 Market Street.

Pete has also managed $30 million worth of pre-development projects in uCity Square, including development and remediation of the former University City High School site and construction of new street and utility infrastructure.

Pete graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the Smeal College of Business at Pennsylvania State University.

Joe Traynor

VP, Development

Breakthrough Properties

Mr. Traynor is the Philadelphia lead for Breakthrough Properties, responsible for all

asset management and development activities in the region. A native of Greater

Philadelphia, Joe is proud to have delivered over 1.5 million square feet of commercial

space throughout the area while working for multiple prominent firms over the past 12

years. Mr. Traynor’s experience includes various product types ranging from

redevelopment and large scale renovations to ground up development. Joe holds an

MBA from Villanova School of Business with specializations in Real Estate and Finance

and a BA in Architectural Design from Yale University.

Building Philadelphia’s Life Sciences Economy: From Discovery to Growth

How emerging companies, commercialization, manufacturing, talent and capital will shape the region’s next phase of growth and future space demand

Lou Kassa

Lou Kassa

CEO

Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center, Blumberg Institute, Hepatitis B Foundation, HatchBio VC Fund

Shahram Hejazi

Shahram Hejazi

Managing Director & CEO

BioAdvance Capital

Benjamin Smith

Benjamin Smith

Executive Director and President

Monell Chemical Senses Center

Katie Reuther

Katie Reuther

Executive Director

Penn Health-Tech

Zev Sunleaf

Zev Sunleaf

Vice President, Technology Transfer, Commercialization, and Research Contracts

CHOP

The Science of the Build: Designing and Delivering Philadelphia’s Life Sciences Facilities

How occupiers, developers, architects, engineers and contractors are controlling cost and speed-to-market while creating flexible labs, cleanrooms and specialized production environments that can adapt to changing science, equipment and regulatory requirements

Peter Scarpati

Peter Scarpati

VP, Operations

The Wistar Institute

Eric Jaffe

Eric Jaffe

Education & Science Global Director

HDR

 John Fogarty

John Fogarty

Director

Mispro

Eric Jaffe

Education & Science Global Director

HDR

Eric leads the education and science sector at local, regional, national and global

levels. Collaborating with regional and market education and science directors,

he ensures that HDR’s practice is elevated and maintained through quality

design, innovative planning, client service and thought leadership. A licensed

architect with over 25 years of experience, Eric has focused of his career on the

science and education. His experience working alongside clients including

Novartis, Siemens, Duke University and Commonwealth Fusion Systems,

provides him with a deep understanding of the diverse and nuanced challenges

faced by our federal, corporate and academic clients

John Fogarty

Director

Mispro

John Fogarty is Director of Marketing at Mispro, a national contract vivarium organization providing preclinical research infrastructure for biotechnology companies. Positioned at the intersection of drug development, life science real estate, and research services, Mispro is part of the growing shift toward research-ready environments that expand access to preclinical capabilities. John has been an active advocate for operating models that enable biotechnology companies to generate defensible preclinical data and advance drug development in today's evolving funding environment.

why you should attend the philadelphia life sciences & innovation summit

Why This Matters

Greater Philadelphia’s life sciences market is entering a more selective and consequential phase. CBRE reported that two major leases totaling more than 360K SF represented all of the region’s life sciences leasing during Q1 2026, while newly available inventory contributed to occupancy losses. At the same time, early-year funding activity offered a potential signal that investor confidence may be beginning to improve.


The region is also attracting investments that extend its economy beyond research and into company formation, specialized production and commercial-scale manufacturing. Johnson & Johnson announced plans to invest more than $1B in a Montgomery County cell therapy facility expected to support 500 permanent biomanufacturing jobs, Legend Biotech opened a 31K SF Philadelphia R&D center, and Penn, BioNTech and Osage University Partners launched a $50M fund for early-stage companies spun out of Penn.


These contrasting forces are creating important decisions for owners, developers, investors and occupiers. Where is demand actually emerging? Which properties can compete for today’s tenants? What will it take for companies to remain and expand in the region? And how can Greater Philadelphia convert its scientific discoveries into sustained real estate demand, investment and job growth?
 

What You’ll Learn

  • Where laboratory, incubator, R&D and specialized manufacturing demand is emerging across Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs

  • How owners are adjusting leasing strategies, tenant improvements, flexible-space offerings and speed-to-occupancy requirements

  • What investors, lenders and developers need to see before funding acquisitions, repositioning projects or new construction

  • Which factors determine whether early-stage companies remain in Greater Philadelphia as they raise capital and require larger facilities

  • How research institutions, pharmaceutical partnerships and new investment funds are influencing company formation and commercialization

  • What infrastructure, utilities, workforce pipelines and public incentives are required to attract advanced manufacturing users

  • Which leasing, funding and development indicators would signal the beginning of a stronger regional growth cycle
     

How You’ll Do More Business

Connect with the owners, developers, investors, biotech executives, research leaders and public-sector decision-makers determining where companies locate, which facilities receive capital and how projects move forward. Attendees will gain direct insight into active space requirements, emerging development opportunities and the partnerships companies need as they advance from research through commercialization.
 

The event will bring together organizations working across laboratory real estate, venture capital, construction, engineering, manufacturing, economic development and company operations, creating opportunities to identify clients, project partners, tenants, capital sources and specialized service providers throughout the regional ecosystem.
 

Who Attends

Owners, developers, investors, lenders, biotech and pharmaceutical executives, laboratory and manufacturing occupiers, venture capital firms, research institutions, healthcare systems, economic development agencies, brokers, architects, engineers, contractors, project managers, property managers, attorneys, consultants and specialized service providers supporting Greater Philadelphia’s life sciences economy.
 

Why You Should Attend

Philadelphia has the scientific talent and institutional foundation to remain a major life sciences market, but the next phase of growth will depend on how effectively the region connects capital, companies, real estate and manufacturing. Attend to understand where activity is gaining traction, how decision-makers are navigating a more selective market and where new business opportunities are likely to emerge.

Agenda

Time Activity
8:00 AM
9:00 AM
Registration, Networking & Breakfast
9:00 AM
9:45 AM
Philadelphia Life Sciences Real Estate: Reading the Current Market

Examining existing lab inventory, vacancy, leasing activity, development and conversions—and how owners and investors are underwriting risk today

9:45 AM
10:30 AM
Building Philadelphia’s Life Sciences Economy: From Discovery to Growth

How emerging companies, commercialization, manufacturing, talent and capital will shape the region’s next phase of growth and future space demand

10:30 AM
10:45 AM
Networking Break
10:45 AM
11:30 AM
The Science of the Build: Designing and Delivering Philadelphia’s Life Sciences Facilities

How occupiers, developers, architects, engineers and contractors are controlling cost and speed-to-market while creating flexible labs, cleanrooms and specialized production environments that can adapt to changing science, equipment and regulatory requirements

11:30 AM
12:00 PM
Closing Networking

Tickets

Early Bird Special

$135.00 /ticket

Act soon! Prices increase at 11:59PM Sep 30, 2026

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