From the Lab to the Clinic: Center Forward Healthcare Innovation Conference

California’s life sciences ecosystem was on full display as we joined Center Forward and congressional staff for a week of events exploring healthcare innovation from the lab to the clinic.

Breakthrough Science Meets Real-World Impact

Our week of activities began at Gilead Sciences, where we learned about the company’s decades-long commitment to global health equity, with a focus on its work in HIV and hepatitis C therapy. We started with a look at how Gilead approaches drug development for diseases that disproportionately affect low- and middle-income populations, ensuring access for vulnerable populations and building partnerships with global health organizations to broaden the reach of these therapies. During our visit, we got a firsthand look at how antiviral research programs are structured to address both the scientific complexity of HIV and hepatitis C drug resistance and the real-world constraints of delivering treatment around the world.

From there, the delegation traveled to PTC Therapeutics, Inc. to explore how the company identifies and pursues targets in rare diseases. Participants walked through the company’s scientific approach from gene-level discovery through clinical proof of concept. The visit concluded with a productive discussion about the unique challenges in rare disease drug development and the dynamics of developing and receiving approval for rare disease treatments.

Next, participants joined Stanford University, where a campus tour and researcher panel highlighted the University’s track record of developing life-changing treatments, inventing groundbreaking technologies, and advancing new ways of understanding disease. Conversations underscored the vital link between federal funding and the innovations that follow.

The day closed with a dinner speaker series featuring Rosanne Foust, President and CEO of San Mateo County Economic Development Association (SAMCEDA), who offered a regional economic development perspective on the Bay Area’s innovation economy.

Innovation Shaping The Future of Medicine

Our second day of the Center Forward Healthcare Innovation Conference took congressional staff deeper into California’s life sciences ecosystem, this time with a focus on two of the toughest challenges in medicine: cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

The day began at Genentech‘s South San Francisco research facilities, where staff learned how the company approaches oncology research and development in an increasingly competitive global landscape, maintaining scientific leadership through strengths in antibody engineering, biomarker-driven trial design, and personalized medicine. Touring programs spanning tumors, hematologic malignancies, and immuno-oncology, staff saw firsthand how a global biotech leader translates cutting-edge research into life-saving cancer treatments, offering valuable context on drug development incentives, international competitiveness, and the public-private partnerships driving American cancer innovation.

From there, the delegation traveled to Biogen‘s West Coast Hub, where staff explored how the company approaches developing effective therapies for Alzheimer’s disease and broader neurological conditions. Touring research facilities with senior scientific leadership, staff gained firsthand insight into the neuroscience expertise, biomarker research, and clinical development work driving progress against one of the most pressing and costly health challenges facing Americans today.

To end the day, CLS joined South San Francisco City Councilmembers Eddie Flores and James Coleman for a reception. The local elected leaders offered remarks that shared the story of how the Bay Area became the global epicenter of innovation while exploring the benefits and challenges with maintaining that status in an ever-changing federal, state, and local policy landscape.

People, Policy, and Partnerships Driving the Future of Healthcare

On our final day, life sciences innovators and congressional staff brought the Center Forward Healthcare Innovation Conference full circle, closing with a look at pediatric care and a conversation about what it takes for a city to lead in healthcare innovation.

The day began at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, where a briefing on the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) set the stage for a deeper look at how federal funding shapes pediatric healthcare access. Touring the hospital’s clinical facilities, staff saw firsthand the unique challenges of pediatric medicine, from workforce shortages to the challenges presented when developing medical devices for small and critically ill patients. A roundtable with clinicians, administrators, and public health leaders gave staff direct insight into what it takes to deliver world-class care to children across every community.

Participants then visited Merck‘s South San Francisco facility for a presentation on the company’s molecular design lab, followed by a policy discussion on California’s life sciences ecosystem.

A Week of Impact

California’s life sciences ecosystem, spanning industry, academia, and regional economic leadership, is where breakthrough science meets real-world impact. Our visits reinforced why American leadership in biopharmaceutical innovation matters, not just for advancing science, but for the patients and families counting on new breakthroughs, and shed light on the people, policy, and partnerships driving the future of healthcare.

We’re grateful to Center Forward, Gilead, Stanford, SAMCEDA, Genentech, Biogen, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital, Merck, and the City of San Francisco for a firsthand look at how Congress can support the innovators tackling persistent and emerging public health threats and the research shaping the future of cancer and neurological disease treatment.