Cure®, Life Science Cares New York and Science in the City Inc. Partner to Launch Life Sciences Immersion Program for New York City High School Students

NEW YORK, June 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cure^®, a healthcare innovation campus in New York City, today announced a partnership with Life Science Cares New York, Science In the City Inc. with sponsorship from New York Economic Development Corporation  to launch an immersive educational program for New York City high school students interested in life sciences and biotechnology. The program will bring 50 students from New York City to the Cure campus to learn from scientists and business leaders through a panel event and interactive workshop session.

Life Science Cares, led by Executive Director Elizabeth Fassberg, activates the financial and human capital of the life sciences industry, and partners with nonprofits to disrupt the cycle of poverty and inequality in communities and neighborhoods. The company currently operates in five cities, including Boston, Philadelphia San Diego, the Bay Area, and most recently, New York City, which launched in November 2022.

"We are excited to partner with Life Science Cares. Roughly one in five children in New York City live below the poverty line, without meaningful exposure to STEM-focused career paths during formative high school years," said Seema Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of Cure. "It is our responsibility as a community and industry to invest in building the next generation of scientific talent and workforce to ensure that young people, regardless of their socioeconomic status, have access to opportunities and resources."

"The life sciences and biotechnology industries are essential to the city's economic development," said New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) President & CEO Andrew Kimball. "EDC's partnership with Life Science Cares New York will help ensure the diversification of these high wage, high growth sectors and provide the next generation of leaders equal opportunities in STEM careers throughout the five boroughs."

The program theme, "From an idea to the lab, on to the shelves of the pharmacy – How do you join the ecosystem?" aims to educate participating students on the many components of drug development and the life sciences industry, including academic research, commercial R&D, capital markets, legal and compliance, marketing, and more. The students will also have the opportunity to meet Cure resident company leaders, tour the Cure campus, and participate in a small group project.

The opening panel discussion with a Q&A session and activities will feature guest speakers:

• Matthew Alcalde, Director of People Operations, Humanity Health Inc.;
• Laurence Blumberg, M.D., Biotech Entrepreneur and Professor of 'Entrepreneurship in Life Sciences,' Weill Cornell Medical School;
• Ivo Lorenz, Head of Biologics, Deerfield Discovery and Development
• Matt Nelson, Ph.D., VP Genetics and Genomics, Deerfield
• Maria Luisa Pineda, Ph.D., CEO, Cofounder Envisagenics, Inc.;
• Kersten Small, Head of Preclinical and Translational Sciences, Selah Therapeutics;
• Lily Wound, Partner, Goodwin Procter LLP
• Kyesha Ruffin, Founder and CEO, Science In The City Inc.

"Part of what makes Cure so special is the diversity we see across the teams and organizations that make up our campus, despite the fact that as an industry, only 14% of the life science workforce accounts for employees from diverse backgrounds," said Nolan Townsend, CEO at LEXEO Therapeutics and Board Chair, Life Science Cares New York.  "The opportunity to promote equitable opportunities for future generations is even more special and can only benefit our healthcare ecosystem. The team at LEXEO Therapeutics looks forward to participating in this event and hope to inspire these young students to pursue a path in STEM."

ABOUT CURE^®: 
Located at 345 Park Avenue South in New York City, Cure is an innovation campus boasting laboratories, lecture, and office space, as well as technology and other amenities for innovators across the healthcare industry, including academic institutions and other nonprofits, to accelerate their novel work. For more information, please visit wewillcure.com. 

ABOUT NYCEDC:
New York City Economic Development Corporation is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization that works for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive economy for all New Yorkers. We take a comprehensive approach, through four main strategies: strengthen confidence in NYC as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors with a focus on equity, build neighborhoods as places to live, learn, work, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the city's future economy. To learn more about what we do, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

ABOUT LIFE SCIENCE CARES NEW YORK:
Life Science Cares leverages the power of the life science industry to solve one of our most intractable social issues—poverty. They currently operate in five locations that boast a critical mass of companies working in biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical technology, and research: Boston, Philadelphia, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area and New York.

ABOUT SCIENCE IN THE CITY INC:
A New York based organization that aims to disrupt intergenerational poverty through STEM education and workforce development. The organization promotes science education and engagement through events, workshops and educational programs that make science more accessible and engaging.

SOURCE Cure Experience