2024 Keynote Speakers

Research Keynote Speaker

Jordan Winter, MD

Dr. Winter is a pancreatic cancer surgeon and scientist. After working at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, he arrived in Cleveland at University Hospitals to lead the Division of Surgical Oncology in 2018. The Winter Lab studies the molecular mechanisms of pancreatic cancer biology to try to determine new therapeutic strategies. His lab focuses on elucidating the adaptive strategies employed by pancreatic cancer to overcome the harsh, ‘desert-like’ conditions that surround the tumor. His team is currently developing a strategy that overwhelms these adaptive pathways using a safe new drug. The strategy has cured pancreatic cancer in mice, and they hope to test this strategy in patients in 2021. He is also studying the molecular mechanisms that drive depression in patients with pancreatic cancer, and will test new insights gained from his lab’s studies in clinical trials in 2021. Learn more about Dr. Winter's Lab here

Dr. Winter's Educational Background

Caroline is responsible for leading the Keenan Center’s efforts to provide University-wide entrepreneurial education and early commercialization training.  These activities include coaching and preparing for early funding opportunities such as Accelerator Awards, Partnerships for Innovation (PFI), and Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer grants (SBIR/STTR); engaging college leadership, faculty, staff and students to identify needs and create programming; and connecting faculty, staff and students to entrepreneurial resources within and outside of the university. Prior to joining Ohio State Caroline was a co-founder and Vice President of Operations for Minimally Invasive Devices, Inc, a venture-backed medical device startup. Her experience includes product development from concept to commercialization; quality and regulatory affairs; global sales and marketing; raising angel and venture capital funding; and human resource management.  Her earlier career in healthcare management included healthcare policy, compliance, coding, and reimbursement. Caroline is also listed on 7 U.S. patents. Learn more about her here!

Caroline Crisafulli's Educational Background

Caroline Crisafulli

Industry Keynote Speaker