NCLifeSci Medical Device Luncheon and Forum

Patrick Downie, senior director, digital engineering, BD

Downie leads BD’s enterprise digital engineering organization, shaping how advanced simulation, industrial imaging and emerging technologies drive innovation, scalability and regulatory performance across a global medical technology portfolio. His organization plays a critical role in accelerating product development and enabling data-driven decision-making across BD’s R&D ecosystem. With a career spanning more than 30 years across telecom, electronics and healthcare, Downie has built and led high-performing teams focused on solving complex multiphysics challenges. He holds several patents and has contributed extensively to technical literature and industry forums. Downie earned his mechanical engineering degrees and an MBA from North Carolina State University.

Zack Hornberger, senior director, digital health and imaging technology, AdvaMed

Hornberger supports industry alignment on artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity and digital health policy. With more than a decade of experience spanning medical imaging devices, software-based technologies and regulatory engagement, his work focuses on cybersecurity, patient data, AI-enabled technologies and evolving FDA policy. Hornberger holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Missouri and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional.

Tom Kaiser, M.D., Ph.D., chief scientific officer, Avicenna Biosciences

Kaiser is physician-scientist dedicated to designing next generation medicines for rare diseases. Trained in mathematics, artificial intelligence, organic chemistry and clinical medicine, he brings a unique perspective on machine learning for drug design and development as well as general techniques in artificial intelligence. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a member of the faculty of pharmaceutical medicine of the Royal College of Physicians. He is also an operating partner of DCVC Bio, a leading venture capital firm in San Francisco. Kaiser received his M.D. from the University of Oxford and also received Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Texas A&M University and a B.S. in biochemistry from the University of Tulsa.

Todd Sharp, field CTO and principal technical executive advisor, global healthcare and life sciences team, Amazon Web Services 

Sharp serves customers and colleagues around the globe across both commercial and public sector industry segments. His experience includes digital innovation, clinical research, software development, security, AI/ML in healthcare and life sciences. Sharp has served missions including disaster and refugee response, national security, U.S. public sector clinical, research and revenue cycle operations. He has served leading U.S. and UN agencies, regional healthcare initiatives, top NIH ranked pediatric research enterprises, DoD health and human performance programs, as an adjunct instructor in graduate big data and analytics, as CIO/CISO on the frontlines of the pandemic across systems, as software development leader for EHR, ancillary and home healthcare, and life sciences, pharmaceutical and clinical research. He holds B.S. and M.S. from Georgia Tech including certificates and research experience in urban policy, economics, and international business.