Community Connect #6: Biodefense & Beyond - Innovation for Public Health Resilience
Start your morning with innovation, insight, and meaningful connections.
Join us for the sixth edition of Community Connect, Montgomery College’s signature biotech networking event hosted by the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science + Technology (PIC MC).
New frontiers and opportunities are emerging in biotechnology. This edition explores the dynamic intersection of science, biology, and defense. Learn how research in biotechnology, plant-based vaccines, and emerging technologies can support national and global security initiatives, while also driving innovation in the life sciences.
As the industry undergoes rapid change, a new path forward is emerging–one that calls for adaptability, collaboration, and a broader vision of where biotechnology can make an impact. Attendees will gain insight into evolving industry trends, strategies for adapting research to new applications, and opportunities to connect with collaborators across academia, startups, and established biotech companies.
Whether you’re a scientist, entrepreneur, engineer, or policy-minded professional, this event offers inspiration, networking, and practical insights into the ways science and biology contribute to defense and security.
Presenters:
9:15am: Dr. Ambika Bumb - Biotechnology & Global Health Security Strategist, Former CEO
Dr. Ambika Bumb will provide a broad overview of the U.S. biodefense landscape, from policy mechanisms and legislative drivers to the evolving role of science and technology in pandemic preparedness. Drawing on her experience coordinating international response efforts, contributing to national and global health security government policies, and serving on the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, Dr. Bumb will outline how surveillance, mitigation, preparedness, response, and intelligence intersect with biotech innovation. She will also highlight the areas of investment, interagency coordination, one-health approaches and technologies needed for future development in shaping the future of biodefense.
10:00am: Dr. Anne Simon - Co-Founder & CTO, Silvec Biologics
More details coming soon...
ABOUT DR. AMBIKA BUMB
Dr. Ambika Bumb is an innovative biomedical leader with two decades of experience driving transformative initiatives across biotechnology, nanotechnology, and national biodefense strategy. A former cancer diagnostics startup CEO, she is recognized for her ability to translate complex scientific knowledge into actionable policy and strategic programs. Dr. Bumb has successfully united cross-disciplinary expertise across government, industry, and academia, shaping forward-looking policy and technology landscapes through her work at the White House as Deputy Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST); Deputy Executive Director of the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense; Health, Science, and Technology Advisor in the Office of the Secretary of State; and Strategic Advisor to the Energy Sciences Area of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan Resolution 567 commending the pandemic efforts of her team for the largest repatriation effort in U.S. history. She was an advisor for HelpwithCOVID,a grassroots clearing house that matched 17,300+ community volunteers with 850+projects focused on providing COVID relief. Dr. Bumb graduated from Georgia Tech with a B.Sc. in biomedical engineering and a minor in economics, and obtained her doctorate in medical engineering from Oxford University while on the Marshall Scholarship. She completed two post-doctoral fellowships locally at the National Cancer Institute and National Heart, Lung and BloodInstitute where her work received the Orloff Technical Advance Award and multiple patents.
ABOUT DR. ANNE SIMON
Dr. Anne Simon is a pioneering biotechnologist and co-founder of Silvec Biologics. With a deep passion for plant health and sustainable agriculture, she is dedicated to developing innovative solutions to combat devastating plant diseases. In her work, Dr. Simon focuses on leveraging RNA technology to protect citrus trees from Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, which threatens orchards worldwide. Dr. Simon has served as a full professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics at the University of Maryland, College Park, for 25 years. Her scientific expertise bridges molecular biology, plant pathology, and therapeutic development, positioning her at the forefront of next-generation plant protection.
BIOSCIENCE EDUCATION CENTER
Montgomery College’s Germantown Campus is home to 6,000+ students and offers leading programs in biotechnology and cybersecurity. The BioScience Education Center features laboratories, classrooms, meeting spaces, and a conference center tailored for biotech education and research.
To learn more, visit montgomerycollege.edu.
HOLY CROSS GERMANTOWN HOSPITAL
Montgomery College is the only community college in the U.S. with a full-scale hospital on campus, providing unparalleled real-world learning opportunities.
To learn more, visit holycrosshealth.org or follow them on LinkedIn.
HUGHES NETWORK SYSTEMS
An EchoStar company delivering broadband and network services to millions globally.
To learn more, visit hughes.com.
GERMANTOWN INNOVATION CENTER
Montgomery County's incubator in partnership with Montgomery College featuring premier office and laboratory space for life science companies.
To learn more, visit montgomerycountymd.gov
BIOTRAIN
A workforce partnership shaping the region’s biotech talent pipeline.
To learn more, visit montgomerycollege.edu.
BIO-TRAC
Offers workshops for bench scientists on the latest lab techniques.
To learn more, visit biotrac.com.
FLEXNODE
A digital infrastructure company redefining data center solutions.
To learn more, visit flexnode.io.
DONATIONS
All ticket sale donations support the BioBuzz Student Ambassador Workforce Development Program, launching Fall 2025 at Montgomery College in partnership with BioBuzz and ScienceWerx, a nonprofit accelerating commercialization and community-driven innovation.