​Wild AI and BiotechMN are partnering up for a unique day of co-working, networking, and presentations at the intersection of AI and biotechnology!

​Join us to learn from local leaders, network with researchers and builders, and to share ideas that shape what's next.

​Program

​Noon - 4:00pm | Co-Working: We are getting the day going with our popular afternoon co-working at Discovery Square on the Mayo Clinic campus. There are nice spaces both indoors and outdoors, some conference rooms to use, as well as a great coffee shop. Bring your laptop, notebook, and whatever else you need to be productive.

​4:00pm - 5:00pm | Speaker Sessions: Hear some lightening talks from local leaders at the intersection of AI and biotechnology.

​5:00pm - 7:00pm | Networking: We are going to head over to the Little Thistle brewery for some evening networking. This portion of the event will be casual hanging out, enjoying some local brews, and connecting with fellow biotech & AI enthusiasts!

​Confirmed Speakers

​Your Cardiologist Wrote a Dataset: They Just Don’t Know It

​Erika Kvikstad, PhD

​Abstract: Clinical reports contain years of observations about patients, but much of that information remains locked in unstructured text. This talk will review how LLMs were used to extract meaningful features from those reports, turning clinical observations into usable data for research. It sounds simple, but unlocks a bigger question: what else are we overlooking simply because we haven’t figured out how to capture it?

​Bio: Dr Kvikstad is a scientific leader with experience in building and directing multidisciplinary teams in pharma and academic settings. She is an expert in translating complex, high dimensional datasets (multi-omics, RWD, imaging) into decision-ready evidence to accelerate target ideation, therapeutic discovery, and translational insights. She is speaking at BiotechMN for the second time (this talk being more technical) and was recently a featured guest on the Data in Biotech Podcast.

​De Novo Protein Design to Uplift Cell Therapies

​Wes Wierson, PhD

​Abstract: De novo protein design is creating new opportunities to engineer cell therapies with capabilities that do not exist in nature. Wes Wierson will share how his startup VelociTx is designing novel proteins and peptides that functionally rewire CAR-T cells, opening new possibilities to improve their activity, control, and therapeutic potential.

​Bio: Dr Wierson is the Founder and CEO of VelociTx, a biotechnology company developing next-generation cell therapies for cancer. A gene-editing scientist and entrepreneur, Wierson’s work spans precision genome engineering, protein design, and translational oncology, with a focus on building new biological tools that expand what engineered cell therapies can do.

​Building the Intelligent Lab: AI, Robotics, and the Infrastructure for Innovation

​Brian Hultgren

​Abstract: The next generation of biomedical research will be shaped not only by new discoveries, but by how we design laboratories to generate, move, and act on data. This talk will explore how AI, laboratory automation, and robotics are changing research operations, and how purpose-built facilities can create flexible platforms for faster experimentation, greater scale, and new models of innovation. Drawing on Mayo Clinic’s experience building research capabilities in Florida, Brian will share practical perspectives on designing environments where technology, infrastructure, and people can evolve together.

​Bio: Brian Hultgren serves as Vice Chair of Research at Mayo Clinic, where he helps advance research strategy and operations at Mayo Clinic in Florida. His work spans the development of research capabilities, facilities, and programs designed to accelerate scientific discovery and translation, with a particular focus on creating the infrastructure and partnerships needed to support emerging technologies and new models of biomedical innovation.

​Using AI to Better Understand Biology and Build Better Medicines

​Kathy Seidl, PhD

​Abstract: AI is giving drug developers new ways to make sense of complex biology and make better decisions earlier in the discovery process. Kathy Seidl will discuss how AI can be used alongside biological data and experimentation to identify stronger targets, better understand patient populations, and improve how new medicines are designed and developed.

​Bio: Dr Seidl is a biotechnology and drug discovery leader with more than two decades of experience across oncology, immunology, cell therapy, and therapeutic development. She has held senior leadership roles including Vice President and Global Head of the Oncology Drug Discovery Unit at Takeda, where she led teams focused on discovering and advancing new cancer therapies and bringing new technologies into the drug discovery process. Since Sept 2025, Kathy is President of the consulting company KJS Scientific Consulting where she works with BioPharma companies to accelerate transformative, patient-focused therapies worldwide.

​How To Engage

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​Arrive: Everyone is welcome to join/leave at any time.

​Park & Walk: There are a variety of local parking ramps and street parking available near the building.