Speakers

An executive strategist and catalyst for entrepreneurial and established biotechnology organizations, Dr. Blum has demonstrated success in advancing innovations, setting strategic visions and translating research concepts into viable commercial product opportunities in the regen med and biotherapeutics space. A multi-dimensional expert in both strategic and tactical execution across key business functions including technology development, operations, global regulatory affairs, corporate development, communications, and commercialization. She has a proven reputation of sourcing, developing and managing partnerships and key business relationships critical for organizational growth and portfolio development. An approachable and engaged leader committed to building lasting, positive corporate culture and motivating teams to perform at their highest levels, whether in the startup stage or a mature business. As Co-founder of Humacyte, Blum spent over 20 yrs leading the development, management, and execution of a commercial scale bioengineering platform, eventually transitioning the start up to a public company in 2021. Currently Blum is the CEO of BioAesthetics, an early stage company developing novel tissue grafts that are transformed with various polymers and drug compounds, to treat and repair multiple types of soft tissue injuries and reconstructions. She is also an Executive in Residence at the North Carolina Biotech Center where she provides entrepreneurial mentoring and coaching for the early stage companies in the Center’s loan portfolio. Blum sits on the Board of Directors of inSoma Bio. Dr. Blum is passionate about translating benchtop discoveries to bedside applications and changing the narrative on what's possible for patients in the future. Her experiences and leadership focuses on a broad range of research and development activities through commercialization functions- including global regulatory affairs, CMC development and manufacturing scale up, corporate development activities, integration of key partnerships and alliances, and building a corporate brand and presence around a disruptive technology. Dr. Blum received her doctorate in Molecular Biology from Loyola University Chicago with a focus in cardiovascular gene therapy in 2003, and completed her BS at Carthage College in Wisconsin in 1998.