2023 CBP Retreat

March 30-31, 2023

Embassy Suites - Napa Valley

1075 California Boulevard
Napa, California, 94559, USA

2023 CBP Retreat Keynote Tejal Desai

Keynote

Dr. Tejal Desai

Dean of Engineering
Professor of Engineering
Brown University

An accomplished biomedical engineer and academic leader, Desai’s research spans multiple disciplines including materials engineering, cell biology, tissue engineering, and pharmacological delivery systems to develop new therapeutic interventions for disease. She seeks to design new platforms, enabled by advances in micro and nanotechnology, to overcome existing challenges in therapeutic delivery.
She has published over 250 peer-reviewed articles and patents, and her research efforts have earned recognition including Technology Review’s "Top 100 Young Innovators," Popular Science’s Brilliant 10, and the Dawson Biotechnology Award. She was President of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and is a fellow of AIMBE, IAMBE, CRS, and BMES. In 2015, she was elected to the National Academy of Medicine and in 2019 to the National Academy of Inventors.

Prior to coming to Brown, she was the Deborah Cowan Endowed Professor of the Department of Bioengineering & Therapeutic Sciences at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF); and Professor in Residence, Department of Bioengineering, UC Berkeley (UCB). She served as director of the NIH training grant for the Joint UCSF/UCB Graduate Program in Bioengineering for over 15 years, and founding director of the UCSF/UCB Masters Program in Translational Medicine. She was also chair of the department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences at UCSF from 2014-2021 and the Inaugural Director of the UCSF Engineering and Applied Sciences Initiative known as HIVE (Health Innovation Via Engineering).

A vocal advocate for education and outreach to historically underrepresented groups in STEM, Desai’s work to break down institutional barriers to equity and cultivate a climate of inclusion has earned numerous honors and awards, including the AWIS Judith Poole Award in Mentorship, the 2021 UCSF Chancellors Award for the Advancement of Women, and the 2022 Controlled Release Woman in Science Award. As president of AIMBE (2020-2022), she led advocacy efforts for increased scientific funding and addressing workforce disparities in science/engineering. To foster the next generation of scientists, she was involved in the SF Science Education partnership and has worked with outreach organizations such as the Lawrence Hall of Science, PBS, and the UN Women’s council to develop hand-on exhibits and videos related to nanotechnology and women in engineering.

She received her B.S. from Brown University in biomedical engineering in 1994, and was awarded a Ph.D. in bioengineering jointly from UCSF and UC Berkeley in 1998.

Registration

Registration Fee

The registration fee includes overnight lodging and meals as well as complimentary beverages during the poster session. Faculty may use recharge accounts, and please make checks payable to "Regents of the University of California." Cash or credit card are not accepted.

  • Single day registration: $50
  • Graduate Students/Postdocs: $80 (register and pay by February 28) or $100 (after March 1, based on availability)
  • Faculty: $150 
  • CBP Non-Affiliates (guests of any of the above): $175

The rate for students/postdocs is based on double occupancy (2 double beds, 1 person per bed). If there is interest in having a solo room or bringing others like partners and/or children, there is availability at an additional cost. Please email CBP Coordinator Alex Lopez (ajlo@ucdavis.edu) with any questions/inquiries. 

Conference & Lodging Questions and Answers (be sure to check back for more information!
  • Can I share a room with 3-4 people in 2 double bed room?
  • No, we are holding rooms to 2 person capacities both for rate continuity and attendee safety/comfort. 
  • What if I do not have a roommate?
  • Individuals who are registering without an identified roommate will be contacted to propose possible lodging with another CBP affiliate who also is looking for a roommate. No assignments will be automatic or without notice.