This is the third in our series from MJFF staff on the conferences they're attending and how they hope to contribute to and benefit from the experience.

The pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry is a major player in drug development. Tracey Mumford, senior associate director of research partnerships, fosters critical collaborations with industry partners that help propel the best ideas forward on their path toward regulatory approval and marketability. 

Tracey will be speaking at the CNS Partnering & Deal-Making Conference on September 9.

“I’m going to Boston to give a talk called Partnering with Industry to Advance Parkinson's Disease Drug Development. Industry is gaining a greater appreciation for the role that foundations such as ours play in funding projects, de-risking early-stage research and providing researchers with tools they need. I’ve found that my work with pharmaceutical companies and biotechs is really a two-way street, where their needs and input drive some MJFF initiatives, which in turn benefit both their and academic researchers.

“At this conference I’ll introduce our Foundation’s industry strategy and encourage attendees to engage with us through opportunities like open funding programs, our Partnering Program and our research tool catalogue. We have a multitude of communication strategies, but I like presenting to people in-person and creating a dialogue around their questions and our solutions.”

Read more about how MJFF works with industry. Researchers and industry partners can meet Tracey and learn more at MJFF's annual PD Therapeutics Conference, October 24 in New York City.