Dr. Walid Sabbagh is the President & Chief Executive Officer at the Southern California Biomedical Council(SoCalBio). He is dedicated to advancing the region's life technology ecosystem by fostering access to talent, capital, and partnerships.A Southern California native, Dr. Sabbagh earned his BS from UCSD and his PhD from UCI. He is a registered United States Patent Agent and has been published in numerous high-impact scientific journals.Sabbagh brings extensive experience in biotechnology research and business development. He is a grants expert, having consulted on numerous NIH research and SBIR/STTR grants. His direct involvement with multiple biotech startups, combined with his strong network of local biotech firms, universities, medical centers, and government officials, makes him an exceptional leader to drive the future growth and success of our organization.