CASSS is excited to announce the winners of the 2026 WCBP Emerging Leader Award in the Advancement of Scientific Knowledge (ELAA). This competitive award provides early career professionals, PhD students, or post-docs with the opportunity to aid in the planning of the WCBP Symposium while receiving hands-on guidance through the planning process by industry, regulatory, and academic leaders that will oversee the successful implementation of their proposed session content. This recognition allows the awardees to be part of the conversation when crafting scientific content while cultivating opportunities for knowledge-sharing.
The 2026 award winners are Lauren Barnes, Pfizer, Inc., and Santosh Paidi, Genentech, a Member of the Roche Group.
Lauren Barnes, Pfizer, Inc.
"Receiving the Emerging Leader Award would allow me to attend and present at WCBP; I believe the topics would grow my understanding of the industry and regulatory considerations, and the opportunity to present would allow me to hone my ability to lead discussion as a (new) professional in my field. Receiving this award would also allow me to meet other professionals and collaborate on planning the conference. During my grad and post-grad career, I have participated in fruitful collaborations with amazing scientists, which helped me grow as a scientist. As such, I have a deep appreciation of collaboration and would love the opportunity to planning a conference where collaboration can flourish. Being part of the planning committee through receiving this award would directly impact my career by allowing me to learn from industry professionals by observing and participating in organizing a conference, from conception to attendance."
Santosh Paidi, Genentech, a Member of the Roche Group
"Collaborating with esteemed scientists and regulators to shape the scientific discourse at WCBP would be a unique and formative experience. This award would be a pivotal moment in my professional development. The mentorship, networking opportunities, and experience gained through serving on the organizing committee would be instrumental in launching a successful career dedicated to advancing biopharmaceutical science. The knowledge and connections I would acquire would not only benefit my personal growth but would also be shared with my peers and contribute to the broader scientific community."
Meet these emerging leaders this January in Washington D.C. at WCBP 2026.