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Our keynote speaker this year will be Cato T. Laurencin, MD, PhD who will speak on Diversity as a Driver for Innovation. Dr. Laurencin's address will be immediately followed by a panel discussion featuring additional members of the biomaterials community. It is well established that creating teams with a wide array of experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds is an essential component of successful innovation and development of new ideas. Diversity comes in many forms, including differences in identity, career stages, and scientific disciplines. Innovation in our field also requires balancing the concerns of industry, academia, and regulatory bodies. This panel will discuss the importance of building diverse and empowered teams for the effective translation of innovative research into clinical solutions.