Montclair NJ - Montclair State University, strategically located at the hub of New Jersey's pharmaceutical industry, will present the 6th PharmFest on Monday, April 7, beginning at 9:00 a.m. in University Hall on Montclair State's campus. This daylong event will include panel discussions and presentations by leaders in the pharmaceutical industry exploring advances in technological, scientific research and applications to the industry. PharmFest is presented in cooperation with the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey and the New Jersey pharmaceutical, health and medical technology industry.

"PharmFest is designed to take advantage of the extraordinary confluence that Montclair State University holds geographically and academically," says Robert S. Prezant, Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics at Montclair State. "Our proximity to top pharmaceutical industry professionals and our growing industry-linked academic and research programs enable us to create a major event that is valuable to our students, to the pharmaceutical industry, and to the community."

A highlight of the event will be a midday keynote address by Peter Wilderotter, president of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis. His address is titled "Today's Collaborations, Tomorrow's Communities: How the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Created New Possibilities."

The 2008 PharmFest program Includes:

NON TRADITIONAL SOURCES OF PHARMACEUTICALS
Moderator: Anders Hedberg, Foundation Director, Bristol-Myers Squibb

PHARMACEUTICALS AND AGING
Moderator: Bob Feeney, Senior Director of Government Relations and Planning, New Jersey Economic Development Authority

PHARMACEUTICAL START- UPS
Moderator: Ray Thek, Attorney, Lowenstein Sandler

MSU ALUMNI MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN PATIENTS' LIVES
Moderator: Ron Califre, Senior Vice President, head of U.S. Operations R&D, Novartis

DIVERSITY IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY
Moderator, Bradley Sheares, Chief Executive Officer, Reliant Pharmaceuticals

MEDICINAL DEVICES
Moderator, John Siekierka, Director, Montclair State's Sokol Institute for Pharmaceutical Life Sciences

PharmFest is a joint presentation of the Montclair State University College of Science and Mathematics, the School of Business, and the Center for Career Services and Community-Based Learning, and is cosponsored by the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey.

To register for PharmFest and for more information, visit PharmFest .

Released: March 19, 2008