b'All Together: Oriana Papin-Zoghbi and Anna Jeter startedWhenIwascomparedtoherandher AOA Dx in 2020 after learning about newtechnology, it was mind boggling and quite At the Table research by McGill Prof. H. Uri Saragovi, whohonestly insulting, says Papin-Zoghbi. The uncovered a novel biomarker in ovarianonly similar things were that she was a woman When youre used to being thecancer. The two women licensed the scien- doing something in blood diagnoses. There only woman in the room, therestists work to develop GlycoLocate, a liquidwas a lack of understanding.both power and inspiration inbiopsy platform that uses artificial intelligenceOther potential investors questioned the taking a seat at a table reservedto detect an entirely new set of biomarkerstwo female founders abilities to be working for female life sciences leaders.in ovarian cancer and other cancers, saysmothers. One even asked at one point how To support strong networks forPapin-Zoghbi. they would have time to run a startup if they Colorado women in life sciences,In a recent peer-reviewed publication, AOAsbecame pregnant. AOAs team in fact birthed improve access to capital fortechnology demonstrated over 90% sensitivitymultiple babies over the past four years, and female founders, and createand specificity to diagnose ovarian cancertheir company is growing as fast as their across all stages, offering the potential foryoung children.opportunities for great dia- dramatically improved outcomes for women logue and information sharing,Hereweare,stillstandingandstill diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Right now,succeeding, she says. As a woman, youre Colorado BioScience Association80% of all cases are diagnosed too lateinconstantly challenged and underestimated.recently launched its inauguralStage III or IV, because people dont present Womens Mastermind Group. specific symptoms in earlier stages of theFemale Physicist Drives disease and there hasnt been an effectiveInnovation on Neck andscreening tool.Head Cancers The new mastermindThe odds are against those who receive a late diagnosis, with a 28% survival rate and a 94%Maria Navas-Moreno, Ph.D., has faced similar is one example ofrecurrence rate.challenges as a woman building a biotech CBSAs leadership andstartup. A physicist by training, Navas-Moreno AOAs making moves to improve the odds commitment to acceleratefor cancer patients. The company relocatedisnowrunningIllumifyDx,aBroomfield innovation throughits headquarters from Massachusetts tocompany developing a blood test to detect Diversity, Equity, andColorado after the pandemic, choosing thehead and neck cancers focusing on recurrence. Inclusion (DEI) in our lifestates reasonable lab space rent, the out- Yet like Papin-Zoghbi, Navas-Moreno has also standing quality of life, and the strong localbeen compared to Holmes because shes sciences communityfemale with a blood test, and she has faced university and scientific expertise. Papin-following development Zoghbi still flies back and forth to the Eastsexist and racist microaggressions in the of our Equity Blueprint.Coast to network, and sees a burgeoning,life sciences industry and among potential collaborative community in Colorado focusedinvestors. on womens health.There are a lot of stereotypes out there, she Backedby$25millionfrominvestors,says. Typically, her male co-founder, Randy Studies show that in a rapidlyincluding LabCorp, which operates one ofCarney, Ph.D., has been the one triggered by evolving global marketplace,the largest clinical laboratory networks inthe slights, whether its Navas-Moreno being integrating diverse backgrounds,the world, AOA now has 26 employees, anchalked up as a fiery Latina or told she was skillsets, and viewpoints enables8,000-square-foot facility and clinical trialstoo confident or not confident enough. a broader understanding ofunderway at 25 sites across the nation. Randy has walked out of meetings and said, No complex issues and leadsStill, the path to growing AOA hasnt beenone has ever talked to me like that, she says.to more robust and creativeeasy. While more female founders nabbedNonetheless, Navas-Moreno and Carney, a solutions. Embodying inclusiveventure funding in 2023 than ever before University of California, Davis professor of and equitable practices in theaccounting for 25% of all dollars raisedbiomedical engineering, have persevered in workplace empowers peoplediscrimination against women is still perva- expanding IllumifyDx beyond an idea and into to be their whole selves, whichsive. Numerous investors dismissed AOAsa five-person startup pursuing a blood test for attracts and retains an engagedtechnology because of Elizabeth Holmes,early-detection of head and neck cancers. By the and impactful workforce. whose blood startup Theranos went down astime a patient reports symptoms, it is late and one of the decades biggest fraud cases.the optimal window for treatment has usually 18 BIOSCIENCE COLORADO 2024-2025'