The annual Chemistry–Biology Interface (CBI) Retreat is one of the most anticipated and impactful events of the CBI Training Program at UMass Amherst. Designed to bring together trainees, faculty, alumni, and members of the broader CBI community, the retreat offers an immersive opportunity for scientific exchange, professional development, and community building beyond the classroom and laboratory.
Held off campus, the retreat creates dedicated space for meaningful conversations, interdisciplinary collaboration, and mentorship. With a full agenda that blends research presentations, alumni engagement, career exploration, and social connection, the CBI Retreat reflects the program’s commitment to training scientists who are not only technically strong, but also collaborative, reflective, and community-oriented.
The 2025 CBI Retreat marked a major milestone for the program as CBI’s first-ever off-site retreat—and it was a resounding success. Nearly 100 students, faculty, alumni, and members of the broader campus community gathered for two days of immersive scientific programming, professional development, and community building. Attendance included CBI trainees and faculty alongside participants from a wide range of departments and programs, underscoring both the reach and the inclusive nature of the CBI community.
2025 CBI Retreat at a Glance
Location: Mount Snow, Vermont
Dates: May 2–3, 2025
Highlights included:
- Student research talks and poster sessions showcasing interdisciplinary work
- Alumni talks offering insight into diverse career pathways
- A keynote address by guest speaker Pascal Fortin, EIR and President/Chief Scientific Officer of a Stealth NewCo
- A career panel featuring perspectives across sectors
- Structured and informal networking opportunities
- Shared meals and social events that strengthened community connections
Retreat Schedule
Friday, May 2, 2025
- 12:00–3:00 p.m. — Arrival & Room Check-In | Front Desk
- 3:00–4:00 p.m. — Retreat Registration | Deerfield Lobby
- 4:00–5:00 p.m. — Social Hour | Raponda Room
- 5:00–6:30 p.m. — Alumni Talks | Deerfield North
- 6:30–8:00 p.m. — Buffet Dinner | Raponda Room
- 8:00–9:00 p.m. — Keynote Speaker | Deerfield North
- 9:00–11:00 p.m. — Cocktail Hour | Raponda Room
Saturday, May 3, 2025
- 8:00–9:00 a.m. — Breakfast Buffet | Raponda Room
- 9:00–10:00 a.m. — Poster Session | Deerfield South
- 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. — Student Talks | Deerfield North
- 12:15–1:00 p.m. — Lunch Pick-Up | Raponda Room
- 1:00–1:30 p.m. — Career Panel | Deerfield North
- 1:30–2:30 p.m. — Student Talks | Deerfield North
- 2:30–3:00 p.m. — Closing Remarks | Deerfield North
The CBI Retreat is open to the entire CBI community and plays a central role in fostering the interdisciplinary culture that defines the program. Each year, the retreat strengthens existing collaborations, sparks new ideas, and reinforces the sense of belonging that makes CBI a unique and welcoming scientific community.
Pascal Fortin
Entrepreneur-in-Residence; President and Chief Scientific Officer, Stealth New Co.
Pascal is an EIR and President/Chief Scientific Officer of a Stealth NewCo. In his nearly two decades in Pharma and Biotech, Pascal has developed a passion for the discovery of innovative and often cryptic ways to modulate protein function and signaling pathways, developing small and not-so-small molecules into highly effective medicines. Prior to joining Atlas Venture, Pascal was CSO and Head of Early Research at Relay Therapeutics. In this role, Pascal helped build and deploy the drug discovery engine across a wide array of targets and modalities, leading to the generation of several clinical stage molecules. Prior to Relay Therapeutics, Pascal took on roles of increasing responsibility at Novartis Biomedical Research, where he led the Molecular Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry Department in Oncology. Pascal completed his postdoctoral studies at Harvard Medical School, where he researched natural product biosynthetic pathways and small molecule regulation of protein function. He received his Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia, where he studied enzyme regulation and engineering, and obtained a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from Laval University.
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