Strategic Hub for Exploratory Research, Learning, Outreach, and Commercialization Know-how (SHERLOCK)

Solving High-Impact Problems in Biomedical Innovation

Registration now open for SHERLOCK program. Follow link or QR code to register.
 

Register now for the 2026 Sherlock Podcast Series and Attend the 2026 Innovation Bootcamp/Pitch Competition. Please see our Podcast Guide here.

Keynote Speaker: Armon Sharei, Ph.D. (Founder & CEO, Portal Biotechnologies)

Armon Sharei is a scientist turned founder who has built his career around cell engineering. He previously founded SQZ Biotechnologies (NYSE: SQZ), where he raised over $300M, established a $1B+ collaboration with Roche, led three oncology clinical trials, and took the company public — all built on technology from his doctoral research at MIT.

Today, Armon is Founder & CEO of Portal Biotechnologies, developing the next-generation cell engineering platform with over 100 customers, including the top 10 pharma, and a major $8M DARPA contract. A Stanford and MIT graduate and former Harvard Medical School postdoctoral fellow, he joins us to share his journey from the lab bench to the CEO seat.

Our Mission

SHERLOCK is a trainee-centered translational training and innovation program designed to catalyze a cultural shift at the University of Pittsburgh toward earlier, more intentional engagement with real-world biomedical impact. The program’s primary goal is to prepare trainees to think translationally from the outset of their research careers, equipping them with the language, mindset, and practical frameworks needed to advance future projects toward clinical implementation, commercialization, or other impact-driven pathways.

SHERLOCK is intentionally designed to complement Pitt’s established faculty innovation and commercialization programs by serving as a feeder and training ground for the next generation of translational leaders. While faculty participation is essential for mentorship and strategic guidance, projects and learning experiences are trainee-led, empowering graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, medical trainees, and early-career researchers to identify high-impact problems, form interdisciplinary teams, and translate discovery into actionable projects. Components include a curated series of seminars featuring speakers with real-world experience in spinouts, licensing, venture capital and scientific due diligence, and intense bootcamps and pitch competitions emphasizing problem-to-project translation.