Spring Expo 2026

Louie Lamorte

Keynote Speaker

Pfizer

Louie earned his BSc and PhD in Biochemistry from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where he trained as a molecular and cellular biologist studying signal transduction pathways downstream of oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinases. He then joined Boehringer Ingelheim as a postdoctoral fellow and was later hired as a Research Scientist. During his tenure, Louie worked on assay development, high-throughput screening, small-molecule drug discovery, for infectious disease programs including CMV, HIV, influenza, and RSV. It was there that his passion for laboratory automation truly began. Following the Boehringer Ingelheim site closure, Louie worked as a Field Applications Specialist with Beckman Coulter and Hamilton Robotics, supporting customers across Canada with liquid-handler method development and training. Louie later joined Vertex Pharmaceuticals to build out their high-throughput screening and compound management operations. While the site closed less than four months later, Louie still delivered a FLIPR workcell—and now laughs that the role was an “internship.” Next, at New World Laboratories, his former Hamilton customer, Louie worked on automating mesenchymal stem cell isolation from bone marrow and their reprogramming into neural stem-like cells. With the erosion of large-pharma R&D in Canada, Louie moved to the United States and joined Pfizer Vaccines, in Pearl River, NY, where he leads a talented 45-member Robotics & Automation team dedicated to enabling vaccine clinical testing. When he’s not thinking about robots, Louie’s usually with his family, exploring New York City, or running experiments in his favorite outdoor lab: his vegetable garden.

Carnel St. Louis

Moderator

Quartzy

Carnel St. Louis is a laboratory operations professional and customer success leader with extensive experience supporting scientific research environments across the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. He currently serves as a Lab Ops Success Manager at Quartzy, where he partners with laboratories to improve operational efficiency, streamline procurement and inventory workflows, and help scientific teams maximize the value of their laboratory management systems. Through his work, Carnel combines hands-on laboratory operations expertise with a passion for helping labs build smarter, more connected, and more efficient research environments. Carnel earned his Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Health Communication from Rutgers University’s School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and currently serves as a board member of LRIG-NYC, where he leads the organization’s Social Committee and helps foster networking and professional development opportunities within the scientific community.

Constantin Radu

Panelist

LRIG-NYC Treasurer and

Constantin Radu is a global leader in life sciences automation and service operations with 20+ years of experience building and scaling high-performing teams. He leads customer support and field service at Thermo Fisher Scientific, with a focus on reliability, performance, and hiring talent that thrives in complex, regulated environments. His background spans oncology, infectious disease, and large-scale automation programs, with leadership roles at Molecular Devices and Institut Pasteur Korea, and earlier work at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Myrto Perdikari, Ph.D.

Panelist

MSKCC

I began my career as a scientist, earning a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Brown University, where I specialized in protein purification and molecular cloning. My in-depth understanding of protein interactions allows me to intuitively identify key aspects of assays. At Dewpoint Therapeutics, I automated high-throughput screening workflows for condensate biology, recognizing that successful automation hinges on understanding the assay's design. Later, at Spaero Bio, I focused on Hamilton platforms, achieving over ten validated automation implementations with on-time delivery. I discovered that the biggest challenge in automation is bridging the gap between scientific methods and robotic execution. Currently, I serve as a Senior Automation Engineer at Memorial Sloan Kettering, automating clinical diagnostic workflows like NGS-based genomic profiling. My work directly impacts cancer treatment decisions, emphasizing the importance of consistency across various contexts and regulatory compliance.

Mike Tognotti

Panelist

Managing Partner at Raindance Partners, Inc.

Mike Tognotti is the Founder and Executive Talent Advisor of Raindance Partners, a premier search firm specializing in executive and key-position placements across the life sciences, diagnostics, and medical device sectors. Since founding the firm in 2008, Mike has built a reputation for delivering high-impact talent solutions to venture-backed startups and established industry leaders nationwide.With a career rooted in both industry and search, Mike brings a rare blend of technical fluency and commercial insight. He began his career with Fisher Scientific and later joined Illumina as an early employee, where he developed deep expertise in genomics, molecular diagnostics, and next-generation sequencing technologies. This foundation enables him to engage credibly with senior executives, scientists, and investors alike. At Raindance Partners, Mike leads a team of recruiters and oversees all aspects of the business, including client strategy, talent acquisition, and operational execution. He is known for his consultative approach, partnering closely with CEOs, boards, and private equity firms to identify and secure transformative leaders. His work often focuses on building commercial organizations, placing senior executives, and helping companies scale during critical growth phases. Mike is recognized for his ability to tell compelling candidate stories, align talent with business outcomes, and navigate complex hiring environments with precision and integrity.