Science Powered by Patients
October 10, 2023 | 6:00 PM ET | Jazz at Lincoln Center
Celebrating the invaluable role of patients, whose generous donations of their own cells not only power our research, but also drive our unwavering commitment to accelerate cures.
6:00 PM – Science Fair & Cocktails
7:15 PM – Dinner
9:00 PM – Science Fair & Dessert Reception
Science Fair
Immerse yourself in the science.
- Decide the fate of a stem cell on its scientific journey
- Check out live brain, pancreas, and beating heart cells under the microscope
- Test your brain power against AI – Can you spot the diseased cells?
- See the Opentron Robot in action
- and more!
Stem Cell Heroes Tribute
Kay Unger
World-renowned designer & philanthropist
Feng Zhang, PhD
Pioneer of CRISPR gene editing & biotech entrepreneur
Janet and Jerry Zucker
Patient advocates, film writers, directors, & producers
Hosted by
Annaleigh Ashford
Musical Performances by
Tom Kitt & Caissie Levy
Annaleigh Ashford
Tony winner and Emmy nominated actress
Annaleigh Ashford is a Tony award winning and Emmy nominated actress who is currently starring on Broadway in Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, opposite Josh Groban and directed by Tommy Kail. She can be seen starring in Welcome to Chippendales, a limited series on Hulu opposite Kumail Nanjiani and Murray Bartlett and will soon be seen in the upcoming Fox/Searchlight film DUST with Sarah Paulson.
Recently she was seen as Paula Jones in Ryan Murphy’s FX miniseries “American Crime Story; Impeachment”. Annaleigh is best known for her work on Broadway for her critically acclaimed limited run revival of Sunday in the Park with George as Dot/Marie opposite Jake Gyllenhaal. She won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 2015 for her performance as Essie Carmichael in the revival of You Can’t Take It with You and received a Tony nomination in 2013 for originating the role of Lauren in Kinky Boots.
She’s also known for starring as Gina in Chuck Lorre’s CBS comedy B Positive. Her other television credits include Bad Education, Unbelievable, Versace: American Crime Story, Younger, Nurse Jackie, The Big C, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Smash, Evil, God Friended Me, The Good Fight. Television specials include Annaleigh Ashford: Live from Lincoln Center, Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration and The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again. Film work includes Late Night, Second Act, and The Sex and the City Movie. Other Broadway credits include the title character in Sylvia opposite Matthew Broderick; Jeannie in Hair, Margot in Legally Blonde and Glinda in Wicked. Off Broadway credits include Helena in The Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Maureen Johnson in Rent at New World Stages and Marcy in Dogfight at Second Stage. After a celebrated run she recorded a live album of her show.
Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Ashford earned a degree in theatre from Marymount Manhattan College.
Tom Kitt
Tony, Emmy, Pulitzer Prize, and Grammy award winner
TOM KITT is a two-time Tony, two-time Emmy, Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Award winner. As a musical theater composer, he has written the music for six Broadway shows: Next to Normal (Tony Award), If/Then (Tony Nomination), Almost Famous (Tony Nomination), Flying Over Sunset (Tony Nomination), High Fidelity, and Bring it On, The Musical. His work for the stage has also been seen Off Broadway at Second Stage (Next to Normal, Superhero), The Public Theater (The Visitor, Shakespeare in the Park) and he has worked at some of the most prestigious regional theaters including The Old Globe, Arena Stage, Berkeley Rep, The Signature Theater, and ART. In addition, Tom’s Broadway credits as an orchestrator include: Next to Normal (Tony Award), The SpongeBob Musical (Tony Nomination), Jagged Little Pill (Tony Nomination), Almost Famous, Head Over Heels, Everyday Rapture, and American Idiot. Tom has also been active in the world of film and TV. As one of the vocal arrangers working on the Pitch Perfect films, Tom most notably helped create the classic “Riff-off.” Tom also served as music supervisor/arranger/
Caissie Levy
Grammy-nominated Broadway veteran
Caissie is a Grammy nominated veteran of eight Broadway shows, most recently appearing this season’s most Tony nominated play, Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt. This summer she returns to London’s West End to star as Diana in the UK premiere of Next To Normal at the Donmar Warehouse, directed by Michael Longhurst. She starred in Sarah Silverman’s The Bedwetter Off Broadway, and as Rose in the Tony nominated Broadway revival of Caroline, or Change, for which she was nominated for a Grammy Award. She created the role of Elsa, in Disney’s Broadway production of Frozen, and recreated the iconic role of Fantine in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables. She is known to Broadway and West End audiences for originating the roles of Sheila in the Tony Award winning revival of Hair, and Molly in Ghost. Other Broadway credits include Elphaba in Wicked (also LA); Penny in Hairspray (also 1st national tour & Toronto); Maureen in Rent (national tour). Off Broadway credits include First Daughter’s Suite (The Public Theater); Murder Ballad (MTC). Caissie has recorded 5 original cast albums, been featured on many singer/songwriter’s records and her solo EP, With You, is available wherever you buy your music. In concert, she backed up Sir Rod Stewart in his Las Vegas residency, headlined Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops, and has played solo across the US, UK and Canada.