Rob Perez and Susan Windham-Bannister were our masters of ceremony for the evening. Perez was also an X of the Year winner. His award was for Community Contribution of the Year, for his work creating and chairing the nonprofit Life Science Cares. Windham-Bannister was a finalist for the Commitment to Diversity Award.

Cool lighting effects set the mood for the evening. On the screens, we showed pictures of the finalists and their teams.

The emcees announced the evening's winners, presented the awards, and had a little back-and-forth.

Wagle is with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute.

Wagle worked with patients to create the Metastatic Breast Cancer Project, which collects DNA and medical information from patients to better learn about the disease and its response to treatment.

Schulman is CEO of the drug-delivery startup Lyndra.

Schulman is a relative newcomer to both Boston and the startup world. She moved from Pfizer in New York to join Polaris Partners, before heading up Lyndra.

Mahadevia is president and CEO of Spero.

Spero is working on a variety of approaches to tackle drug-resistant microbes.

Reede is Dean for Diversity and Community Partnership at Harvard Medical School. She launched many programs to support STEM students, and address the recruitment and retention of medical students and faculty.

Reede was one of two winners of the Commitment to Diversity Award.

Nelsen won a Lifetime Achievement Award, for her work leading MIT's Technology Licensing Office and helping to transform Cambridge and Kendall Square into a hotbed of innovation.

Nelsen (left) recently retired from MIT. Ramita Tandon of ICON (right) presented the award to Nelsen. ICON was a Platinum Sponsor of the event.

Minita Shah-Mara of Biogen (left), Kristi Sarno, President Emeritus of Women in Bio (middle), and Theresa McNeely, board member, Women in Bio (right). Women in Bio runs the Boardroom Ready program, which Biogen first started as an internal program in 2015.

Whitesides said a few words of reflection after accepting his Lifetime Achievement Award.

Whitesides is a leading chemistry professor at the forefront of nanotechnology, soft robotics, and other fields. He also co-founded several companies. Tandon is with ICON, and presented the award to Whitesides.

Sharei, 30, is the CEO of SQZ Biotech, which is working on cell therapies using cell-squeezing technology he developed as an MIT grad student.

Bhatia of MIT was trained as a physician and engineer, and combines biology, nanomaterials, and engineering in her research.

Gerngross is co-founder and CEO of Adimab and a Dartmouth professor. He has taken a unique approach with his company, which is self-sustaining, profitable, and privately held.

Kaye led Sarepta Therapeutics and helped it gain FDA approval for its first drug. Bosley is the head of Editas Medicine, which is moving its CRISPR-based drug into human trials.

David Livingston of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (left) and Tyler Jacks of the MIT Koch Institute (right) are co-leaders of the Bridge Project, which funds collaborative research from both institutions.

Sato won as Xport of the Year, for her work exporting key elements of the Boston life sciences community to New York City, as she helps the big city build its biotech industry.

Lawton gave a tribute to Henri Termeer, who passed away earlier this year. Lawton worked closely with Termeer at Genzyme for more than 20 years and is now the chief operating officer at Aura Biosciences.

Lawton and gala attendees raised a glass to honor Termeer's life and accomplishments.

Amri Johnson of Novartis (front left) and Andrew Lo of MIT (front right) were among the many Awards finalists in attendance.

Harvard geneticist George Church (right) was one of 11 judges who helped Xconomy pick the winners.

Bob Buderi, Xconomy founder and editor-in-chief (right), wowed us with his unusual fashion choice.

Armon Sharei (right), winner of the Young Innovator Award

Sangeeta Bhatia (center) of MIT, winner of the Innovation at the Intersection Award

Paula Ragan (right), founder and CEO of X4 Pharmaceuticals. Ragan was a finalist in the CEO category.

Brock Reeve (left), executive director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute

Minita Shah-Mara (left) and Ashley Wigginton (right), both of Biogen, which was a co-winner of the Commitment to Diversity Award.