Advanced Therapies Integrates is dedicated to uniting industry leaders to drive and realize the full potential of Advanced Therapies and Medicinal Products (ATMPs). The event will focus on the technological progress and the people at the heart of key innovations within complex therapeutics, cell and gene therapies, regenerative medicines and tissue therapies – whether it’s those driving transformational change to overcome the challenges facing the industry, or supporting the emergence and growth of CGT companies in the UK.
Uniquely engaging the broadest possible network, including innovators, regulators, supply chain partners, equipment and technology providers, academia, industry associations, and a wide array of government funding bodies and ATMP-focused initiatives, Advanced Therapies Integrates aims to become the leading UK event for translating cutting-edge research and disruptive innovation into widespread adoption of Advanced Therapies, delivering improved patient outcomes and revolutionizing healthcare economics.
Cell and gene therapy development demands a network of specialists. This session examines how therapeutic developers, CROs, CDMOs, IP specialists, patient groups, and regulators are moving from transactional relationships toward co-development. How do we build alliances that accelerate safe, effective therapies to patients, rather than just adding links to the chain?
Bayer Co.Lab Berlin
Head
Ruth Shah is the Head of Bayer Co.Lab Berlin, which is part of a global network of state-of-the-art incubators supporting biopharma startups. With fully equipped labs, shared infrastructure, and access to experts and partners, it helps founders bring their brilliant ideas to life – while reducing operational and financial overhead. A dynamic community, the expertise of pharma, and no strings attached. In her role, Ruth is responsible for developing the Co.Lab Berlin strategy and community and overseeing operations to further cultivate the biotech innovation ecosystem in Berlin. In July 2025, Ruth was named Top 40 under 40 in Berlin for her leadership driving the economy and innovation in the capital region. Prior to her current position, Ruth was Director, Strategic Program Lead Gene Editing, where she drove the strategic pathfinding and operational build-up of gene editing activities as a cross-company endeavour between Bayer and AskBio, an AAV gene therapy company, which is a wholly owned and independent subsidiary of Bayer. Ruth has a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Edinburgh, and in May 2024 was awarded a Rising Star award from the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association in acknowledgement of her DE&I leadership.
AAB Therapeutics
Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer
My expertise is in Protein Engineering, where I design and construct molecular machines. These precision nanoscale machines are engineered for two primary applications: advanced drug delivery and highly sensitive biosensing of drugs and their mechanisms of action for drug discovery. I also develop custom AI/Machine Learning models to rationally predict and optimise drug synergy and combination therapies.
Above all, I am driven by the belief that science must translate from the bench to real-world patient benefit, not just remain a publication. My goal is to translate scientific innovation into commercially viable therapeutic advancements.
Scientific progress in advanced therapies is outpacing the infrastructure needed to deliver it. This session confronts the hard realities of scaling: process transfer, quality at volume, supply chain fragility, and the talent gaps that threaten timelines. How does the field close the gap between what’s scientifically possible and what’s deliverable at scale?
TTP
Mechanical Engineer & Project Lead
I am a Mechanical Engineer and Technical Project Lead with a track record of delivering inter-disciplinary projects in Life Science. I have led and been a part of teams with the diverse range of technical backgrounds required to develop viable solutions in this space, from cell biology and biophysics through to software and manufacturing engineering. I work on projects throughout their development, from initial concept ideation to new product introduction.
At TTP, I enjoy working with ambitious clients across the Life Science sector to deliver novel technologies and products, particularly within the fields of:
-cell & gene therapy process control, analysis and automation tools (current primary focus)
-molecular diagnostics workflow automation, including point-of-care
-sample prep instrumentation and automation
-drug discovery platform development
Fresenius Kabi
Director Commercialization Therapeutic Apheresis and Cell Therapy
Experienced International Business Development/Commercial/Product/ Marketing leader, highly technical with postdoctoral level research experience.
Passionate about bringing new and innovative technologies to the cell and gene therapy community to help streamline translation and manufacturing.
Broad knowledge of Cell and Gene therapy applications, significant expertise in translation and GMP process development, with a considerable network of contacts within the Cell Therapy community.
Merck BioReliance
Global Head Scientific and Regulatory Consultancy , UK Merck BioReliance Managing Director
Dr. Alison Armstrong is Global Head Scientific and Regulatory Consultancy. Dr Armstrong has a long history in academic research as a postdoctoral scientist and Research fellow and has been involved in examining the role of viruses in various pathogenic conditions. She has led a number of teams in different divisions within Merck BioReliance; operational teams, validation and scientific development, and she is currently responsible for a scientific consultancy team with the remit to support clients in technical, scientific, and regulatory issues. During her career Alison has authored many different articles on trends in biosafety testing and is a member of regulatory taskforce groups related to microbiology and virology methods and alternate and rapid technologies. She is an invited speaker at international conferences. Dr. Armstrong holds a PhD in Molecular Virology from the University of Glasgow
With decades-long timelines and evolving reimbursement, capital strategy in advanced therapies is uniquely unforgiving. This session offers practical guidance on building investor relationships, sequencing commercialisation, and making the leadership decisions that determine whether a company reaches Series B and beyond. Which decisions, made early, separate the survivors from the cautionary tales?
Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst
Entrepreneurship and Business Development Director
As Director of Entrepreneurship and Business Development at Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Marco Delise provides business support to the biotech startups of the SBC cluster. He organises community-focused events, workshops and trainings, provide founders connections with industry experts and investors. He’s also responsible for directing the Catalyser accelerator programme to help startups refine their commercialisation strategy.
Previously, Marco was part of the founding team at Better Dairy, a London-based biotech startup where he led the R&D and business development streams from pre-seed to post-Series A funding stages. Marco holds a PhD in Synthetic Biology and, at SBC, he found his passion to support young biotech businesses and the broader ecosystem.
INMUNE BIO
Chief Operating Officer & Chief Manufacturing Officer
Leading UK operations to design & manufacture Advanced Therapies for Biotech SME commercialisation.
– PhD in Biochemical Engineering from UCL;
– MBA in Businesses Management & Leadership;
– Senior Manager at GMP manufacturing facility.
Mills & Reeve
Partner and Head of Life Sciences
James heads Mills & Reeve’s multi-disciplinary life sciences practice. He supports businesses across the full product lifecycle, from start-up to commercialisation.
A key focus of his work is supporting clients on strategic contracting covering technology / IP in and out- licensing transactions, research collaborations, clinical trial agreements and long term partnering agreements. James also advises on sector regulation including pharma and medical device regulation, market access, borderline products, advertising and clinical trials.
Successful innovation isn’t just about having a great idea—it’s about knowing where to focus your efforts from the start. This panel explores how early consideration of cost-effectiveness and overall value can help teams identify the highest-priority opportunities, direct evidence generation, and make better-informed decisions throughout development. Join experts as they discuss how defining value early reduces uncertainty, aligns stakeholders, and increases the likelihood of delivering solutions that achieve meaningful, sustainable impact for patients and the wider environment.
NJ Redfern Ltd
Consultant
Following 5 years’ experience working in the gene therapy arena at bluebird bio, with a focus on reimbursement and commercialisation, Nicola set up NJ Redfern Ltd in 2022 to enable her to consult, coach and collaborate with other organisations.
With a consistent focus over recent decades on rare disease & oncology/ haematology, her primary attention has been on pricing and reimbursement, service delivery and shaping the external environment. She has been in the pharmaceutical industry since 1989, and has been employed by 10 different companies.
Since her company’s inception last year she has contracted with over 12 organisations on a diverse range of projects – including supporting 2 further gene therapy companies in their launch planning in the UK. Nicola was previously an active member of the ABPI – chairing the ATMP working group during 2021, a member of their Value and Access group and supporting various government affairs/communications initiatives. She has worked closely in the last 6 years with the Cell and Gene therapy catapult in the UK. More recently Nicola has been invited to sit on the advisory board for company ATMPS, has given talks at various ATMP congresses in 2022 and 23, been interviewed by Lumanity and Haemnet, and since January 2023 sits on the ethics subgroup of the International Society of Cell and Gene therapy and is a member of ATMP engage.
Nicola is committed to and motivated by patients having a choice and being able to access transformative treatment options quickly once science and innovation reaches a point to positively impact the lives of people living with significant health challenges. Having worked at Martin House hospice in Yorkshire, sat on the board of trustees at Naomi House and Jacks Place – a Hospice for children and young adults near Winchester, UK – and through working alongside multiple patient organisations over her career, she has a strong empathy and understanding of life limiting conditions and their impact on the individual, their families and society as a whole.
She has consistently demonstrated strong leadership capabilities – with a passion for creating and shaping new diverse teams – embedding a positive culture, helping individuals develop, then leading them through defining their strategic focus and driving the initiatives through to completion.
ATMP investment has surged, cooled, and is now recalibrating. Where is investment appetite growing in 2026, where has it retreated, and how are deal structures evolving in response to longer timelines and uncertain reimbursement? Panellists map the current landscape across modalities, indications, and geographies, and point to where the smart money is heading next…
AI is accelerating target discovery, optimising viral vector design, and beginning to transform GMP batch release. A sceptical, practical look at where the technology is making a difference in advanced therapy development — and how do we build organisations and workforces capable of exploiting it?
Houdini Bio
Co-Founder
Lee Dunham is Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer/Chief Operating Officer at Houdini Bio, a synthetic biology and AI company developing technologies to improve the performance of engineered DNA medicines. He has worked across molecular science, life sciences technology transfer, business development and cell and gene therapy, with a focus on translating emerging technologies into commercial partnerships and therapeutic applications. At Houdini Bio, Lee leads commercial strategy, partnerships, fundraising and operations.
ARC West London is a dynamic hub for innovation, located on the scenic riverside in Hammersmith, at the heart of West Tech London – one of the UK’s fastest-growing life sciences and tech clusters. Designed for companies at every stage of their journey, the campus offers a seamless pathway from concept to commercial success.
Start with Leap our incubator labs, run by Imperial Incubator, perfect for early-stage breakthroughs. Accelerate progress in Motherlabs, our fully serviced, flexible accelerator labs that removes the barriers to scaling. Then thrive in our grow-on fitted lab space or shell and core space, tailored for expanding teams and advanced R&D. For growing or established organisations, ARC West London also offers HQ-quality office space, enabling you to bring your science, leadership, and commercial teams together under one roof.
With direct connections to central London, Heathrow, and leading research institutions, the campus puts you in easy reach of world-class talent, collaborators, and investors. Add riverside views, high-quality amenities, Imperial and NHS partnerships, a curated programme of events and a vibrant community of pioneering companies, and you have a place where ideas aren’t just developed, they’re accelerated.
ARC West London is situated in Hammersmith. Please see this map for further information and further details on directions for getting there.
ARC West London, Manbré Road, Hammersmith, London W6 9RH
