Antoine Espinet

MFX

Co Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Antoine is the CEO and co-founder at MFX. He has 5 years of experience in cell therapy tools. Prior to MFX, Antoine was a management consultant at McKinsey for 5 years. He holds a PhD in Engineering from Cornell University.

Gloria Lam

PA Consulting

Managing Consultant

Gloria is part of PA’s team of Healthcare and Life Sciences Consultants. She has a strong background in bioprocessing and 10 years of international industry experience in developing operational capabilities in cell and gene therapies and commercialising regenerative medicine products.​

Gloria has published 25 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in areas including regenerative medicine, bioprocessing and digital health. Specifically, she has published articles on impact of fast-track designations, decision lifecycle, supply chains and capacity planning decisions on advanced therapies commercialisation.

Gloria holds a DPhil in biomedical engineering from the University of Oxford.

Tom Smith

Labman Automation

Head of Bioprocess Automation

Over 12 years of experience within automation and robotics, currently specialising in the delivery of GAMP category 5 systems for GMP manufacturing environments.

Sevi Giakoumelou

Cytomos

Head of Biosciences

Dr Sevi Giakoumelou is Head of Bioscience at Cytomos, where she leads a multidisciplinary team dedicated to demonstrating the capabilities of the company’s proprietary AuraCyt™ technology, aligning scientific innovation with market and end-user needs. Her role bridges R&D, quality systems, and stakeholder engagement to accelerate commercial readiness. With a strong background in research and development, Sevi brings over a decade of experience spanning cell therapy development, technology transfer and regulatory compliance. Prior to her current role, she held senior scientific positions at RoslinCT and Aquila BioMedical, where she contributed to the development and GMP technology transfer of cell therapy products, and led quality control assay development to meet regulatory standards. Her expertise covers molecular assay design, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and technology transfer for pluripotent stem cell-derived therapies. She holds a PhD in Reproductive Biology from the University of Edinburgh, and her published work has contributed to the understanding of infection-related pregnancy outcomes.

Kevin Vela

Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult

Senior Collaborations Manager - Business Development

Kevin joined the Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Catapult in October 2022 as Collaborations Manager, where he leads the creation and establishment of impactful collaborations and multi-party consortia that deliver innovative solutions to key challenges in the CGT sector. His orchestration of collaborations spans across the entire CGT value-chain, with a particular focus on championing the adoption and use of automation and digital technologies to drive innovation in Research and Development, Manufacturing and Supply of CGTs.

Prior to joining CGT Catapult, Kevin worked as a data scientist in Orchard Therapeutics’ manufacturing division, focusing on the development, scale-up, tech transfer and validation of manufacturing processes for clinical and commercial-grade gene therapy programs. He has also served as a scientist at Imperial College London researching the use of lipid

Lara Campana

Resolution Therapeutics

SVP Head of Research and Translational Science

xperienced scientist, specialised in inflammation and tissue repair, with a demonstrated history of delivering ambitious projects in the research industry. Skilled in various lab techniques, including cell culture and flow cytometry. Holder of a Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) focused on Cellular and Molecular Immunology from The Open University and the Vita-Salute San Raffaele University., followed by two post-docs at The University of Edinburgh. Currently highly focused on translating exciting scientific findings on the role of macrophages in tissue repair to the clinic at Resolution Therapeutics.

Brian Bigger

University of Edinburgh

Professor of Advanced Therapeutics

Brian Bigger is Professor of Advanced Therapeutics at the Institute for Regeneration and Repair, University of Edinburgh. Brian set up his independent research group at the University of Manchester in 2006 to understand the pathology of and develop treatments for neurological lysosomal storage disorders, a group of devastating childhood dementias. Here, the team defined roles for lysosomal storage and neuroinflammation in the pathology of neurological lysosomal diseases and developed several gene and cell therapy treatments for lysosomal diseases, three of which have now progressed to clinical trial. Brian was a co-founder of Orchard Therapeutics and past Chairman of the European Study Group for Lysosomal Diseases.  In 2023, Brian moved to the University of Edinburgh where his research group continues to focus on developing innovative gene and cell therapies for neurological diseases, including childhood dementias, and bringing these treatments to patients.

Gary White

IQVIA

Head of Clinical FSP Go To Market

Strategic business professional within the Life Sciences sector, specialising in outcomes alignment and innovation within business-to-business and business-to-government partnerships. Design and delivery of strategic visions and global strategies for successful growth and internationalisation.

A track record in the development and growth of high value collaborations between diverse organisations and institutions, fostering joint innovation and mutual growth.

Consistent success in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, change management and process / project delivery. A strong leader and mentor with a successful background in managing, multiple, cross functional team strategies to deliver shared goals.

Strong interpersonal skills and ability to nurture value from relationships at all corporate levels. An excellent communicator and mediator.

Colette Mann

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

ATTC Programme Manager – iMatch

Experienced research professional with a demonstrated history of directing projects and portfolios in the Clinical trial Industry. Skilled in Public Speaking, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Clinical Governance, Healthcare, and Project/Programme Management. Strong education professional with a Bachelor of Science – BSc focused in Biology

Josiane Chuisseu

Cellular Highways

Global Commercial Vice President

I am a senior leader in the biotech industry, with a deep commitment to advancing health
equity for underrepresented groups. With a distinguished career driving the
commercialisation of on innovative and groundbreaking life science research solutions such
as gene sequencing, I am a passionate advocate for integrating genomics into efforts to reduce
health disparities. I am actively involved in several projects centred around genomics,
emphasising the need for broader participation and representation of underrepresented groups
in genomic research to ensure that the benefits of precision medicine are enjoyed by
everyone.

In addition to my work in genomic equity, I recently founded In Bloom Health Ltd, a
company dedicated to empowering women with the knowledge and resources they need to
advocate for the best possible care within the healthcare system. In Bloom Health equips
women—particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds (e.g. Black and/or
Neurodivergent women)—with information that helps them navigate healthcare challenges
and make informed decisions about their health. The company’s mission is rooted in the
belief that health equity begins with access to information and the ability to advocate for
oneself. By driving conversations around the intersection of medical research, funding
policies and social equity, I seek to champion environments where equitable access to
healthcare becomes a reality.

Adam Inche

Lentitek

Founder

From the start of my career I have always focused on proteins – their structure, making them for screening assays and how they are altered within the cells. Having used lentivirus in the past, it was this protein perspective that led me to question why lentivirual vectors were produced in the way that they are.

Years later, and having moved into more commercial roles within biomanufacturing, I was having many discussions with developers who were really struggling with viral vector production. It occured to me that I may have a solution to some of these problems – from which Lentitek was born.

Having founded Lentiek with my former colleague Leif Anderson in 2019, we have gone on to raise over a £1 million in equity and grant investment into Lentitek. We have done so much since then and we are looking forward to developing commercial solutions for the issues facing lentivirus manufacturing.

Remy Martin

eXmoor Pharma

Commercial Lead

As a Commercial Manager at eXmoor Pharma, I oversee the business development function across all areas of the company’s Cell & Gene Therapy services, including Process & Analytical Development, clinical GMP manufacturing and Consultancy. I hold a PhD in Biochemistry and an MBA in Leadership Practice. I have a strong background in Cell & Gene Therapies and Biologics and a solid understanding of the technical, commercial and regulatory aspects of the industry.

Currently responsible for contract negotiation, contract management, and commercial risk on all of eXmoor projects. I have successfully negotiated and delivered multiple Process Development contracts with CGT and Biotech organizations across the UK, Europe and US, enabling them to accelerate their product development and improve their manufacturing efficiency. I am passionate about driving growth and innovation in the Cell & Gene Therapy field, and I am committed to delivering excellence and value to our customers.

Gillian Molloy

AscellaHealth

Vice President of Market Access

Serving as Vice President of Market Access at AscellaHealth, Gillian brings 20 years of experience in the life sciences industry in both the European and US markets. She has held commercial and market access leadership positions at Baxter, Novartis Oncology and AstraZeneca, as well as trade relations and formulary strategy leadership roles at UnitedHealth Group. At AscellaHealth, Gillian provides strategic innovation and consultative market access support to pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare organisations. Gillian holds a BSc (Pharmacy) and MSc (Hospital Pharmacy) from Trinity College Dublin, as well as an MBA from University College Dublin Smurfit Business School. Gillian also has a Diploma in Health Economics from the National University of Ireland Whitaker School of Government and Management.

Terri Gaskell

Rinri Therapeutics Ltd

Chief Technical Officer

Terri has over 20 years of life sciences R&D experience in both academic and industry roles with a focus on the development and translation of cell- and gene-based therapies. Before joining Rinri, Terri worked at the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult for over seven years on the translation of a broad range of candidate therapies, including stem cell derived, alongside underpinning technologies and infrastructure. Her role at CGT Catapult also included advising academics and small companies on the development of advanced therapies.

Prior to this, Terri held senior roles in industry focussed on the development of processes for the expansion and differentiation of pluripotent stem cells for therapeutic use and drug discovery. Terri received her BSc. (Hons) in Biochemistry from the University of Dundee and holds a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Edinburgh.

Panos Kefalas

Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult

Director of the Access Strategy

Panos Kefalas is the Director of the Access Strategy Group at the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult which provides strategic advice to address regulatory and reimbursement evidence generation needs for novel cell and gene therapies and maximize their adoption potential; the group includes non-clinical, clinical, regulatory, health economics and market access expertise. Over the previous 20 years Panos gained extensive experience in pharmaceutical pricing, reimbursement and health economics both from senior roles with major HEOR and market access consultancy firms (IMS Health plc / IOVIA, PriceSpective / ICON plc, United BioSource Corporation / Evidera plc) and from managing NICE guidance development. He obtained a PhD in Molecular Medicine from King’s College London, an MBA from Cranfield University and professional training in Health Economics from the University of Oxford and the Centre for Health Economics in York.

Alan Griffith

VectorBuilder

Head of CDMO Global Operations

Dr Alan Griffith is our Head of Global Operations, he has been working in CGT space for over a decade, he has raised ~50million in VC funding and angel investment over this time and worked across many functions in CGT.

Alan was the 5th employee at MeiraGTx (spin out from UCL, London and previously Athena-Vision), he went on to help design and build London’s first subterranean, end to end multi vector, multi product GMP facility. He then worked at the first kidney centric GT company, Purespring Tx as the Vice President of Research and led the team to selecting a novel AAV serotype/capsid and generated a novel kidney specific promoter as part of the clinical candidate selection process. He has been pivotal in enabling 5/6 clinical trials across 3 startups in 5 different disease areas. These products have all undergone extensive Process Development and manufacturing workflows and at various CMC scales (based on varying dose requirements per pathology).

In his career he has held many senior positions such as Associate Director, Director, Vice President and Chief Development Officer (CDO) and has come full circle to work in the CDMO space, transitioning AAV products from preclinical to clinical, fulfilling his passion to aid emerging start-ups. Alan is keen to support VectorBuilders’ clients in avoiding some of the overlooked pitfalls in CMC, QC and Process development. He is an advisor for many industry groups and consults part time for developers and focus groups.

He holds various patents for AAV designs and route of administration approaches (promoters, capsids, GOIs, RoA) that confer competitive advantage and boosts manufacturability at scaled process. Alan not only has manufacturing experience but also served his time in quality control which is central to the success of these complex and difficult to manufacture vectors. His experience helps give customised support to clients on their individual journeys and give patients the treatment they need and deserve.

Andrew Roddam

EveryONE Medicines

Chief Business Development Officer

Andrew has over 25 years of experience across academia, pharmaceutical and life science companies throughout all stages of the development and commercialization of medicines. Throughout his career he has delivered new capabilities with a focus on how Real-World Evidence and Data/Digital Strategy can change the paradigm of drug discovery and development. Prior to joining EveryONE Medicines Andrew had been CEO of Our Future Health where he defined the strategy, recruited a team of over 170 people, sourced and partnered to deliver the capabilities to execute the vision of one of recruiting one of the world’s largest prospective cohorts and genetic resources, establishing one of the fastest recruiting research programs globally.

Andrew received his DPhil in Statistics from the University of Oxford. He remained in Oxford for the following 10 years, first as a post-doctoral fellow in Infectious Disease Epidemiology, and later as a senior scientist working on the Million Women Study. He has co-authored over 100 publications and continues to serve as an advisor or board member to a number of organizations .

Shadi Farhangrazi

S.M. Discovery Group (SMDG)

Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Shadi Farhangrazi is a biochemist, neuroscientist, and infectious diseases expert with extensive expertise in emerging technologies, innovation, and entrepreneurship. She is the Chief Executive Officer of S. M. Discovery Group (SMDG), an award-winning and pioneering company developing life-saving therapies for debilitating diseases. Under her leadership, the company has expanded its extensive IP portfolio and diversified its pipeline of NanoLigand modalities and most recently advancing a novel Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) platform that was recognised and shortlisted for an international award.

An internationally recognised speaker, Dr. Farhangrazi teaches and works globally and has served as an advisor and consultant to multinational corporations, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and biotechnology companies. Her advisory roles span diverse areas, including strategy, business development, product placement, market introduction, and global health. Over her career, she has contributed to multi-million-dollar projects with leading organisations such as Boeing Co., the U.S. State Department, USAID/PEPFAR, The Home Depot Foundation, the ALS Foundation, and more than forty companies worldwide—ranging from early-stage enterprises to publicly traded corporations. Most recently, she has served on the advisory boards and committees of many organisations including the NE Combined Authority and the Mayor of New Castle, member of the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration NENC Stakeholder Board, and member of the Action For Women’s Health Challenge Lever for Change Evaluation Panel and on the Editorial board of two journals, the Editorial Board of Technological and Methodological Advances in Drug Delivery (specialty section of Frontiers in Drug Delivery) and Preclinical Cell and Gene Therapy (specialty section of Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology).

Tia Papoutselou

Rinri Therapeutics

Patient and Public Involvement Lead

I have worked for the past two years as a Clinical Development Scientist and PPI Lead at Rinri Therapeutics, a biotech company pioneering cell therapies for hearing loss. In this role, I have collaborated with PPI partners to design surveys, facilitate focus groups, and conduct one-on-one interviews to assess the need for novel therapeutics for hearing loss and identify barriers and facilitators to trial participation. I also established a PAG, which has played a key role in designing a first-in-human clinical trial. Together, we have co-developed patient materials, refined recruitment conversations, and created staff deaf awareness training. Alongside this, I am a Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham, where I have spent the past six years conducting neuroimaging and translational research with children who have language disorders and hearing loss. I have worked closely with parents, patient groups, and the public to refine research priorities, design studies, and develop funding applications. Currently, I serve as the PPI Coordinator for a multicentre EME trial evaluating the effectiveness of parent training programs for children with hearing loss.

Arunesh Sil

Sanofi

UK & IE Franchise Medical Head for Transplant

Specialist Pharmaceutical Physician – CCT holder in Pharmaceutical Medicine and on the GMC
Specialist Register for Pharmaceutical Medicine
Surgeon with 16 years of extensive clinical and surgical experience in ENT and Head and Neck
Surgery, credited with book chapters, with publications and prizes at international levels
including the Foundation Award from American Academy of Otolaryngologists and Head and
Neck Surgeons for Rhinology.
13 years of experience in the Pharmaceutical industry, held medical leadership roles in Baxter,
Shire, UCB, and in Sanofi and currently working in Sanofi for the past 6 years
Extensive experience as a final signatory, code compliance, people management and
development and medical affairs. Active mentoring of people formally and informally within
Sanofi.
Successful delivery of several key projects with successful outcomes.
Fellow of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine. Faculty appointed Educational Supervisor,
sits on the ARCP panel and also an appraiser for the Faculty.
Fellow of Royal Statistical Society
Past MBBS Examiner at Brighton and Sussex Medical School
Currently Franchise Medical Head for Transplant for UK and Ireland in Sanofi – Aventis
Pharmaceuticals

Caoimhe Nic An tSaoir

Lonrú Consulting

Director

Dr. Caoimhe Nic An tSaoir founded Lonrú Consulting with a mission to support innovation and growth in life sciences. With a PhD in Molecular Oncology and an MBA from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, she brings a unique blend of scientific rigour and business insight to the field.

Her work has been shaped by over 15 years of global experience supporting multinational clinical programs and innovation initiatives. Dr. Nic An tSaoir has navigated the dynamic intersections of biotechs, academic medical centres, government agencies, investors, and other life sciences organisations. These experiences have honed her ability to guide clients through the complexities of research, regulation, and commercialisation in the CGT industry.

Paula Shutt

Sickle Cell Society

Communications Lead

Paula is a senior communications professional with over 20 years of experience in PR, marketing, and strategic communications; specialising in the healthcare and nonprofit sectors.

She leads communications at the Sickle Cell Society, where she focuses on raising awareness of sickle cell disorder and advocating for improved care, more treatment options and support for those affected by the condition. Her work includes digital communications, stakeholder engagement, and media relations, where she collaborates with streaming platforms and TV productions to enhance awareness and understanding of sickle cell.

Paula’s passion for healthcare advocacy has led to previous roles as Chair of the Board at Art in Healthcare, and working in communications and advocacy for stroke survivors and people diagnosed with chest and heart conditions.

Her experience and insights on the evolving field of gene therapy for sickle cell disorder is rooted in having closely worked with the sickle cell patient community throughout the NICE appraisal for Casgevy.

Paula is committed to supporting the development of new, safe, and effective therapies that have the potential to transform the treatment of chronic conditions like sickle cell disorder – ensuring patients receive the care they deserve and the opportunity to live their lives to the fullest potential.

Priscilla Fernandez

The University of Edinburgh

Specialist Research Nurse & Midwife

NIHR Reproductive Health and Childbirth Champion for the East coast of Scotland. Experienced Clinical Research Nurse/Midwife with a history of working in general medicine, Gynaecology, Early pregnancy and mainly research. GCP trained professional with experience in trial management and improving trial recruitment. Training other sites around the UK in trial specific tasks, whether it’s by organising a nurses day or a simple zoom training phone call. Proficient in all things Microsoft Office related. Extensive knowledge in dealing with patients with Endometriosis and pelvic pain.