Explore every episode of the podcast Cell & Gene: The Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advancing Hematology and Cell Therapy Innovation with AstraZeneca's Aliya Omer | 06 Nov 2025 | 00:34:02 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Episode 115 of Cell & Gene: The Podcast features Host Erin Harris' talk with Aliya Omer, Vice President and Global Head of Hematology and Cell Therapy at AstraZeneca. Omer shares valuable insights from her rich experience leading cell therapy development across multiple top companies. She highlights the critical importance of collaboration by breaking down silos across research, manufacturing, regulatory, and commercial teams to deliver innovative therapies efficiently. She also discusses AZ’s diverse and ambitious cell therapy portfolio, encompassing autologous CAR-T, TCR-T, in vivo gene therapies, and regulatory T-cell therapies. She candidly addresses current challenges in manufacturing scalability, patient access, and healthcare system readiness and describes how AZ is prioritizing fast manufacturing platforms and ecosystem-wide partnerships to surmount these hurdles. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Advancing Allogeneic Cell Therapy for SCI and Blindness with Lineage's Brian Culley | 23 Oct 2025 | 00:26:23 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. On episode 114 of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, Host Erin Harris talks to Brian Culley, CEO of Lineage Cell Therapeutics, about advancing cell therapy beyond oncology and into transformative treatments for conditions such as spinal cord injury and blindness. Culley shares how Lineage’s allogeneic, off-the-shelf approach, anchored by its OPC1 program, aims to replace lost or damaged cells to restore function, starting with patients who have plateaued after chronic spinal cord injury. He details the DOSED study’s innovative delivery device and thaw-and-inject formulation, both designed to simplify administration, enhance safety, and improve patient access. Harris and Culley also explore Lineage's broader vision for commercial viability in cell transplantation and its collaborative work with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation to drive awareness, research, and investment in spinal cord injury therapies. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| FDA Fridays: Advancing Communication and Consistency in CGT Regulation with Kaye Spratt | 08 Aug 2025 | 00:47:14 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. This is Episode 1 of a special series of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, "FDA Fridays." This first episode features Host, Erin Harris' conversation with Kate Spratt, Strategic and Non-Clinical Regulatory Consultant at Spratt Advanced Cell & Gene Therapy Regulatory Consulting. Spratt emphasizes the importance of early and continuous engagement with regulatory authorities, especially through structured meetings like INTERACT and pre-IND sessions. Harris and Spratt cover CMC readiness, filing for RMAT/CIT, BLA approvals and regulatory expectations, and more. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Inside Solid Tumor Therapies with BlueSphere Bio’s CEO Dr. David Apelian | 17 Mar 2022 | 00:25:10 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. BlueSphere Bio's CEO Dr. David Apelian explains the difficulties associated with treating solid tumor cancers as well as what the CGT sector needs to get right in the short term and why. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Restoration of Immune Balance with Anish Suri, Ph.D., President and CSO at Cue Biopharma | 03 Mar 2022 | 00:18:50 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Cue Biopharma's Anish Suri, Ph.D., explains why the clinical-stage biopharma is engineering a novel class of injectable biologics to selectively engage and modulate targeted T cells directly within the body to transform the treatment of cancer. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| REGENXBIO's Nina Hunter, Ph.D. Details the Accelerated Approval Pathway for Gene Therapies | 17 Feb 2022 | 00:17:54 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. REGENXBIO's VP of Regulatory and Science Policy, Nina Hunter, Ph.D., shares potential solutions to gene therapies' regulatory roadblocks and why the accelerated approval pathway is so pertinent. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Selecta Biosciences' Dr. Carsten Brunn on Gene Therapy with AAV Vectors | 03 Feb 2022 | 00:20:59 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Selecta Biosciences' President and CEO Dr. Carsten Brunn details the company's ImmTOR platform, which can mitigate unwanted immune responses that cause immune-related toxicities that impose significant treatment challenges with current therapies. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Cellevolve Bio's Dr. Derrell Porter on the Need for Diversity and Inclusion in Biotech | 20 Jan 2022 | 00:32:38 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Cellevolve Bio's founder and CEO. Dr. Derrell Porter shares his experience with starting up a cell therapy company and why we, as an industry, need to advocate for more Black leaders and leaders of color in the biotech industry. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| RNA's Advantages Over Other Cell Therapies with Cartesian's CSO | 06 Jan 2022 | 00:19:51 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Dr. Michael Singer, CSO at Cartesian Therapeutics, details why RNA has advantages over other cell therapies, the company's three RNA trials, and the therapeutic benefit of multiple modifications. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Vor Biopharma's CEO on Genome Engineering of Hematopoietic Stem Cells | 22 Dec 2021 | 00:19:11 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Vor Biopharma's CEO Dr. Robert Ang explains the company's lead engineered hematopoietic cell (eHSC) product candidate, genome engineering of HSCs, and the cell manufacturing process needed to leverage genome engineering technologies for the cells they're creating. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| AVROBIO on Patient Advocacy's Role in Clinical Trial Development & Recruitment | 09 Dec 2021 | 00:28:11 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Fernanda Copeland, Global Head, Patient Advocacy & Engagement at AVROBIO, explains how to incorporate community education, patient feedback, and more to improve clinical trial development and recruitment. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Understanding CAR-M Technology with Carisma Therapeutics' Dr. Debora Barton | 24 Nov 2021 | 00:19:06 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Carisma Therapeutics’ Dr. Barton breaks down the latest in CAR-M technology as well as the company's Phase 1 First-in-Human Study of Adenovirally Transduced Anti-HER2 CAR Macrophages in Subjects with HER2 Overexpressing Solid Tumors. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Inside the Gene Therapy for Coronary Artery Disease with XyloCor Therapeutics' Albert Gianchetti | 11 Nov 2021 | 00:15:22 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. XyloCor Therapeutics' EXACT clinical trial is a Phase 1/2 multicenter, open-label, single arm, dose escalation trial for coronary artery disease — the most common type of heart disease — with gene therapy at its center. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Navigating the Journey to Safer Stem Cell Therapies with Orca Bio's Nate Fernhoff | 31 Jul 2025 | 00:33:17 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Cell & Gene: The Podcast Host, Erin Harris, talks to Orca Bio CEO and Co-Founder Nathaniel Fernhoff as he recounts the company’s origins and evolution, tracing its roots to pioneering stem cell research at Stanford University and Dr. Irv Weissman's lab. Seeking to create safer, more effective cures for blood cancers such as AML, ALL, and MDS, Orca Bio developed high-precision cell therapies that utilize purified regulatory T cells and stem cells to minimize complications, such as graft-versus-host disease. Orca Bio spun out of academia to establish its own scalable production platform and clinical pipeline, and Fernhoff explains Orca's flagship product, Orca T, which recently achieved a pivotal milestone by outperforming standard stem cell transplants in a Phase 3 trial. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Advancing Patient Engagement with Novartis Gene Therapies' Dr. Amy Nicole Nayar | 28 Oct 2021 | 00:24:30 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Dr. Amy Nicole Nayar, VP of US Patient Advocacy and Government Affairs at Novartis Gene Therapies explains what patient engagement should encompass in the cell and gene field as well as the unique challenges cell and gene therapy companies face where a patient engagement officer provides essential help. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| BridgeBio's Approach to Gene Therapy & Nearing the Clinic | 14 Oct 2021 | 00:24:30 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. BridgeBio's CEO of Gene Therapy, Dr. Eric David, explains the company's gene therapy programs for Canavan disease and congenital adrenal hyperplasia, their manufacturing plans, and the platform underpinning their novel approach to gene therapy. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Inside Spark Therapeutics' Investigational SPK-8011 for Hemophilia A | 30 Sep 2021 | 00:19:33 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Spark Therapeutics' Clinical Development Lead, Hematology, Dr. Tiffany Chang explains the company's data from its ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial of investigational SPK-8011 for hemophilia A, the largest gene therapy trial in this disease to date as well as the misconceptions and unknowns about the disease. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Gene Therapies for Spinal Cord-Related Disorders with SwanBio's CEO | 16 Sep 2021 | 00:20:15 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Karen Kozarsky, Ph.D., Co-Founder and CSO of SwanBio, explains how the company is pioneering a deep and varied pipeline of gene therapies for genetically defined neurological diseases with a focus on the spinal cord. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Patient's Perspective | 02 Sep 2021 | 00:31:38 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Bob Levis was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in 2002 and was one of the early experimental trial participants at Penn Medicine for Dr. Carl June’s CAR-T therapy. Bob shares his remarkable journey with CLL as well as his important work with the CLL Society. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| State-of-the-Art GMP Manufacturing RNA Cell Therapies with Cartesian's CEO | 19 Aug 2021 | 00:25:55 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Dr. Murat Kalayoglu, CEO at Cartesian Therapeutics, details the cell and gene therapy sector’s advancements in RNA cell therapy and the why behind the company's decision to build its own wholly-owned GMP manufacturing facility. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Therapeutic Firsts and "Eds and Meds" with Penn’s Dr. Bruce Levine | 05 Aug 2021 | 00:31:37 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. University of Pennsylvania’s Dr. Bruce Levine explains his road to adoptive immunotherapy trials, overcoming the gap between academia and industry, and how Philadelphia earned the "Cellicon Valley" name for its continued innovation in cell and gene therapy — and more. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Hospitals And Advanced Therapies with Penn Medicine’s Kevin Mahoney | 22 Jul 2021 | 00:30:23 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. In this episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, University of Pennsylvania Health System’s CEO Kevin Mahoney talks to Host Erin Harris about how hospital systems must evolve to meet the needs of cell and gene therapy patients as these complex therapies are commercialized. They discuss what comprises UPHS and the ongoing innovation it brings to advanced therapies as well as how the Health System stays patient-focused at all costs. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Enzyvant's Rachelle Jacques on the Biotech’s Lead Asset | 08 Jul 2021 | 00:24:15 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. During this first episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, Host Erin Harris talks to Enzyvant’s CEO Rachelle Jacques about the biotech’s lead asset, investigational regenerative therapy RVT-802 for congenital athymia. Jacques provides an update on FDA approval and details what’s next for RVT-802. She explains tissue-based therapies — how far they’ve come and the work that’s left to be done. And, they discuss what being patient-focused means in the world of rare diseases. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Introducing Cell & Gene: The Podcast | 30 Jun 2021 | 00:01:30 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Cell & Gene, the online resource that delivers in-depth content from authoritative authors and sources to professionals in the CGT sector, is thrilled to introduce “Cell & Gene: The Podcast.” Cell and gene therapies offer huge potential to treat a wide range of diseases and their possibilities represent a new era in medicine. “Cell & Gene: The Podcast” will explore approved and pipeline therapies, new trends in manufacturing, the long, regulated road to commercialization, and everything in between. In each episode, Cell & Gene Chief Editor, Erin Harris, will talk to an industry or academic leader about their current initiatives and how they are moving the sector forward. (Music by Royalty Free Music From Bensound)
Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Rethinking Large Animal Models in Gene Therapy with Novartis' Ralf Schmid, Ph.D. | 17 Jul 2025 | 00:24:49 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. On this episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, Host Erin Harris talks to Ralf Schmid, Ph.D., Associate Director of Preclinical Research at Novartis Biomedical Research, about the evolving use of large animal models in gene therapy development. Dr. Schmid discusses the current reliance on non-human primates (NHPs), their growing logistical and ethical challenges, and the emerging interest in alternatives like genetically engineered pigs and sheep. He outlines key considerations around safety, biodistribution, and immunogenicity that still necessitate large-animal testin —particularly for CNS-targeted AAV therapies — and emphasizes the need for thoughtful study design, responsible sourcing, and diversification in model systems. Dr. Schmid also previews his participation in the upcoming Next Generation Gene Therapy Vectors Summit and reflects on the future of preclinical safety testing in a landscape aiming to balance innovation, rigor, and compassion. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Gene Therapy for Inherited Retinal Diseases with Opus Genetics' Dr. George Magrath | 03 Jul 2025 | 00:20:13 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. In this episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, George Magrath, CEO of Opus Genetics, shares with Host, Erin Harris, how the company is advancing gene therapies for inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), with a focus on LCA5, a rare and severe form of childhood blindness. Built on the foundational science of Dr. Jean Bennett and leveraging the legacy of Luxturna, Magrath shares how Opus is developing subretinal AAV-based therapies targeting seven distinct mutations. He also explains why gene therapy is particularly well-suited to IRDs, shares compelling early clinical data, and discusses the promise of early intervention in preserving vision and enabling proper neural development. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Extracellular Vesicle Breakthroughs with Aegle Therapeutics' Dr. Gloria Matthews | 19 Jun 2025 | 00:15:58 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. In this episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, Host Erin Harris interviews Dr. Gloria Matthews, Chief Medical Officer of Aegle Therapeutics, a clinical-stage regenerative medicine company focused on developing therapies for rare and severe dermatologic and immunologic disorders. Dr. Matthews explains how Aegle is pioneering the use of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from mesenchymal stem cells, which offer advantages over traditional cell-based therapies. Their discussion highlights Aegle's lead product, AGLE-102 as well as the regulatory and manufacturing challenges of scaling EV-based therapies. They cover the broader therapeutic potential of EVs in areas such as graft-versus-host disease, ocular, and orthopedic disorders, and more. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Bridging Development and Regulation in CGT with Halloran Consulting Group's Monika Swietlicka | 05 Jun 2025 | 00:24:46 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. On this episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, Host Erin Harris welcomes Monika Swietlicka, Principal, Regulatory Strategy at Halloran Consulting Group to discuss the key regulatory challenges facing cell and gene therapy companies. Swietlicka highlights manufacturing complexity and clinical trial design limitations. On gene editing, she notes that the FDA is focused on off-target effects and demands robust data, including functional validation. She emphasizes the importance of early definition of critical quality attributes and a strong comparability strategy to ensure product consistency. She also underscores the growing role of real-world evidence, especially in rare disease settings with limited clinical trial data. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Harnessing AI and Synthetic Biology for Cell Therapies with Generate:Biomedicines' Dr. Alex Snyder | 22 May 2025 | 00:19:28 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Host Erin Harris talks to Generate:Biomedicines' EVP of R&D, Dr. Alex Snyder about the convergence of AI, machine learning (ML), and synthetic biology in the development of next-generation therapies. They cover how AI is transforming drug discovery by enabling the rapid design and optimization of therapeutic candidates, particularly in complex fields like immuno-oncology and cell therapy. Dr. Snyder shares how that in the context of CAR-T therapies, AI-driven approaches are used to design and refine each component of the CAR construct. And, Dr. Snyder sets the stage for a broader conversation about how the integration of AI and synthetic biology is not only accelerating drug development timelines but also expanding the realm of what’s possible in cell-based therapeutics. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Redefining Heart Failure Treatment with Precision Autologous Cell Therapy with BioCardia's Peter Altman, Ph.D. | 08 May 2025 | 00:17:54 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. In this episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, Host Erin Harris sits down with Peter Altman, Ph.D., CEO of BioCardia, to discuss the company’s evolution from a cardiac biotherapeutic delivery firm to a developer of autologous and allogeneic cell therapies for cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. Altman highlights BioCardia’s CardiAMP program, a precision medicine approach that pre-screens patients based on their cell profiles to improve trial outcomes and reduce costs. He explains why no cardiac cell therapy has yet received FDA approval, citing challenges in delivery, immune rejection, and arrhythmia risks. Altman outlines BioCardia’s near-term roadmap, including regulatory submissions in the U.S. and Japan and the launch of a second trial focused on patients most likely to benefit. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| CRI’s Response to NIH Cuts with Alicia Zhou, Ph.D. | 24 Apr 2025 | 00:38:12 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. In this episode of the Cell & Gene podcast, Host Erin Harris speaks with Alicia Zhou, Ph.D., CEO of the Cancer Research Institute (CRI), about CRI’s mission to advance cancer immunotherapy and the critical role of federal funding, particularly from the NIH, in supporting basic and translational cancer research. Dr. Zhou highlights CRI’s focus on funding early-stage science and clinical trials to move immunotherapy toward curing all cancers. She covers the serious implications of recent U.S. Government funding cuts, including NIH budget freezes and halted grant review processes, which are already impacting biomedical research institutions, graduate programs, and clinical trials. In light of the NIH budget cuts, Dr. Zhou explains how CRI is stepping up by committing an additional $2.5 million from its reserves to fund 10 postdoctoral fellowships. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Rethinking CGT Biotech Growth & Investment with Audrey Greenberg | 10 Apr 2025 | 00:28:15 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. On the 100th episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, Host, Erin Harris, sits down with Audrey Greenberg, Founder and CEO of AG Capital Advisors. Audrey is the award-winning executive, board director, and strategic advisor with a proven track record of launching, scaling, and successfully exiting multi-billion-dollar ventures. They explore the biggest challenges and opportunities facing CGT biotech leaders today; the funding crisis in biotech, the evolving investment landscape, and whether the traditional VC-driven model is still sustainable. They also examine what it really takes to scale a biotech company from startup to market leader, the role of AI-driven drug discovery, and how big tech’s growing influence could reshape the industry. You'll hear their discussion on leadership challenges in biotech, the need for more diverse voices at the top, and what must change to empower the next generation of women leaders in CGT, and more. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| How AI and ML Drive iPSC Quality with Aspen Neuroscience's Thorsten Gorba, Ph.D. | 09 Oct 2025 | 00:21:38 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Welcome to Episode 113 of Cell & Gene: The Podcast. Host Erin Harris is joined by Thorsten Gorba, Ph.D., VP Process Development at Aspen Neuroscience to explore how the company is advancing the field of cell therapy manufacturing. Aspen Neuroscience stands at the forefront of integrating machine vision and AI/ML to assess induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) colony quality by offering a transformative approach to move beyond the subjective nature of manual evaluation. Dr. Gorba discusses how these technologies bolster reproducibility and scalability and help reduce variability in starting materials. He also covers the regulatory angle, including how the FDA is evaluating digital quality control tools. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Advancing Retinal Gene Therapy with Atsena Therapeutics' Dr. Kenji Fujita | 27 Mar 2025 | 00:14:53 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. In this episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, Host Erin Harris dives into the world of retinal gene therapy with Kenji Fujita, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Atsena Therapeutics. Atsena develops treatments for inherited retinal diseases, including X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS), a rare genetic condition that currently has no FDA-approved therapy. They talk through the impact of XLRS on patients, the challenges of gene delivery to the retina, and how Atsena’s AAV vector technology is designed to overcome these hurdles. They also discuss the significance of the Fast Track designation recently granted to Atsena’s XLRS program, the role of patient advocacy in rare disease research, and the key milestones to watch for in the months ahead. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Harnessing the Power of Cord Blood Tregs with Cellenkos' Dr. Simrit Parmar | 13 Mar 2025 | 00:34:57 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. In this episode, Host Erin Harris sits down with Dr. Simrit Parmar, Founder of Cellenkos, to explore how the company is pioneering umbilical cord blood-derived Regulatory T cell (Treg) cell therapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Dr. Parmar shares the vision behind Cellenkos, the advantages of cord blood-derived Tregs over other sources, and how their CRANE technology platform enhances precision in targeting diseases. They also discuss key findings from their Phase 1b trial for CK0804, the challenges of scaling up off-the-shelf Treg therapies, and what’s next for Cellenkos in 2025. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| CGT Manufacturing: Distributed & Digital with Deloitte Consulting's Omkar Kawalekar, Ph.D. | 27 Feb 2025 | 00:28:42 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Omkar Kawalekar, Ph.D., Senior Manager, NextGen Therapies Manufacturing & Supply Chain Lead, Deloitte Consulting joins Host Erin Harris to share his expert take on how distributed manufacturing models address capacity constraints and supply chain risks, the role of automation in reducing batch-to-batch variability, as well as the power of digital technologies in optimizing production processes. He also covers the key considerations for CGT companies when choosing between in-house manufacturing and CDMO partnerships, and much more. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Inside Gene Therapies for Cardiac Care with Tenaya Therapeutics' Faraz Ali | 13 Feb 2025 | 00:35:38 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. In this episode, Erin Harris sits down with Faraz Ali, CEO of Tenaya Therapeutics, to explore the cutting-edge world of gene therapies for heart diseases. As Tenaya makes significant strides in developing innovative treatments, Ali shares insights on Tenaya's gene therapy platform, their in-house manufacturing capabilities, and the potential impact of their therapies on prevalent heart conditions. They also discuss the complexities of commercializing gene therapies, industry-wide developments, and Tenaya's roadmap for 2025. This conversation offers a unique glimpse into the future of cardiac care and the transformative potential of gene therapies in treating heart diseases. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| The Future of Adenovector-Based Therapies with Precigen's Helen Sabzevari, Ph.D. | 30 Jan 2025 | 00:26:49 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Helen Sabzevari, Ph.D., President and CEO of Precigen, joins Host, Erin Harris to discuss how the company utilizes gorilla adenovirus vectors. These vectors offer significant advantages in delivering large genetic payloads, a crucial factor in developing effective gene therapies. Sabzevari also discusses Precigen's recent BLA submission for PRGN-2012, which includes Phase 1/2 pivotal study results where over 50% of patients achieved Complete Response and more than 85% experienced decreased surgical interventions. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| The Future of NK Cell Therapy for Autoimmune Disease with Artiva Biotherapeutics' Christopher Horan | 16 Jan 2025 | 00:24:24 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Christopher Horan, Chief Technical Operations Officer, Artiva Biotherapeutics joins Cell & Gene: The Podcast Host, Erin Harris, to discuss the advantages natural killer (NK) cells have offer over T cells in terms of safety and efficacy for autoimmune disease. They take a deep dive into the key factors that make NK cells promising for ‘off-the-shelf’ cell therapy products. They cover Artiva's "manufacturing first" approach to enabling scalable NK cell production, and much more. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Lessons in Automation with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center's Christopher Choi, Ph.D. | 02 Jan 2025 | 00:14:49 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Cell & Gene: The Podcast Host Erin Harris talks to Christopher Choi, Ph.D., MBA, SVP Industry Partnership, Director of GMP and Cell Manufacturing Facility, and Associate Professor of Oncology at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center about the Center's Buffalo, NY-based cell and gene therapy hub slated to open in early 2025. They cover the increasingly important role of automation and digital technologies in CGT manufacturing. Choi also offers his advice to new and emerging CGT biotechs on how to correctly tackle manufacturing as they begin their product development journey. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Can Gene Therapy Be the Solution for CHF with AskBio's Dr. Lothar Roessig | 19 Dec 2024 | 00:21:08 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Cell & Gene: The Podcast Host Erin Harris talks to Lothar Roessig, M.D., SVP, Integrated Product Team Lead, Congestive Heart Failure at Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio) about the biggest challenges in developing gene therapies for cardiovascular diseases, specifically congestive heart failure (CHF). They discuss AB-1002, the gene therapy the company is developing for the treatment of CHF and why a gene therapy approach is significantly different from traditional therapies. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Inside a Dopamine-Restoring Cell Therapy for PD with BlueRock Therapeutics' Dr. Amit Rahkit | 05 Dec 2024 | 00:31:14 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. On this episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, Host Erin Harris, invites BlueRock Therapeutics' Dr. Amit Rhakit to take a deep dive into therapy options for Parkinson's disease (PD). They discuss how BlueRock's bemdaneprocel's mechanism of action differs from traditional PD treatments. They cover the limitations of current PD medications, how cell therapies might offer a different approach to long-term symptom management, and how BlueRock is doing traditional dopamine replacement therapy differently. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Globalization's Impact on Patient Access with ARM's COO, Rita Johnson-Greene | 21 Nov 2024 | 00:21:39 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Rita Johnson-Greene, COO at Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) joined Cell & Gene: The Podcast Host, Erin Harris, on site during 2024 Meeting on the Mesa to record their discussion. Johnson-Greene shared information about the Joint Clinical Assessment (JCA) in Europe and its potential impact on cell and gene therapies, how globalization impacts patient access, an update on ARM's Grow Internship Program, as well as a few key takeaways from the event that sector professionals can anticipate impacting the CGTs in the next 12 months and beyond. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Inside Sanofi’s Genomic Medicine Vision with Mike Quigley, Ph.D. | 25 Sep 2025 | 00:24:15 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. On episode 112 of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, Michael Quigley, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and Global Head of Research at Sanofi talks to Host Erin Harris about the establishment of Sanofi’s dedicated Genomic Medicine Unit (GMU). Dr. Quigley emphasizes in vivo delivery and process optimization to improve patient experience, scalability, and global access. They discuss the importance of partnerships with academia, industry, and regulators, and Dr. Quigley discusses how advances in AI are accelerating research efficiency, molecule optimization, and experimental design across Sanofi’s portfolio. He also points to the breakthroughs likely to revolutionize immunology and gene therapy, such as solutions to pre-existing immunity barriers, improved tissue-specific delivery, regulated and reversible gene therapies, and more precise gene editing. Cell & Gene: The Podcast and Cell & Gene are part of the Life Science Connect family of resources. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Improving TCR T-Cell Persistence and Efficacy with Adaptimmune's Dennis Williams | 07 Nov 2024 | 00:20:52 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. On this episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast, Host Erin Harris talks to Dennis Williams, Senior Vice President of Late Stage Development at Adaptimmune. Williams shares valuable insights into the groundbreaking world of TCR T-cell therapies, with a particular focus on the TECELRA trial. The trial led to the FDA approval of Tecelra, marking a significant milestone as the first engineered T-cell therapy for solid tumors. Williams delves into the complexities of developing this innovative treatment for synovial sarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of soft-tissue cancer. He also highlights the unique challenges and promising outcomes associated with TCR T-cell therapies, offering a comprehensive understanding of this cutting-edge approach in cancer immunotherapy. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Live from ARM's Meeting on the Mesa with Kiji Therapeutics' Dr. Miguel Forte | 24 Oct 2024 | 00:25:26 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. This episode of Cell & Gene: The Podcast was recorded on site during ARM's 2024 Meeting on the Mesa in Phoenix. Tune in to hear Host Erin Harris talk to Miguel Forte, M.D., Ph.D., CEO of Kiji Therapeutics, President of ISCT, and Executive Committee Member of ARM about Kiji's clinical plan and why iPSC-MSC therapy for inflammatory diseases shows great promise. They also cover this year's conference and what to expect during and after the event. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Pioneering Next-Gen TCR Therapies in Solid Tumors with Neogene Therapeutics’ Carsten Linnemann, Ph.D. | 10 Oct 2024 | 00:14:18 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Carsten Linnemann, Ph.D., CEO of Neogene Therapeutics and Head of Oncology Cell Therapy Clinical Development, AstraZeneca joins Cell & Gene: The Podcast’s Erin Harris to discuss T-cell receptor (TCR) therapies for solid cancers. They talk through key challenges and opportunities in developing TCR therapies targeting neoantigens as well as the potential benefits of TCR-T therapies for cancer treatment. Linnemann shares his thoughts on the future landscape of cell therapy in oncology and beyond. Previous episodes of Cell & Gene: The Podcast have focused on TCR therapies, including Episode 50, featuring Affini-T Therapeutics’ Co-Founder, CEO, and President Dr. Jak Knowles. Be sure to check out that episode, too. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Optogenetics for Vision Restoration with Ray Therapeutics' Paul Bresge | 25 Sep 2024 | 00:22:00 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Ray Therapeutics' Co-Founder and CEO, Paul Bresge, joins Host Erin Harris to talk about optogenetics and how the company’s optogenetics approach differs from other gene therapies on the market developed to restore vision in retinal diseases like retinitis pigmentosa. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| A New Approach to Genome Engineering with Tessera Therapeutics' Dr. Michael Severino | 12 Sep 2024 | 00:28:06 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Tessera Therapeutics' CEO, Dr. Michael Severino, joins Host Erin Harris to discuss Gene Writing, the biotech's genome engineering technology that writes therapeutic messages into the genome to treat diseases at their source. Severino discusses why delivery has always been a challenge for gene editing technologies and why Gene Writing is different when it comes to efficient delivery. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||
| Scaling Allo with Allogene Therapeutics' Dr. Zachary Roberts | 29 Aug 2024 | 00:25:13 | |
We love to hear from our listeners. Send us a message. Allogene Therapeutics' EVP of R&D and CMO, Dr. Zachary Roberts, penned an original article for Cell & Gene titled, The Path Forward for CLL is Allogeneic. In his article, Dr. Roberts explains that chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in the U.S. And that while CLL remains a disease that is managed, it is not one that is often cured. In this episode, Host Erin Harris follows up Roberts' article with in-depth questions around existing issues with current CAR T approaches, "auto versus allo," and why allogeneic is the path forward. They also discuss how and why allogeneic therapies are truly scalable. Subscribe to the podcast! Visit my website: Cell & Gene Connect with me on LinkedIn | |||