Innovative Contamination Control in Cell Therapy: Enabling Integrity and Efficiency
Sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thursday 12 February 2026
3pm GMT
Sponsor Webinar held on Zoom
Presented by George Prout & Suzy Brown
Effective contamination control is essential for maintaining the integrity and quality of cell therapy manufacturing.
This presentation will discuss the use of upstream solutions such as automated closed systems for isolation and activation, and larger bioprocess containers. It will also cover the application of analytical assays for sterility testing, mycoplasma detection, and environmental monitoring.
These measures aim to reduce contamination and improve overall operational effectiveness. An integrated approach combining these solutions can enhance contamination control, boost process efficiency, and ensure the production of high-quality cell therapy products.
SPEAKER BIO
George Prout & Suzy Brown
George Prout is a Senior Application Scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific covering Cell Culture and Cell Therapy. His role involves technical support with customers wanting to drive higher output of their systems and actively looks for collaborations with fellow scientists in disciplines such as protein production, plasmid production, vaccines, cultured meat, microbial processes, gene therapy and cell therapy from research, to process development and scale-up. George has 8 years of experience in Gene Therapy prior to joining Thermo Fisher Scientific, with a focus on manufacturing, process development and project management.
Suzy Brown is the Senior Field Application Scientist for Pharma Analytics at Thermo Fisher Scientific, supporting customers across the UK and Ireland. With nine years at Thermo Fisher, she leads training and implementation for the Pharma Analytics portfolio and serves as the MycoSEQ subject matter expert for the EMEA region.
Suzy holds a PhD in Developmental Biology and a Bachelor’s degree in Cell Biology from the University of Manchester, where she used molecular, proteomic and next-generation sequencing approaches to identify genes involved in pattern formation using Dictyostelium discoideum. Before joining Thermo Fisher, she worked in the biopharmaceutical industry as an Analytical Development Scientist at Allergan Biologics, gaining hands-on expertise in qPCR, Sanger sequencing and impurity testing.
Inside the Human Cell Atlas – A New Era for Regenerative Medicine and Global Health
Wednesday 18 February 2026
3-4pm UK time | 10-11 am EST GMT (UTC +0)
Virtual Thought Leadership Session held on Zoom
AGENDA OVERVIEW
3 pm Thought Leadership Interview with Professor Fiona M. Watt, Professor of Cell Biology, King’s College London; EMBO Director and Group Leader at EMBL
3:20 pm Panel Discussion: Ten Years of the Human Cell Atlas and Its Applications in Regenerative Medicine
- Advances in spatial proteomics and single-cell transcriptomics
- Applications in regenerative medicine
- Challenges in clinical development
Moderator:
Professor Fiona M. Watt
Professor of Cell Biology, King’s College London; EMBO Director and Group Leader at EMBL
Invited Panelists:
- Maria Kasper – Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet
- Karl Koehler – Associate Professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Harvard Medical School; Principal Investigator, Boston Children’s Hospital
THOUGHT LEADER & MODERATOR
Innovative Therapies Development To The Patient
Tuesday 21 April 2026
1:30pm – 2:20pm UK | 8.30 - 9.20 am EST GMT (UTC +0)
Virtual Thought Leadership Session held on Zoom
AGENDA OVERVIEW
1:30pm Interview: Innovative Therapies: Development to the Patients with Emily Merrell, Director of Advanced Therapy Treatment Centres (ATTC) Network, Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult
1:50pm Panel Discussion: From Trial to Treatment: Scaling Advanced Therapies
Translating Clinical Success into Real-World Treatment
- Key hurdles when moving from early clinical trials to late-stage development
- Aligning clinical endpoints with real-world patient outcomes
- Managing variability in response for cell and gene therapies
Manufacturing & Scalability Challenges
- Scaling manufacturing without compromising quality, safety, or efficacy
- Autologous vs allogeneic models: scalability trade-offs
- Technology innovations enabling cost reduction and consistency
Regulatory Pathways & Market Access
- Navigating evolving regulatory expectations across regions
- Accelerated approvals vs long-term evidence requirements
- Reimbursement challenges and demonstrating value to payers
Lessons Learned & Looking Ahead
- Biggest lessons from scaling therapies to date
- What companies should plan for earlier in development
- Future trends shaping the next generation of advanced therapies
Moderator: Emily Merrell, Director of Advanced Therapy Treatment Centres (ATTC) Network, Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult
Panellists:
Prasun Chakraborty, CEO, Genevation
Lindsay Davies, Chief Scientific Officer, NEXTCELL PHARMA AB
Diana Hernandez, Head of Translational Immunotherapy, Anthony Nolan Research Institute
THOUGHT LEADER & MODERATOR
