The next in a series of webinars hosted by the Innovation Hubs for Gene Therapies and UK Advanced Therapies is scheduled to take place on 13th July, 16:00-17:30.

UKAT is hosting this webinar in partnership with MRC and LifeArc, to launch the Innovation Hubs for Gene Therapies (IHfGT) Skills Strategy (published on 30 June 2023). It is an opportunity for the community to hear the findings of the skills consultation undertaken by the IHfGT Skills and Training Subcommittee, and to be introduced to the key training activities the Innovation Hubs will deliver to address the sector skills gap.

Representatives from the Innovation Hubs will present an overview of their training programmes, available to members of the AT community. This will be followed by a roundtable discussion to review the skills consultation results and seek thoughts from a panel of experts. Finally, attendees will have the opportunity to have an input to the Innovation Hubs training programmes and discuss how these embed into other stakeholder activities through a series of breakout rooms led by members from the IHfGT Skills and Training Subcommittee.

Expert Panel:

• Prof Uta Griesenbach – Chair of IHfGT Skills Group and Professor of Molecular Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London
• Dr Anji Miller – Senior Business Manager, LifeArc
• Helen Delahaye – Managing Director, Deltohn Ltd and Vice-Chair BIA CGTAC
• Stephen Stewart – Head of Skills & Apprenticeships at the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult
• Prof Rafael J. Yáñez-Muñoz – President (2021-2025) of the British Society for Gene and Cell Therapy and Director of the Centre of Gene and Cell Therapy in the Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London

UKAT:

• Dr Nicoletta Charolidi, Manager of the Centre for Advanced Therapeutics & Deputy Director of UKAT

Innovation Hubs:

• Prof Qasim Rafiq – Associate Professor in Cell and Gene Therapy Bioprocess Engineering, University College London (London Hub)
• Dr Mohammad Jaffar - Lecturer in Biochemical Engineering, University College London (London Hub)
• Dr Suhair Salman – Scientist Training Lead in Gene Therapies, NHS Blood and Transplant (Bristol Hub)
• Dr Sujith Sebastian – Viral Vector Hub Manager, NHS Blood and Transplant (Bristol Hub)
• Dr Isabel Christie – Business Development Manager, Gene Therapy Innovation and Manufacturing Centre, University of Sheffield (Sheffield Hub)
• Dr Sophie Mountcastle – Network Manager (MRC / LifeArc)