Drs Stephen Ward (Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult) and Annarita Miccio (Imagine Institute) have been announced the keynote speakers for Cell and Gene Therapy 2026, leading the inaugural two-day event taking place at Hinxton Hall in Cambridge, UK from 9–10 March.
Cell and Gene Therapy 2026 is a free-to-attend event bringing together leading scientists, economists and patient advocates to explore breakthroughs shaping the future of medicine. The programme, focussing on translational impact and patient perspectives, includes talks and poster presentations covering neurological disorders, sensory diseases, rare conditions, and cancer immunotherapy. There will also be an exhibition hall and networking opportunities, providing a platform for collaboration between academia, biotech, pharma and investors from across the drug discovery community. The Early Career Professional Poster Award will recognise the outstanding contributions from the next generation of scientists.
Dr Stephen Ward has over two decades of cell and gene therapy expertise, within a career spanning biological medicine research, development and manufacturing. He has been with the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult for over 10 years, playing a pivotal role building its pioneering process development and analytical capabilities; and leading major strategic manufacturing, supply chain, skills and industrial growth programmes. In 2024, he became Chief Technology Officer, shaping the organisation’s technology development strategy. Dr Ward is also Vice Chair of the Medicines Manufacturing Industry Partnership. He will present ‘Is the Coming of Age of Advanced Therapies Now Within Our Grasp or Ephemeral Hope?’ on day one of the conference.
Dr Annarita Miccio directs the laboratory of chromatin and gene regulation during development at the Imagine Institute in Paris, France. Her work focusses on transcriptional control of haematopoiesis and developing therapies for beta‑haemoglobinopathies. In particular, she optimised the design of lentiviral vectors currently employed in a clinical trial for sickle cell disease and developed CRISPR/Cas9 strategies for beta-haemoglobinopathies. Dr Miccio is the author of over 70 publications and more than 15 patents, she has led major EU- and national‑funded projects and received multiple scientific awards. She will discuss ‘Successes and Challenges in Gene Therapy: The Example of Beta-Haemoglobinopathies’ during her presentation on the second day.
Dr Verena Brucklacher-Waldert, Board Member and Conference Director at event organiser ELRIG, and Head of Research Operations, Laverock Therapeutics, said: “ELRIG is committed to connecting the scientific community and accelerating innovation across all aspects of drug discovery. We’re delighted to be delivering this two-day event in direct response to our community’s needs, creating the space to explore breakthrough’s shaping the future of healthcare. Cell and Gene Therapy 2026 is not just a conference - it’s a catalyst for collaboration. By uniting experts and encouraging dialogue across disciplines, ELRIG is accelerating the journey from discovery to delivery for life-changing therapies.”
For further information about Cell and Gene Therapy 2026, please visit: https://elrig.org/portfolio/cell-gene-therapy-2026/