In Season 3 of Invent: Life Sciences, we explored the forces redefining how tomorrow’s therapies will be developed, made, and delivered. From the challenges of scaling cell and gene therapy manufacturing to the transformative power of sustainability and AI, this season uncovered what it truly takes to move from discovery to delivery.
Featuring insights from leaders across Novartis, Cellular Origins, Orchard Therapeutics, Charles River, Cytiva, OmniaBio, Eli Lilly, and more, this season revealed how the biotech industry must evolve to make breakthrough therapies accessible, affordable, and ready for global deployment.
In our last episode, we explored the manufacturing strategies that will be key to scaling advanced therapies. Now, we turn our focus to the UK, where new regulatory frameworks and regional collaboration are changing how therapies reach patients.
Stuart speaks with leading experts about the evolution of regulation, the role of the MHRA, and why decentralized manufacturing could unlock faster, more flexible access to treatments. He also hears how Cambridge is preparing to become a regional hub for manufacturing, and what this shift could mean for patients across the East of England and beyond. Together, these perspectives reveal how regulation, clinical insight, and patient needs are converging to shape the next chapter of cell and gene therapy in the UK.
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Manufacturing can make or break the future of cell and gene therapy. In this episode, Stuart sits down with two expert guests to share how smart design, automation, and closed systems are helping to lower costs, reduce complexity, and make therapies more accessible. From scaling strategies to operator-friendly technology, they reveal why manufacturing isn’t just a back-end process, but a critical part of therapy development from day one.
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In this two-part series, host Stuart Lowe examines the barriers and breakthroughs that will determine whether cell and gene therapies can scale. From smarter manufacturing to new policy frameworks, join leading experts as they discuss what must change for CGTs to deliver on their full potential.
In this episode, Stuart explores the adoption of generative AI in the pharmaceutical industry, with a special focus on cell and gene therapy. While the application of AI for drug discovery has been well documented and a source of considerable investment for the pharmaceutical sector, we are only just starting to see its impact for therapy developers. A 2024 report from McKinsey Global Institute estimates that generative AI could generate up to $100 billion in economic value for pharma and medical product companies, and therapy developers are eager to see these benefits sooner rather than later, no more so than in the complex and challenging field of cell and gene therapies. With the help of two expert guests, Stuart will uncover how AI is being used in the industry today, and where it could go in the future.
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In this episode, host Stuart explores what the sustainability goals of Big Pharma mean for those organisations, and the companies that support them. With insights from Ryan Walker, Sustainability Program Leader at Cytiva, and Wenshu Xu, Drug Discovery Tools Team Lead at TTP, we review the progress made by the industry so far and some examples where innovative thinking has had an impact on operations. Topics include the challenge of tackling Scope 3 emissions, reducing the impact of single-use plastics, and how collaboration across the ecosystem is key to meeting ambitious sustainability targets.
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In this two-part series, host Stuart Lowe examines two factors testing the resilience of the biopharma industry. As society simultaneously navigates a green transition alongside an AI revolution, so the biopharma industry faces mounting pressure to address its carbon emissions, deploy cutting-edge digital technology, while streamlining operations. Along with his guests, discover the innovative approaches that are being taken to transform drug development and manufacturing.
In Part One of this two-part series, we reflected on the progress made in the Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) industry and the importance of patient-centric development. In this episode, we dive into how we can continue to move forward, broaden access, and encourage the development of new treatments. We’ll discuss the critical need to scale manufacturing, even in the early stages of development, to ensure that these therapies reach the patients who need them.
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The Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) industry has made remarkable strides, with significant advancements and the approval of groundbreaking technologies in recent years. However, have we become too dependent on older methods, and are we doing enough to ensure these new therapies are reaching as many patients as possible? In this episode, we tackle these questions while exploring one fundamental issue: Why? Why is it essential to continue innovating to broaden patient access, develop new therapies, and push the industry forward?
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Welcome back to Invent: Life Sciences, a podcast brought to you by technology and product development company TTP.
With approvals for advanced therapies on the rise, and aspirations to target larger patient populations, it’s time to take stock and reflect and on the progress made to date. In this series, we’ll be looking at the people, processes and partnerships we’ll need to continue moving forwards and delivering the best outcomes for the greatest number of patients.
Over the forthcoming two episodes, I’ll be joined by 4 expert guests to answer two fundamental questions: why do we need to continue to innovate, and how can we do it.
Throughout this series of Invent, we have brought you cutting-edge developments in the Life Sciences industry.
We have spoken to a wide range of guests who have provided fascinating insights into the manufacture of cell and gene therapies, and what developments in drug testing mean for the future of genetic research.
A big thank you to all our guests that featured in this series, make sure you show your appreciation to our esteemed guests by re-listening to your favorite episode and subscribing to Invent: Life Sciences from wherever you get your podcasts.
And finally, a big thank you to you, our listeners, for tuning in each week throughout this series. What has been your favorite episode? Get in touch and let us know!
So for the last time in this series... join me, Stuart Lowe, as we dive into the best bits of Invent: Life Sciences Series 2, a podcast brought to you by technology and product development company TTP.
Throughout this series, we’ve explored different diseases we target, the sorts of cells which are under development as therapies, and how the therapies themselves are manufactured. With all this innovation, we shouldn’t be surprised by the increased focus on the means by which processes and products themselves are characterised. So, do current process analytical tools provide the insights therapy developers need? And how can new technologies be implemented in the fast-moving life sciences field?
To find out, join us on Invent: Life Sciences, a podcast brought to you by technology and product development company TTP.
This Week's Guests
Davide Danovi
Davide Danovi leads the cellular pheotyping department at bit.bio. Bit.bio is an award-winning human synthetic biology enterprise with a mission to code cells for health through applying the principles of computation to biology. In his role at bit.bio, Davide's responsibilities emcompass three key areas. Firstly, Infrastructure and training, overseeing the maintenance of essential instruments, conducts staff training, and establishes data analysis infrastructure for imaging and flow cytometry. Secondly, Cell characterisation, verifying the identities of cells, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of experimental results. And finally, Cell type identification, developing modules to precisely identify specific cell types by screening transcription factors, offering innovative solutions for cell identification.
James Kusena
James Kusena is the Vice President of Operations at MicrofluidX. MicrofluidX is industrialising cell and gene therapy manufacturing through it's latest technology, the Cyto Engine, a unified bioreactor and data platform for cell and gene therapy research, development, and manufacturing. James' career began with a focus on bioprocessing and applications, now as VP of Operations, this focus is now shaping the company's technology to align with industry needs. With demonstrated experience in various sectors of the Cell and Gene therapy industry, including: Process Development, Process Translation, Process Transfer, Research & Development and Commercialisation; James' career reflects a fusion of technical expertise and leadership with a commitment to advancing cell therapy manufacturing industry standards and product quality.
Across the life sciences industry, there is much excitement over the potential impact of stem cells in medicine. And it is clear why; these cells, which can be differentiated into any other cell type, could rewrite the playbook in terms of sourcing cellular material for advanced therapies manufacture. So how might therapy developers benefit from the unique abilities of stem cells? And will they live up to their expectations?
To find out, join us on Invent: Life Sciences, a podcast brought to you by technology and product development company TTP.
This Week's Guests
Marinna Madrid
Marinna Madrid is a co-founder at Cellino, a venture capital-backed biotech company building the next generation of cell-based tissues and therapies with a proprietary platform technology. Marinna earned her PhD and MA in Applied Physics from Harvard University, where she played a significant role in co-inventing laser-based intracellular delivery techniques. Prior to her graduate studies, she completed her BSc in Biophysics at the University of California, Los Angeles, having initially started her academic journey at Riverside Community College. In addition to receiving honors for her achievevements, including the Harvard Graduate Prize Fellowship, she also earned a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Healthcare in 2019.
Adil Duru
Adil Duru is a Senior Research Manager at Glycostem Therapeutics. Glycostem Therapeutics is a Dutch biotech company established in 2007 that focuses on the development of Natural Killer cells (NK cells) as a medicinal asset in the fight against cancer. Adil's main research and development interest is exploring novel NK cell and T cell based cancer immunotherapy approaches including genetically engineered NK cells and T cells.
Throughout almost all of medical history, it was assumed that the average white male response to drug trials could be extrapolated to all potential recipients. But when we look at the poorer health outcomes for women and minorities, could the underlying assumptions in medical research be a contributing factor? If so, what is being done to solve them?
To find out, join us on Invent: Life Sciences, a podcast brought to you by technology and product development company TTP.
This Week's Guests
Diana Torgersen
Diana Torgersen is the Executive Director for External Innovation & Emerging Science at Organon. Organon is a global healthcare company with a portfolio of therapies and product's in women's health, biosimilars, and established medicines across a wide array of conditions and diseases.
Shirin Heidari
Shirin Heidari is the Founding President of GENDRO, a not-for-profit organisation with a mission to advance equity through sex and gender senstive-research across discplines by creating public awareness about the implications of lack of sex and gender considerations in research and innovation.
Deana Mohr
Deana Mohr is CEO of MUVON Therapeutics. MUVON Therapeutics is a clinical stage Life Science spin-off from the University of Zurich developing a therapeutic platform for the regeneration of skeletal muscle tissue based on autologous cells, not only repairing damaged tissue but also increasing the regenerative potential of weakened muscles.
Pharmaceutical companies undertake rigorous clinical trials in order to find out which drugs are safe. But in order to better protect the people volunteering for these tests, regulators decreed that data from studies on animals would be the primary evidence needed before approving a clinical trial in humans. Testing drugs on animals has many ethical and practical issues, and so scientists are looking towards different types of in-vitro models as a solution. But what are these models? How can they move us towards safer, better trials?
To find out, join us on Invent: Life Sciences, a podcast brought to you by technology and product development company TTP.
This Week's Guests
Sylvia Boj
Sylvia Boj is an accomplished scientist and the current Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of Hub Organoid. Sylvia's journey in the world of organoids began during her postdoctoral research in the laboratory of Hans Clevers - now, at Hub Organoid, Sylvia leads the charge in harnessing the potential of organoids for the pharmaceutical industry. Her mission is to translate the remarkable capabilities of organoids into a vital preclinical platform for drug development and discovery.
Bas Trietsch
Bas Trietsch is a co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Mimetas in the Netherlands. For the past decade, Bas has been using his expertise in drug development and microfluidics to advance "organ on a chip" technology. This technology creates tiny versions of organs and tissues on a chip, allowing scientists to see how they react to different things and is more accurate than traditional methods.
Modern medicine has helped us develop many effective treatments for diseases found throughout the body, but we’ve yet to have the same success with the brain. The so-called 'blood brain barrier' controls the passage of molecules out of the blood and into the brain, and so it’s not as easy to use the bloodstream to carry therapeutic molecules as we might do for other diseases. Could the blood brain barrier be the key to treating neurological disorders? How can we target this structure to make therapies more effective?
To find out, join us on Invent: Life Sciences, a podcast brought to you by technology and product development company TTP.
This Week's Guests
James Choi
James Choi is the Principal Investigator of Non-invasive Surgery and Biopsy Laboratory at Imperial College London and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the institute. The purpose of the Noninvasive Surgery & Biopsy Laboratory is to build incision-less microsurgical devices and methods to locally deliver drugs to the brain. James Choi is a leading expert on the blood brain barrier and has authored numerous research publications in the fields of noninvasive surgery and delivery through the blood brain barrier using focused ultrasound. James Choi's work at the laboratory is currently focused on treating several dieseases, including Alzheimers, using non-invasive devices for delivering drugs across the blood-brain barrier.
Sam Barker
Sam Barker is the Chief Business Officer at Somaserve, a genetic medicines company that is pioneering new medicines for crossing the blood brain barrier and other biologicial barries. Using a proprietary targeted polymer nanoparticle technology, PolyNaut®, Somaserve is delivering genetic materials to cells and tissues of choice, including targeted delivery to the central nervous system. Sam Barker has deep experience in start-up and growth stage companies across drug development from discovery to delivery, with expertise in developing and commercialising innovative platform technologies.
In the pharmaceutical industry, there is a desire to go beyond the traditional ‘compound x acts on protein y,’ and achieve a more nuanced effect on the underlying biology. So, could innovative approaches to small molecules open up a wider application space? And what benefits might this bring to cash-strapped healthcare systems?
To find out, join us on Invent: Life Sciences, a podcast brought to you by technology and product development company TTP.
This Week's Guests
Anne Horgan
Anne Horgan is a partner at Cambridge Innovation Captial, a venture capital firm that invest in IP rich businesses in both deep tech and life science. With a robust academic foundation in organic and medicinal chemistry, Anne's career path began in Ph.D and postdoctoral research which culminated into a role in a small cambridge-based company dedicated to the creation of small molecules for therapeutic applications. Her journey then took her into the fascinating domain of technology transfer, where she honed her skills at Cancer Research UK (formerly known as Cancer Research Technology), helping bridge the gap between groundbreaking research and practical applications, now under the banner of Cancer Research Horizons. Now, Anne's expertise and experience has found their home at Cambridge Innovation Capital, where she continues to play an instrumental role in shaping the future of innovation and technology-driven businesses.
Rabia Khan
Rabia Khan is the founder and CEO of Serna Bio. Serna Bio (previously Ladder Therapeutics) is using an AI-based, data-first approach to write the rules that define RNA-small molecule interactions. Rabia's educational pursuit took her from Pakistan to Canada, where she pursued a degree in genetics, followed by a Ph.D and an MBA. Rabia would also go on to complete a postdoc on IPS derived macrophages in the UK. Rabia's passion for genetics stemmed from the elegance of the four-letter genetic code (ATGC) that defines all living beings, eventually leading her to a company called Sensyne Health, working at the intersection of computational methods and patient data to enable drug discovery. Rabia's journey has traversed both geographic and scientific landscapes, now, Rabia's work at Serna Bio is driving towards the world's first map of the druggable transcriptome.
Cell and gene therapies are extremely effective but their complex production processes, arduous supply chain, and life-critical logistics have prevented mass market adoption. Could digitisation and AI provide a breakthrough in manufacturing? Would more companies be willing to work together on standardisation to provide more flexibility?
To find out, join us on Invent: Life Sciences, a podcast brought to you by technology and product development company TTP.
This Week's Guests
Matthew Durdy
Matthew Durdy is a biologist, investor, entrepreneur, and the Chief Executive of the Cell and Therapy Catapult. Previously responsible for the development of the business and strategy arm of the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, Matthew's work now combines three sets of experience: corporate investment banking; new venture and innovation management, and biotechnology leadership, into one passion; creating the environment for, and leading the commercialisation of brilliant science into life-changing products.
Alexander Seyf
Alexander Seyf is a business leader, entrepreneur, and one of the co-founders and CEO of Autolomous. Autolomous offers pragmatic digital solutions for cell and gene therapy manufacturing and was founded in 2019 with a mission to revolutionise cell and gene therapy manufacturing through digital innovation. Alexander brings a unique perspective to this endeavor, drawing from his background in physics, the telecom industry, and extensive experience in management consultancy and startups.
The Covid vaccination campaign demonstrated the effectiveness of mRNA-based treatments, so what else is this technology capable of? How can we improve our manufacturing and distribution to ensure treatments are available to those who need them most?
To find out, join us on Invent: Life Sciences, a podcast brought to you by technology and product development company TTP.
What is mRNA and what is the importance of mRNA treatments?
Messenger ribonucleic acid, or mRNA for short, is a crucial molecule in the process of making proteins in our bodies. Proteins are essential for the structure, function, and regulation of the cells, tissues, and organs in our bodies.
mRNA treatments, also known as mRNA therapeutics, are a type of medical technology that uses synthetic mRNA to treat or prevent various diseases and medical conditions. Vaccines are one of the most well-known examples of mRNA treatments. These treatments are a relatively new and exciting area of medicine with the potential to revolutionize how we approach healthcare.
This Week's Guests
David Sokolowski
David Sokolowski is the Global Workflow Manager for the Nucleic Acid Therapeutics business unit within Cytiva. Cytiva is a global life sciences leader dedicated to helping customers discover and commercialise the next generation of therapeutics. David has been closely monitoring the RNA field and its evolving applications and manufacturing technologies.
Dan Peer
Dan Peer is a Professor at Tel Aviv University and the Director of the Laboratory of Precision Nanomedicine at Tel Aviv. Dan has been actively engaging in nanomedicine for the past 20 years and is also the university's Vice President for Research and Development. Dan is at the forefront of mRNA research and shares his insight on the rapid expansion of mRNA applications.
Invent: Life Sciences is back for Season 2!
Invent: Life Sciences is a podcast about the future of life science and technology, hosted by Head of Cell Gene Therapy and Biotechnology at TTP, Stuart Lowe.
Each episode, we’ll be joined by the top scientists, designers, business leaders, and academics working at the vanguard of this vital industry, to give you a behind-the-scenes look at the world of life science.
In this new season, we now turn our focus onto advances driving forward the pharmaceutical sector, and how life scientists are dedicating their lives to bringing the benefits of medicine to those who need it most.
Listen to the full trailer now!