Speakers
Symposium Chairs
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Read More about Carl H. June, MD
Carl H. June, MD
Carl H. June, MD Website
Richard W Vague Professor in Immunotherapy
Director, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies
Director, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USACarl June, MD maintains a research laboratory that studies various mechanisms of lymphocyte activation that relate to immune tolerance and adoptive immunotherapy for cancer and chronic infection. In 2011, his research team published findings detailing a new therapy in which patients with refractory and relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia were treated with genetically engineered versions of their own T cells. The June laboratory has published more than >500 publications, and has a google scholar h-index of 155 with >100,000 citations. He currently serves as the Richard W. Vague Professor in immunotherapy in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and as the Director of the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies at the Perelman School of Medicine, as well as the Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including his election into the National Academies of Medicine and Science and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
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Read More about Stephan A. Grupp, MD, PhD
Stephan A. Grupp, MD, PhD
Stephan A. Grupp, MD, PhD Website
Yetta Deitch Novotny Professor of Pediatrics
Co-Lead, Pediatric Program, Abramson Cancer Center
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Section Chief, Cellular Therapy and Transplant, Division of Oncology
Director, Susan P. and Stephen S. Kelly Center for Cancer Immunotherapy
Medical Director, Cell and Gene Therapy Lab
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USAStephan Grupp, MD PhD, is the Chief of the Cellular Therapy and Transplant Section, Director of the Susan and and Steven Kelly Center for Cancer Immunotherapy, and Medical Director of the Cell and Gene Therapy Lab at CHOP, as well as the Novotny Professor of Pediatrics at the U Penn Perelman School of Medicine.
Dr. Grupp came to CHOP in 1996 after receiving his MD/PhD in Cincinnati and training in Boston. His primary area of research is the use of CAR T and other engineered cell therapies in pediatric cancers and other life-threatening disorders such as sickle cell disease. He led all of the pediatric ALL trials of CTL019, including Novartis’ international registration trial, leading to the first FDA approval of a CAR product as Kymriah. As a result of this work, he presented the Clinical Perspective at the first FDA ODAC CAR meeting. Dr. Grupp was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2019.
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Read More about Bruce L. Levine, PhD
Bruce L. Levine, PhD
Bruce L. Levine, PhD Website
Barbara and Edward Netter Professor in Cancer Gene Therapy Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Founding Director of Clinical Cell and Vaccine Production Facility
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USADr. Bruce Levine, Barbara and Edward Netter Professor in Cancer Gene Therapy, is the Founding Director of the Clinical Cell and Vaccine Production Facility (CVPF) in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. He received a B.A. (Biology) from Penn and a Ph.D. in Immunology and Infectious Diseases from Johns Hopkins. First-in-human adoptive immunotherapy trials include the first use of a lentiviral vector, the first infusions of gene edited cells, and the first use of lentivirally-modified cells to treat cancer. Dr. Levine is co-inventor of the first FDA approved gene therapy (Kymriah), chimeric antigen receptor T cells for leukemia and lymphoma, licensed to Novartis. Dr. Levine is co-inventor on 33 issued US patents and co-author of >200 manuscripts and book chapters with a Google Scholar citation h-index of 114. He is a Co-Founder of Tmunity Therapeutics, and of Capstan Therapeutics both spinouts of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Levine is a recipient of the William Osler Patient Oriented Research Award, the Wallace H. Coulter Award for Healthcare Innovation, the National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match ONE Forum 2020 Dennis Confer Innovate Award, the American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy Jerry Mendell Award for Translational Science, the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy Career Achievement Award in Cell and Gene Therapy, and is a Past-President of the ISCT. He has written for Scientific American and Wired and is dedicated to training the next generation of scientists, public outreach, and expanding global and equitable access to advanced therapies.
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Read More about David L. Porter, MD
David L. Porter, MD
David L. Porter, MD Website
Jodi Fisher Horowitz Professor of Leukemia Care Excellence
Director, Cell Therapy and Transplant
Abramson Cancer Center
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USADr. Porter is the Jodi Fisher-Horowitz Professor of Leukemia Care Excellence at the Perelman School of Medicine and Abramson Cancer Center, and Director of the Center for Cell Therapy and Transplant at the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of Rochester and earned a medical degree at Brown University. He completed internship and residency at Boston University Hospital, and fellowship training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Porter chairs or serves on numerous local, national and international committees focused on hematologic malignancies, stem cell transplantation and cell therapy. He currently serves as President of the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy and is a past Chair and emeritus member of the Board of Directors of the National Marrow Donor Program. He and serves on a number of cell therapy advisory boards, monitoring boards, and steering committees for several organizations including the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cell Therapy, the Association of American Cancer Institutes, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer and the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research. He is the recipient of several prestigious awards from local and national organizations that include recognition for Service, Professionalism and Mentorship.
Dr. Porter is an accomplished clinical investigator with research interests in development of novel approaches to cellular therapy and stem cell transplantation. He has an extensive publication record and has been the primary or co-author of over 200 research and review articles. He currently serves as the Deputy Editor of Transplantation and Cellular Therapy is an Associate Editor for the American Journal of Hematology. Along with colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania he has pioneered the successful development of CAR T cells for cancer. Other research highlights include development of novel trials designed to prevent GVHD after allogeneic SCT by blocking lymphocyte trafficking, and studies to enhance graft-vs-tumor activity at the time of transplant, after non-myeloablative therapy, and for relapse after SCT. -
Read More about Alexis A. Thompson, MD, MPH
Alexis A. Thompson, MD, MPH
Alexis A. Thompson, MD, MPH Website
Elias Schwartz, MD, Endowed Chair in Hematology,
Chief of the Division of Hematology,
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Professor of Pediatrics,
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USADr. Alexis Thompson is Chief, Division of Hematology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She is also Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and holds the Elias Schwartz MD Endowed Chair in Hematology. Previously, Dr. Thompson was the Hematology Section Head at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois and held the A. Watson and Sarah Armour Endowed Chair for Blood Diseases and Cancer from 2001 to 2021. She was also Professor of Pediatrics at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. For over 12 years, Dr. Thompson was Associate Director for Equity and Minority Health at the Northwestern’s Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Dr. Thompson has co-authored over 160 papers published in peer-reviewed journals. Her clinical interests include hemoglobinopathies (thalassemia and sickle cell disease), and stem cell transplantation in pediatric patients, including gene therapy. She has been an investigator on multi-center trials and as well as her own institutional clinical studies. Her most significant scientific contributions are clinical and translation studies to better understand and treat hemoglobinopathies. She has been a leader in multicenter collaborations, such as the NHLBI-funded Thalassemia Clinical Research Network and the Sickle Cell Disease Implementation Consortium. She has served on regional and national on advisory committees for governmental agencies as well as non-profit organizations focused on improving healthcare access, increasing workforce diversity and reducing health disparities. She was the President of the American Society of Hematology in 2018.
Symposium Co-Chairs
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Read More about Heather DiFilippo, CRNP
Heather DiFilippo, CRNP
Heather DiFilippo, CRNP Website
Nurse Practitioner for Cellular Therapy and Transplant (CCTT) at Penn Medicine
The Hospital of The University of Pennsylvania
Abramson Cancer Center
Philadelphia, PA, USAHeather DiFilippo has extensive experience in Blood and marrow transplant and Immunotherapy, specializing in CAR T cell therapy. She plays a pivotal role in developing and supporting outpatient care for recipients of CAR T cells. Heather is an expert in managing side effects including cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity while providing ongoing vital patient education. She collaborates across disease disciplines and support management and care of patients with hematologic malignancies, solid tumors, and autoimmune diseases receiving cell therapy through numerous clinical trials or with commercial products.
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Read More about Patricia T. Hankins, BSN, RN, CCRC
Patricia T. Hankins, BSN, RN, CCRC
Patricia T. Hankins, BSN, RN, CCRC Website
Senior Clinical Program Operations Manager
Cellular Therapy and Transplant Section
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USAAccomplished professional with excellent knowledge in the field of Cellular Therapy and Transplant and in the areas for genetically modified cellular therapies for nonmalignant and rare diseases. Extensive experience in personnel, project, program and systems management with attention to regulatory compliance and quality assurance. In current role with the Cellular Therapy and Transplant Section (CTTS) at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) oversees and implements administrative and programmatic functions in support of CTTS. This is inclusive of department administrative, research, quality and clinical support processes. Fosters engagement, team building and consensus through collaboration, and other professionally sound methods, and maintains working partnerships in a matrix reporting environment with clinical teams, including nurse practitioners, nursing leadership, pharmacy, physician leaders and other hospital entities which support CTTS.
Special Guest Speaker
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Read More about Katalin Karikó, PhD
Katalin Karikó, PhD
Katalin Karikó, PhD Website
Katalin Karikó, PhD
Adjunct Professor of Neurosurgery
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAKatalin Karikó, PhD, is a biochemist and researcher, best known for her contributions to mRNA technology and the COVID-19 vaccines. Karikó and Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, were jointly awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine for their discoveries that enabled the modified mRNA technology used in Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna’s vaccines to prevent COVID-19 infection.
More than 15 years ago at Penn Medicine, Karikó and Weissman found a way to modify mRNA and later developed a delivery technique to package the mRNA in lipid nanoparticles. This made it possible for mRNA to reach the proper part of the body and trigger an immune response to fight disease.
These laboratory breakthroughs made mRNA safe, effective, and practical for use as a vaccine against COVID. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine received FDA approval in August 2021, and the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized by the FDA for emergency use.
Karikó is a senior vice president at BioNTech and an adjunct professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania. She joined the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 1989 and began collaborating with Weissman in 1997.
Karikó received her bachelor's degree in biology in 1978 and her doctorate in biochemistry in 1982 from the University of Szeged in her native Hungary. She was working at the Biological Research Center of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Szeged before immigrating to the United States in 1985.
Keynote Panelists
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Read More about Valerie A. Arkoosh, MD, MPH
Valerie A. Arkoosh, MD, MPH
Valerie A. Arkoosh, MD, MPH Website
Valerie A. Arkoosh
Pennsylvania Secretary of Human Services
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, PA, USA
Valerie A. Arkoosh, MD, MPH, was appointed to lead the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services by Governor Josh Shapiro on January 17, 2023.Prior to this role, Secretary Arkoosh served on the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners for eight years, serving as Commission Chair from November 2016 through January 2023. As a physician and public health professional, Secretary Arkoosh was at the center of Montgomery County’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, leading a data- and science-driven approach to the unprecedented challenge. Arkoosh’s leadership was praised during the county’s response, especially her transparency and public communication throughout the pandemic.
Arkoosh is a graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Medicine and received a Master of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She performed her residency at Jefferson Medical College in Anesthesiology with a special focus in Obstetrics. Prior to stepping into public service, Secretary Arkoosh was Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology and Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania.
Upon obtaining her Master of Public Health in 2007, Arkoosh became deeply engaged in the national effort to achieve comprehensive health care reform. She led the National Physicians Alliance, a national non-profit organization of physicians, who, putting their patients before profits, joined a broad-based nation-wide coalition for reform. During this time, she developed policy and legislative strategy, and promoted public engagement in Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, and throughout the country. Dr. Arkoosh maintains comprehensive knowledge of the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and its impact on individuals and the health care system.
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Read More about Tricia A. Bruning
Tricia A. Bruning
Tricia A. Bruning Website
Tricia A. Bruning
Chief Executive Director
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania/Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USATricia A. Bruning is Chief Executive Director of Penn Medicine Development, after having served as Chief Development Officer for the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania for 18 years. In her twenty-four years at Penn, Tricia has pioneered programs to strengthen gift officers, teams and programs. Ms. Bruning aims to mentor and innovate daily – building a solid fundraising team for Penn Medicine and introducing or creating new best practices in all areas from capital campaigns and principal gifts to volunteer/faculty engagement and development communications.
From 2010 to 2012, Ms. Bruning served as the Chair of the National Association of Cancer Center Development Officers (NACCDO) and she continues her service as a member of its board of directors. Tricia was presented the Lisa Considine Award by NACCDO in 2017.
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Read More about Lee Greenberger, PhD
Lee Greenberger, PhD
Lee Greenberger, PhD Website
Lee Greenberger, PhD
President
LMG Bio1 Consulting, LLC
Long Branch, New Jersey, USADr. Lee Greenberger has 38 years of experience in research and development of cancer therapeutics. Currently, he is the President of LMG Bio1 Consulting LLC. From 2013 to 2024 he was Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President at the Leukemia Lymphoma Society (LLS), where he was responsible for LLS' grant and venture philanthropy programs. During that period, over $600 M was deployed to over 1000 projects related to a wide range of blood cancers. LLS has played a key role in the inception and clinical development of CAR T therapies, and now a broad range of immunologic approaches, to control and ultimately cure blood cancer. In addition, Lee has played an instrumental role in LLS' effort to raise over $250 M to support the research mission. This includes the design of strategic collaborations with many non-profit organizations. Prior to LLS, he has worked for BMS, JNJ, Pfizer (formerly Wyeth and Lederle Labs), and Enzon Pharmaceuticals both in the laboratory and for business development. Dr. Greenberger holds a PhD in Anatomy (now Department of Cel Biology) from Emory University and has done 6 years of post-doctoral training at Columbia University and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He has over 100 publications with a focus on cancer.
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Read More about Stephen Kelly
Stephen Kelly
Stephen Kelly Website
Steve Kelly
Chair, Oncology Board of Visitors
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USASteve is the Co-Founder of Imagine360. In 2003, Mr. Kelly pioneered the concept of reference-based pricing to address the challenges of employers who were burdened with skyrocketing healthcare costs. He has dedicated his career to solving those complex challenges and is a recognized expert in the insurance, employee benefits and risk management industries.
Steve has been featured as an expert commentator on the U.S. healthcare system on National Public Radio, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Newsweek, FOX Business, The New York Times and many other outlets.
He is active in the community and serves on the boards of the Police Athletic League (PAL) of Philadelphia, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Board of Visitors (Oncology), the Greater Philadelphia Association of Health Underwriters (GPAHU), the Cobbs Creek Foundation, and the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, an organization dedicated to furthering international exchange in areas of commerce, culture and government.
Steve was recognized as a winner of the 2019 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Greater Philadelphia and was named a national finalist in the Financial Services category.
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Read More about Tom Whitehead
Tom Whitehead
Tom Whitehead Website
Tom Whitehead
Co-founder, Emily Whitehead Foundation
Philipsburg, PA, USATom Whitehead is a keynote speaker, author, and journeyman lineman for Penelec, a FirstEnergy Company. He is also the proud father of Emily, and Co-founder & President of the Emily Whitehead Foundation, which raises funds and awareness for pediatric cancer immunotherapy research. Tom and his wife Kari founded the Emily Whitehead Foundation in honor of their daughter Emily who was diagnosed at age five with an aggressive form of leukemia that failed to respond to chemotherapy. As a last hope, Emily was enrolled in a clinical trial and became the first pediatric patient in the world to receive CAR T-cell therapy. The therapy worked and Emily is now 10 years cancer free and considered cured.
Speakers
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Read More about Elham Adabi, PhD
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Read More about Catherine Aronowitz MSN, RN, CPN, CPHON
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Read More about Megan Atkinson BS, CHTC
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Read More about Angela M. Aznar Gomez, PhD
Angela M. Aznar Gomez, PhD
Angela M. Aznar Gomez, PhD Website
Angela Aznar, PhD
Director of Research
Center for Cellular Immunotherapies
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USADr. Aznar is Director of Research at the Gene Delivery and Cellular Engineering Laboratory (GDCE), part of Dr. Carl H. June’s group within the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies (CCI) at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Her work focuses on designing innovative CAR T cell strategies to advance adoptive cell therapies for solid tumors.
Since joining Dr. June’s lab in 2018 as a postdoctoral fellow, she has worked to address key challenges in CAR T cell immunotherapy for solid tumors. Her research has focused on characterizing CAR T cell dysfunction driven by chronic antigen exposure and analyzing post-infusion CAR T cells from pancreatic cancer patients to uncover mechanisms of therapeutic failure. Currently, she leads efforts to engineer next-generation, clinically translatable CAR T cell therapies that selectively target tumors and resist immunosuppressive signals within the tumor microenvironment.
Dr. Aznar is a 2025 Sparkathon Accelerator Program alumni, 2024 Muriel Joan Drew Hege Fund Scholar, and Fellow of the 2024 SITC Women in Cancer Immunotherapy Leadership Institute. Additional honors include the 2024 Junior Faculty SITC Award, 2022 Holly and Gerald N. Wogan Scholar Award, and 2022 AACR Scholar in Cancer Research Award.
Dr. Aznar is committed to developing next-generation cellular therapies that deliver durable, effective responses and can be rapidly translated into clinical applications for patients with difficult-to-treat cancers. -
Read More about Diane Baniewicz RN, MSN, CRNP
Diane Baniewicz RN, MSN, CRNP
Diane Baniewicz RN, MSN, CRNP Website
Diane Baniewicz, RN, MSN, CRNP
Nurse Practitioner on the Immunotherapy Team
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USADiane E. Baniewicz, RN, MSN, CPNP, has more than 30 years of pediatric hematology/oncology experience. She is currently a pediatric nurse practitioner in the Cancer Immunotherapy Program of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia with a focus on caring for children receiving CAR T-cell therapy and their families. She received an RN from Chestnut Hill College, a BSN from La Salle University, and an MSN from Villanova University.
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Read More about Samantha J. Barone MSN, CPNP-AC, CPHON
Samantha J. Barone MSN, CPNP-AC, CPHON
Samantha J. Barone MSN, CPNP-AC, CPHON Website
Samantha Barone, MSN, CPNP-AC, CPHON
Bone Marrow Transplant Nurse Practitioner, Blood and Marrow Transplant Program
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia, PA, USASamantha Barone, MSN, CPNP-AC, CPHON is a nurse practitioner with the Blood and Marrow Transplant program in the Cellular Therapy and Transplant Section at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Samantha began her nursing career at Lurie Children’s hospital in Hematology, Oncology, Neuro-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant in 2014 after graduating with her BSN from Loyola University Chicago. In 2016 she continued her nursing career in the Oncology Clinic at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She obtained her MSN in Pediatric Acute Care with an oncology concentration from University of Pennsylvania in 2020 and joined the Blood and Marrow Transplant team in 2021. Samantha specializes in cell collection and donation and the CNS Autologous PSCT patient population; she also supports the Allogeneic and Autologous patients requiring admission for cellular therapy or transplant.
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Read More about Denise Belcher, MBA
Denise Belcher, MBA
Denise Belcher, MBA Website
Denise Belcher, BA, MBA
Blood and Marrow Transplant Coordinator
Gene Therapy Coordinator
Cellular Therapy and Transplant
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USADenise Belcher is a Transplant and Gene Therapy Coordinator at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia within the Cellular Therapy and Transplant Section (CTTS). She started her career at CHOP in 2015 in the Family Health Coverage Program, assisting families with obtaining insurance and financial assistance. She then transferred to Oncology/BMT as the dedicated Insurance Specialist and Financial Counselor. Denise also has experience in social work case management, non-profit organizational leadership, and has expertise with community-based resources including the criteria and application process. She holds an MBA from Eastern University with a focus on Healthcare Administration.
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Read More about Alice Bertaina, MD, PhD
Alice Bertaina, MD, PhD
Alice Bertaina, MD, PhD Website
Alice Bertaina, MD, PhD
Lorry I. Lokey Professor of Pediatrics
Co-Director of Bass Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases
Chief of Stem Cell Transplant and Regenerative Medicine
Director Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Clinical Trials Program (SCGT-CTP)
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital
Stanford University, CA, USDr. Alice Bertaina completed her MD degree at the University of Pavia in Italy, her fellowship in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) at the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome, and her PhD degree in Immunology and Biotechnology at Tor Vergata University in Rome. Until joining Stanford University in 2017, she was Head of the Stem Cell Transplant Unit in the Department of Hematology and Oncology at the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome (this institution currently has the largest number of children transplanted with hematopoietic progenitors/stem cells in Europe).
Dr. Bertaina is an expert in the field of allogeneic HSCT in pediatric patients affected by hematological malignancies or nonmalignant disorders. In particular, she has pioneered the novel approach of graft manipulation based on the physical elimination of alfa/beta T cells and B cells. Dr. Bertaina has excellent clinical and biological expertise, as demonstrated by her publications in the field of pediatric hematology and oncology. Moreover, she is expert in different aspects of immunological reconstitution of children given an allograft of hematopoietic stem cell, paying particular attention to innate immunity. -
Read More about Zev Binder MD, PhD
Zev Binder MD, PhD
Zev Binder MD, PhD Website
Zev Binder, MD, PhD
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Neurosurgery
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USADr. Binder is a Research Assistant Professor, working with Dr. O'Rourke since 2015. He received a B.S. degree in Biochemistry from the University of California at Davis, an M.D. from Pennsylvania State University, and a Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Binder's research focuses on translational GBM research with an emphasis on immuno-oncology. He also works on GBM model development, characterization, and incorporation into the ongoing research. In his spare time, Dr. Binder enjoys playing with his two young daughters and making anything involving chocolate.
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Read More about Chiara Bonini, MD
Chiara Bonini, MD
Chiara Bonini, MD Website
Chiara Bonini, MD
Professor of Oncology (Hematology Oncology), Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele
School of Medicine
Milan, ItalyChiara Bonini, M.D., Professor of Hematology at the University Vita-Salute, San Raffaele She was trained in Milano (Ospedale San Raffaele - OSR, C. Bordignon), New York (MSKCC, R. O’Reilly) and Seattle (FHCRC, P.D. Greenberg). Since 2008 she is the Head of the Experimental Hematology Unit of OSR. Her main research focus is the development, preclinical and clinical validation of cell and gene therapy approaches to treat cancer. She has been a member of the Boards of ESGCT, ASGCT, EBMT. She is currently member of the Board of ESH and of EHA. She received several recognitions and awards, including the Van Bekkum Award from EBMT (2012 and 2016), the Outstanding Investigator Award from EGSCT (2024), the Mechtild Harf Science Award from DKMS (2025).
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Read More about Ryan Burke, BSN, RN, CPHON, BMTCN
Ryan Burke, BSN, RN, CPHON, BMTCN
Ryan Burke, BSN, RN, CPHON, BMTCN Website
Ryan Burke, BSN, RN, CPHON, BMTCN
Clinical Nurse Expert
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USARyan Burke is a Clinical Nurse Expert on the Inpatient Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Unit at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. As the BMT Nurse Lead, Ryan has helped to implement significant nursing driven changes related to BMT and Cellular Therapy. Ryan has worked to lead a course for nurses orienting to BMT to improve the process and provide more structure. In addition, Ryan has helped to integrate cellular therapy infusion flowsheets into Epic along with help to change the way that patient rounding occurs for nurses and providers. Ryan enjoys learning about the new cellular therapy models and finding ways to improve nursing practice surrounding BMT.
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Read More about R. Carter Caldwell, MBA
R. Carter Caldwell, MBA
R. Carter Caldwell, MBA Website
R. Carter Caldwell, MBA
Co-Investment Program Director
University of Pennsylvania Health System / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAR. Carter Caldwell leads Penn Medicine's Co-Investment Program, focusing on cell, gene, mRNA, and connected health sectors. Leveraging decades of entrepreneurial and investment experience, he identifies opportunities, manages co-investor relations, conducts due diligence, and supports portfolio company governance.
His career spans venture capital and private equity, with a focus on Healthcare IT, SaaS, AI, and Fintech. He was a Managing Director at Cross Atlantic Capital Partners, managing over $500 million.
Carter founded and managed two software companies, including Quazant Technology, and held a leadership role at Acorn Systems.
A published expert and frequent speaker, he lectures at Villanova Law School and judges prestigious competitions like the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year. He holds an MBA from Columbia and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.
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Read More about Colleen Callahan RN, MSN, CRNP
Colleen Callahan RN, MSN, CRNP
Colleen Callahan RN, MSN, CRNP Website
Colleen Callahan, RN, MSN, CRNP
Nurse Practitioner (Pediatric Oncology)
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USAColleen Callahan, MSN, CRNP, is a nurse practitioner on the Cancer Immunotherapy Team in the Oncology Division at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She has worked in pediatric oncology for 25 years and has been a nurse practitioner in the Division of Oncology for 21 years. For the past eight years, she has cared for patients before, during, and post CAR T-cell therapy in the outpatient setting. She follows these patients from their initial referral to the Cancer Immunotherapy Team, through their T cell collection, T cell infusion, and then after infusion, monitoring for side effects, adverse events, and long-term effects and responses. Ms. Callahan received a BSN from Neumann College and an MSN from Widener University.
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Read More about Tess Cameron, BA
Tess Cameron, BA
Tess Cameron, BA Website
Tess Cameron, BA
Principal
RA Capital Management
Boston, MA, USATess Cameron, BA is a Principal on the Investment Team at RA Capital Management. Tess works on both public and private investments and serves on several company boards. Previously, Tess held finance leadership roles at Foghorn Therapeutics, Wave Life Sciences, and Biogen. Prior to joining biotech/pharma, she was a specialist in the corporate finance team at McKinsey & Co, focused on corporate transactions. Tess has a BA with a double major in Economics and Peace & Conflict studies from the University of Toronto, Canada.
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Read More about Matthew P. Casazza, RNMatthew P. Casazza, RN
Matthew P. Casazza, RN
Matthew P. Casazza, RN
Registered Nurse
Cell Therapy and Transplant Coordinator
Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAMatthew Casazza is a Cell Therapy and Transplant Nurse Coordinator at The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, with a focus on CAR T therapy coordination. Prior to becoming a coordinator, Matt started as an inpatient RN on the Rhoads 6/14 Center oncology unit in 2018 and continues to work there per-diem now. He graduated from Cabrini College with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and later pursued his passion for nursing, graduating from Gwynedd Mercy University with his Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. In early 2024, he joined the Cellular Therapy and Transplant team as a nurse coordinator. In this role, Matt helps to navigate and coordinate complicated care situations for individuals undergoing innovative cell therapies.
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Read More about Sofia Castelli, MS
Sofia Castelli, MS
Sofia Castelli, MS Website
Sofía Castelli, MS
PhD Candidate
June Laboratory
Center for Cellular Immunotherapies
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Sofía Castelli is a PhD candidate in Pharmacology at the University of Pennsylvania, conducting research in the laboratory of Dr. Carl June. Originally from Uruguay, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of the Republic before moving to the U.S. to pursue a master’s in Drug Discovery and Development at Drexel University. Her research in Dr. June’s lab at Penn focuses on optimizing CAR T cell therapies for the treatment of solid tumors through cytokine engineering. Sofía is committed to bridging the gap between research and clinical applications to advance the next generation of cancer therapies. -
Read More about Christopher Catania, MPH
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Read More about Sisi Chen, PhD
Sisi Chen, PhD
Sisi Chen, PhD Website
Sisi Chen, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Center for Cellular Immunotherapies / Department of Dermatology
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USASisi Chen is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, since November 2022. The focus of my scientific career is to understand fate decisions of human T cells, optimize CAR-T cell persistence, and develop novel immunotherapy strategies for hematologic malignancies. Her recent co-first author publication in Nature demonstrated that asymmetric cell division (ACD) in CAR-T cells produces daughter cells with distinct fates, with proximal daughters becoming short-lived effectors and distal daughters forming long-lived memory cells.
She completed her PhD at Zhejiang University, which is located in the beautiful city of Hangzhou—the birthplace of DeepSeek. During my PhD period (2017-2022), I published 3 first-author papers and was granted an invention patent. Notably, she invented IL-5 cytokine-anchored CAR-T (CCAR-T) cells, adapting the CAR-T cell approach to target eosinophils. This innovation has been granted a patent and is being prepared for clinical trials.
Looking ahead, her long-term goal is to bridge basic immunology with real-world applications, aiming to bring innovative therapies from the lab to clinical use. She is deeply committed to exploring the dynamic nature of T-cell differentiation and memory, as she believes unlocking the immune system’s full potential is key to developing the next generation of cancer therapies.
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Read More about Victoria Collier, RN, BSN
Victoria Collier, RN, BSN
Victoria Collier, RN, BSN Website
Victoria Collier, RN, BSN
Quality Manager
Blood and Marrow Transplant Program
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USAVictoria (Vicki) Collier is the Quality Program Manager with the Cellular Therapy and Transplant Section (CTTS) at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). She has been in this role for the past 6 years and manages the Quality Management Program (QMP) and facilitation of the plan across all key components of the Section (Clinical, Collection, Processing). Vicki collaborates across other departments to improve quality standards and works closely with the Section Chief and Medical Directors who oversee the quality improvement initiatives and overall implementation of the plan. Vicki has extensive knowledge of Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy and Transplant (FACT), FDA research regulations, and Good Clinical Practice (GCP) regarding institutional and non/institutional protocol guidelines.
Vicki received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Chamberlain College of Nursing. She came to CHOP in 2011 and worked in the Outpatient Oncology Clinic specializing in the management of patients pre and post-transplant, CAR T therapy and survivorship. Vicki has also worked as a research nurse on the Neuro Oncology team supporting clinical trials for patients with CNS tumors and genetic conditions of the nervous system.
Outside of CHOP, Vicki is a part time auditor for the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), a National Cancer Institute supported clinical trials group. -
Read More about Francesca Costabile, MSc, PhD
Francesca Costabile, MSc, PhD
Francesca Costabile, MSc, PhD Website
Francesca Costabile, MSc, PhD
Center for Cellular Immunotherapies
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Dr. Francesca Costabile is an accomplished researcher originally from Italy, with an onco-immunology background. She earned a bachelor's and master's degrees in biology and a Ph.D. in Clinical and Experimental Immunology from Italian universities. Half of her Ph.D. was conducted at the University of Pennsylvania in the lab of Professor Facciabene, where she continued her postdoctoral research. Her work has always been focussing on the tumor microenvironment with a special attention on T cells. Starting with studies on Th17 cells and MGAS / Multiple Myeloma disease during her Master’s internship, she kept the focus on tumor microenvironment during her PhD, studying the interaction among various cell types in the cancer niche. She also tested novel 3D cultures, demonstrating the importance of appropriate culture systems and the necessity of culturing simultaneously various cell types for more realistic settings. Here at Penn, she focuses on the development of innovative cancer vaccines that target not only cancer cells but also the surrounding vasculature, aiming to enhance treatment efficacy. Francesca is also deeply involved in bridging CAR-T therapy and radiation therapy to improve cancer treatments, and in studying how the gut microbiota affects the immune system's response to CAR-T immunotherapy. -
Read More about Anna D'Aprile, MSN, RN, CPHON, NEA-BC
Anna D'Aprile, MSN, RN, CPHON, NEA-BC
Anna D'Aprile, MSN, RN, CPHON, NEA-BC Website
Anna D'Aprile, MSN, RN, CPHON, NEA-BC
Nurse Leader, Inpatient Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USAAnna D'Aprile, MSN, RN, CPHON, NEA-BC is a nurse leader working to integrate diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging into the clinical space. Anna received her BSN and MSN from Villanova University. Anna has held a variety of nurse roles at CHOP including clinical nurse, Clinical Supervisor, and most recently Anna was the Nurse Manager of 3E Inpatient Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplant for three years. Anna enjoyed leading the nursing workforce and collaborating with the interdisciplinary teams to ensure patient's receive excellent care. Anna's 15+ years of nursing and leadership experience have contributed to her ability to lead and mentor others to integrate the DEIB and clinical work.
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Read More about Nohelly Derosiers, BE
Nohelly Derosiers, BE
Nohelly Derosiers, BE Website
Nohelly Derosiers, BE
Graduate Student
Center for Cellular Immunotherapies
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USANohelly Derosiers is currently a PhD Candidate in the Pharmacology Graduate Group at the
University of Pennsylvania. She graduated from the City College of New York with a
Bachelor of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering. During her undergraduate career, she
worked in the laboratory of Dr. Gilda Barabino looking into the mechanism of action of Lglutamine therapy for sickle cell disease. Now a member of Dr. Avery Posey Jr.’s laboratory,
she is interested in cancer immunotherapy⎯ particularly how glyco-immune axes can be
exploited to engineer more potent chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells with improved
success against solid malignancies. -
Read More about Roni K. Devassy
Roni K. Devassy
Roni K. Devassy Website
Roni Devassi, BS
Systems Analyst with the Cell and Gene Therapy Informatics Team
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USARoni K. Devassy is a Data Systems Analyst with the Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Informatics team at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). He supports clinical quality and outcomes data reporting for the Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Program, contributes to Epic EMR system build projects related to the Cell Therapy Module, and collaborates with a multidisciplinary team to develop and implement electronic workflows and data automation pipelines. Before joining CHOP, Roni worked at Penn Medicine in clinical research, initially as a Clinical Research Coordinator in Rheumatology and later as a Data Manager in Infectious Diseases.
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Read More about Steven Devine, MD
Steven Devine, MD
Steven Devine, MD Website
Steven Devine, MD
Chief Medical Officer, National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)/Be The Match
Associate Scientific Director
Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR)
Minneapolis, MN, USASteven Devine M.D. is currently Chief Medical Officer at the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)/Be The Match and Associate Scientific Director at the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR). He served for eight years as Chair of the National Cancer Institute funded Alliance Transplant Committee as well as a 2-year term as Chair of the NIH-funded Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN) Steering Committee. He is currently one of the three Co-PIs for the BMT CTN Data Coordinating Center. He has a major research interest in the application of stem cell transplantation for patients with acute leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome and has been Chair of two multi-center NIH-supported clinical transplantation trials in AML. He has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed papers and more than 400 abstracts as well as several reviews and book chapters in the field of stem cell transplantation, leukemia, and hematology. He is an Associate Editor for the ASTCT journal Transplantation and Cellular Therapy.
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Read More about Caroline Diorio, MD, FRCPC, FAAP
Caroline Diorio, MD, FRCPC, FAAP
Caroline Diorio, MD, FRCPC, FAAP Website
Caroline Diorio, MD, FRCPC, FAAP
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Oncology)
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USADr. Caroline Diorio, MD, MSTR, FRCPC, FAAP is an assistant professor (tenure track) at the Perelman School of Medicine. She has a translational research lab focused on the application of CART cells to T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and understanding the mechanistic biology of immune toxicities associated with CART and other immunotherapies. Dr. Diorio completed medical school at the University of Toronto, followed by pediatrics residency at McMaster Children’s Hospital. She came to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship. She trained as a fellow and an instructor in the laboratory of Dr. David Teachey.
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Read More about Mark J. Duckworth
Mark J. Duckworth
Mark J. Duckworth Website
Mark J. Duckworth
Senior Program Manager, Cell Therapy
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USAMark Duckworth is the Senior Director of Cell and Gene Therapy Operations, where he provides strategic leadership in the onboarding of new cell and gene therapy products and ensures institutional readiness for these groundbreaking therapies.
With over a decade of experience in cell therapy administration, Mark previously served as the Program Manager for the Cell Therapy and Transplant Section at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In this role, he played a pivotal part in overseeing the institution’s cell therapy program, facilitating its growth and operational excellence.
Mark is a key leader in the advancement of cell and gene therapy implementation, collaborating with industry stakeholders to develop best practices for onboarding and seeking opportunities to standardize processes across healthcare systems. He serves as the Chair on the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) Administrative Director Special Interest Group and Co- Chair’s the Pediatric Administrative Director Subcommittee
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Katherine Ebby, MSN, RN, CPHON
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Read More about Caitlin Elgarten, MD, MSCE
Caitlin Elgarten, MD, MSCE
Caitlin Elgarten, MD, MSCE Website
Caitlin Elgarten MD, MSCE
Attending Physician
Assistant Professor
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USACaitlin Elgarten is a physician in the Division of Pediatric Oncology, Cellular Therapy and Transplant Section at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and an Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research program integrates observational studies, translational epidemiology, clinical trials and quality improvement with a goal of improving outcomes to improve outcomes for patients who require cellular therapies. She focuses specifically on the optimization of supportive care for stem cell transplant patients. She serves as the director of the Supportive Care in Oncology Research program within the Center for Childhood Cancer Research and Chairs the Cancer Control/Cell Therapy Task Force within the Children’s Oncology Group. She also leads the current Phase III trial of letermovir prophylaxis (ACCL1932) within the Children’s Oncology Group. Dr. Elgarten is also interested in the use of cellular therapies for the treatment of autoimmune disease. She is principal investigator of two CHOP studies examining autologous transplantation for life-threatening autoimmune disease and CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells for systemic lupus erythematosus.
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Read More about Mark Engleka, PhD
Mark Engleka, PhD
Mark Engleka, PhD Website
Mark Engleka, PhD
Senior Associate Director of Licensing
Penn Center for Innovation at the University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA, USAIn his ten years at the Penn Center for Innovation, Mark has served as the alliance manager for several key research and commercialization partnerships for Penn, taking an active role in ensuring that Penn and its partners meet their respective goals and maximize their collaboration opportunities. He has licensed several innovative cell therapy intellectual property portfolios to start-up companies that have raised substantial equity financing, have initiated multiple first-in-human trials, and have committed significant amounts of research and development funding to Penn under alliance program partnership agreements. Prior to PCI, Mark worked for 12 years in marketing and business roles for companies in the life science research tool sector. Mark received a Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from Penn and attended Pennsylvania State University as an undergrad.
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Read More about Jonathan A. Epstein, MD
Jonathan A. Epstein, MD
Jonathan A. Epstein, MD Website
Jonathan A. Epstein, MD
Executive Vice President for the Health System
Dean, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer,
University of Pennsylvania Health System
William Wikoff Smith Professor
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAJonathan Epstein, MD, serves as Dean of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine and Executive Vice President of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System. Together these two entities make up Penn Medicine, an $11.9B enterprise dedicated to excellence in the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and patient care.
Founded in 1765 as the Colonies’ first medical school, the Perelman School of Medicine is now home to over 3,100 full-time faculty members and more than 4,500 students, trainees, residents, and fellows. The School receives over $1 billion in total sponsored research. The University of Pennsylvania Health System includes multiple nationally ranked hospitals, a clinical network that includes a faculty practice plan, advanced medicine, primary care, home care, hospice, nursing homes, and multispecialty satellite facilities.
Dr. Epstein's journey is one of unwavering commitment to academic and medical advancement. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, he completed his residency and fellowship in Medicine and Cardiology at the Brigham and Women's Hospital before joining the University of Pennsylvania in 1996. Since then, he has both advanced his own research and held various leadership positions, serving as a crucial steward in the growth of Penn Medicine’s research enterprise into the powerhouse of discovery it is today.
As the William Wikoff Smith Professor and, most recently, as the Executive Vice Dean and Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Epstein has played a pivotal role in shaping the Penn Medicine’s trajectory as a national and international leader in discovery science and clinical research. He has also served as Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer for the health system since February 2021. From 2006 to 2015, he served as chair of the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and Scientific Director of the Penn Cardiovascular Institute. He played an instrumental role as a founding co-director of the Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine in 2007.
Under Dr. Epstein's guidance, Penn Medicine has flourished as a hub of innovation and excellence in medical research. His contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including the Sir William Osler Young Investigator Award, the Outstanding Investigator Award from the American Federation for Medical Research, and the American College of Physicians Harriet P. Dustan Award for Science as Related to Medicine.
In the broader academic medical ecosystem, Dr. Epstein has served as a respected member of distinguished organizations, including the Philadelphia College of Physicians, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Association of Physicians, and the National Academy of Medicine. He also served as President of both the Interurban Clinical Club and the American Society for Clinical Investigation.
Dr. Epstein has directed a highly impactful research program throughout his 27-year tenure at Penn and he is widely recognized for contributions to the understanding of congenital heart disease, heart failure, stem cell biology and epigenetics. His most recent advances involve utilizing modified mRNA delivered with targeted lipid nanoparticles to engineer immune cells within the body to fight heart disease, cancer and other disorders.
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Read More about Jenna Fetters MSHS, MLS (ASCP)
Jenna Fetters MSHS, MLS (ASCP)
Jenna Fetters MSHS, MLS (ASCP) Website
Jenna Fetters MSHS, MLS (ASCP)
Director of Quality
Cell Therapy and Transplant Program
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAJenna Fetters, MSHS, MLS(ASCP) is the Director of Quality for the Center for Cell Therapy and Transplant at Penn Medicine. In this role, Jenna is a systematic resource in the interpretation of regulatory and accreditation standards, as well as for the development of systems/processes to ensure compliance across all three Penn Medicine sites that infuse cell therapy. This includes ongoing accreditation and regulatory reviews and inspection from regulatory agencies and outside partners.
In this role, Jenna partners with leaders throughout the system to strategically grow and expand the center. This includes the development of safety, accreditation, and compliance programs that are aligned across Penn Medicine to achieve the highest levels of safety and performance.
Jenna’s background in cell therapy processing in addition to clinical and bone marrow collection quality improvement gives her a unique perspective into the complex processes and relationships crucial in a strong cell therapy program.
Jenna received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Purdue University and her Master of Science in Health Sciences for Health Care Quality from George Washington University. -
Read More about Amanda Finck, BS
Amanda Finck, BS
Amanda Finck, BS Website
Amanda Finck, BS
Immunology PhD Candidate
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAAmanda Finck, BS is an immunology PhD candidate at the University of Pennsylvania, working in the lab of Dr. Carl June on enhancing anti-tumor efficacy for solid-tumor directed CAR T cells. I have a bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in chemistry from Gettysburg College, where I graduated with honors. My core competencies include research, data analysis, and flow cytometry, as well as microfluidics and single-cell omics technologies.
I am committed to scientific communication, having contributed to 5+ publications, 15+ oral presentations, and having attended 25+ conferences. I am passionate about advancing the field of immunotherapies and improving the lives of patients with cancer and other diseases. I am also eager to collaborate with and learn from other researchers, clinicians, and industry partners, and to bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the team -
Read More about Joseph A. Fraietta, PhD
Joseph A. Fraietta, PhD
Joseph A. Fraietta, PhD Website
Joseph A. Fraietta, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Director, Translational and Correlative Sciences
Richard ‘Buzz’ Cooper Scholar, Abramson Cancer CenterDr. Joseph Fraietta completed his training as a postdoctoral scientist in Carl June’s laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA) where he conducted research on the mechanisms underlying the persistence of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In 2016, Dr. Fraietta assumed directorship of the Product Development Laboratory (PDL) in the first-of-its-kind Center for Advanced Cellular Therapeutics in the Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine. During this time, he developed novel approaches for the treatment of cancer through genetic modification of T cells that contributed to the initiation of multiple clinical trials (NCT01029366, NCT02167360, NCT02640209, NCT03089203 and NCT02209376). He is currently the Director of the Solid Tumor Immunotherapy Laboratory at Penn where his research is focused on enhancing the specificity and efficacy of genetically-redirected T cells, developing mechanisms to render T cells resistant to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and improving the processes of engineering lymphocytes for infusion into patients. He also played an integral role in defining the metabolic requirements underlying chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell activation, as well as the signaling pathways that regulate cross-talk between macrophages and tumor cells. In a further effort to define the mechanisms of successful clinical responses to T cell therapy, he is currently investigating the role of epigenetics in the effectiveness of T cell responses. More specifically, these research efforts are focused on how epigenetics relates to T cell differentiation, immune exhaustion, vector silencing and the persistence of adoptively-transferred lymphocytes which may impact treatment outcomes. As a young investigator and junior faculty member, Dr. Fraietta has made several contributions to the field of immunotherapy and his high-impact findings have been published in Nature, Science, Nature Medicine, Science Translational Medicine, Cancer Discovery, Immunity and Blood.
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Read More about Laura Garcia Gerique, PhD
Laura Garcia Gerique, PhD
Laura Garcia Gerique, PhD Website
Laura Garcia Gerique, PhD
Center for Cellular Immunotherapies
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USALaura Garcia Gerique is a dedicated scientist with a decade of experience in cancer research, driven by a passion for developing innovative therapies to improve patient outcomes. My scientific journey began with a fascination for marine wildlife, which led me to pursue a degree in Biology at the University of Barcelona. Next, I earned a master’s degree in biomedical research at the University of Navarra before returning to Barcelona for my PhD work in pediatric cancer. There, my doctoral research centered on the progression of neuroblastoma metastasis in the bone marrow niche, conducted at both a pediatric hospital and a biomedical research institute. Working closely with patient families and advocates was a transformative experience that deepened my commitment to bridging scientific discovery with clinical application. In 2021, I moved to Philadelphia to join the Wistar Institute, where my postdoctoral work explored the role of myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment, particularly in multiple myeloma progression. Currently, I am a Scientist Manager at the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies at the University of Pennsylvania, where I lead product development initiatives for novel cell therapy manufacturing strategies. My work focuses on advancing next-generation cellular therapies, optimizing process development, and ensuring the successful translation of cutting-edge research into the clinics.
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Read More about Jen Gilburg, BS, MS
Jen Gilburg, BS, MS
Jen Gilburg, BS, MS Website
Jen Gilburg, BS, MS
Deputy Secretary of Technology and Entrepreneurship
PA Department of Community & Economic Development
Pennsylvania, PA, USAJen Gilburg has decades-long experience working in both technology and manufacturing in the private sector. She has been on the forefront of such high growth technologies as data security and artificial intelligence, and has worked in advanced technologies for the automotive, medical and robotics industries. Most recently, Jen served as Vice President of Business Development for a developer of AI-driven technology for use in autonomous vehicles and robotics.
As Deputy Secretary of Technology and Entrepreneurship, she will focus on implementing the Shapiro Administration’s and DCED’s vision of attracting, fostering, and investing in people and companies focused on technology and innovation across multiple sectors, and throughout the state.
She has a BS from Syracuse University and a Masters in Management from Villanova.
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Read More about Saar I. Gill, MD, MBBS, PhD, FRACP
Saar I. Gill, MD, MBBS, PhD, FRACP
Saar I. Gill, MD, MBBS, PhD, FRACP Website
Saar I. Gill, MD, MBBS, PhD, FRACP
Associate Professor of Medicine (Hematology Oncology)
Scientific Director, Cell Therapy and Transplant Program
Co-Director, Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
Director, Translational Center of Excellence in Genetically Engineered Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USADr. Gill obtained his medical degree and Ph.D in immunology from the University of Melbourne, and trained in hematology at St Vincent’s Hospital, the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. In 2008 he moved to the United States, first to pursue a post-doctoral fellowship in cellular therapy at Stanford University, and then in 2011 to the University of Pennsylvania where he is now an associate professor of medicine. Dr. Gill’s clinical practice is in leukaemia and bone marrow transplantation. He has led clinical trials of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells for chronic and acute leukemias. Dr. Gill’s research laboratory focuses on the interface between adoptive cellular therapy and genetic engineering.
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Read More about John Grady, MPA
John Grady, MPA
John Grady, MPA Website
John Grady, MPA
Northeast Region Executive and Senior Vice President of Development
Wexford Science & Technology
Philadelphia, PA, USAJohn serves as Wexford’s Northeast Region Executive Senior Vice President of Development. In this role, John develops relationships and executes projects that create and expand Wexford Knowledge Communities throughout the Northeast, including uCity Square in Philadelphia, the Innovation Corridor in Pittsburgh, and the Design & Innovation District in Providence.
John brings more than 30 years of experience in building and managing public-private partnerships that drive investment, development, and job growth to his role at Wexford. Prior to joining Wexford in 2020, John served as President of PIDC, Philadelphia’s city-wide public-private development corporation where he was responsible for efforts to strengthen relationships among the public, private, institutional and philanthropic sectors to drive inclusive job growth, investment and development to every corner of Philadelphia. John joined PIDC in 1998, serving in a variety of senior leadership positions, including overseeing PIDC’s city-wide real estate development activity and its acquisition and redevelopment of The Navy Yard prior to becoming its President in 2011. Prior to joining PIDC, John spent 9 years with the Cooper’s Ferry Development Association planning and developing Camden, NJ’s commercial waterfront.
John is a graduate of LaSalle University with a BA in Economics and the University of Pennsylvania’s MPA program. He is active with a number of corporate, higher education and civic organizations in Philadelphia, including serving on the Board of Directors at PECO Energy, and Exelon Subsidiary; as a trustee at LaSalle University; a member of the CEO Council for Growth; and on the Board of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. He also serves as a member of the President’s Real Estate Council at Drexel University, the Corporate Council at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the Innovation Advisory Board at the University of Pennsylvania’s Abramson Cancer Center, and the Advisory Board of Life Sciences Cares.
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Read More about Audrey E. Greenberg, MBA, CPA
Audrey E. Greenberg, MBA, CPA
Audrey E. Greenberg, MBA, CPA Website
Audrey Greenberg, MBA, CPA
CEO and Founder
AG Capital Advisors
Greater Philadelphia, PA, USAAudrey Greenberg is a distinguished life sciences executive, investor, and board director with a track record of building and scaling companies at the intersection of biotech, healthcare, and private equity. As Founder and CEO of AG Capital Advisors, she provides strategic advisory services to investors, startups, and growth-stage companies, focusing on capital allocation, M&A, and operational transformation. Previously, Audrey co-founded the Center for Breakthrough Medicines (CBM), a leading cell and gene therapy contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO). As Chief Business Officer, she led CBM’s growth from inception to a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, securing over $500 million in capital and developing a state-of-the-art 350,000-square-foot GMP facility. CBM’s success culminated in its acquisition by SK pharmteco, reinforcing its position as a key player in advanced therapies.
Audrey serves on the boards of ZSX Medical, NLS Pharma, and the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) and actively contributes to the life sciences ecosystem through her roles on the Penn Medicine Abramson Cancer Center Innovation Advisory Board and numerous nonprofit and advisory boards, including Ben Franklin Technology Partners, the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, King of Prussia Business District, PACT, Phacilitate, and ISPE. Her leadership has been instrumental in advancing biotech innovation, economic development, and investment in cutting-edge medical technologies.
A Wharton MBA and Certified Public Accountant, Audrey has been widely recognized for her impact in life sciences, private equity, and business. She has received numerous industry accolades, including being named to the Medicine Maker Power List, Titan 100 Hall of Fame, and Most Influential Philadelphian. She has also been honored with awards such as Philly Power 100, Tech Translator of the Year, Initiative of the Year, Employer of the Year, Deal of the Year, Investment Deal of the Year, Woman of Influence, Female Leader of the Year, Healthcare Power Player, Life Sciences Startup Company of the Year, Innovator Company of the Year, and Revolutionary Trailblazer in Life Sciences. A sought-after speaker and advocate for innovation and investment in biotech, Audrey is passionate about shaping the future of cell and gene therapy through strategic partnerships and transformative business models.
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Read More about Sara Gunnoe, PA-C
Sara Gunnoe, PA-C
Sara Gunnoe, PA-C Website
Sara Gunnoe, MPAS, PA-C
Physician Assistant
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USASara Gunnoe is a physician assistant (PA) in the Division of Pediatric Oncology, Cellular Therapy and Transplant Section at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) where she works as a member of the inpatient Blood and Marrow Transplant team. She received her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology from West Virginia University and her Master of Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Charleston in 2015. Prior to joining the team at CHOP in 2023, she previously worked as a PA with the pediatric stem cell transplant teams at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/Seattle Children's Hospital and the University of Virginia Children's Hospital. Sara enjoys all aspects of cellular therapy & transplant medicine with a special interest in high-risk leukemia and neuroblastoma transplants.
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Read More about Naomi B. Haas, MD
Naomi B. Haas, MD
Naomi B. Haas, MD Website
Naomi B. Haas, MD
Professor of Medicine (Hematology Oncology)
Director, Prostate and Kidney Cancer Program
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USANaomi Haas, MD is the leader of the prostate and kidney cancer medical oncology programs at the Abramson Cancer Center. She is a medical oncologist with a broad background in patient care and basic science training applied to clinical trial development. She was supported by an NIH postdoctoral training grant, an NIH K08 Clinical Investigator award and an ACS Institutional grant in the fields of transcriptional regulation. This background in basic science informed her efforts in clinical trial development. She is the principal investigator of the first Phase I trial of the dual targeted PSMA and dominant negative TGF Beta Receptor trial in prostate cancer. She is working to develop other CARs using other targets in both prostate cancer and clear cell kidney cancer. She is the site principal investigator for a STEAP2 CAR study in prostate cancer.
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Read More about Rachel E. Hartman, PharmD, BCOP
Rachel E. Hartman, PharmD, BCOP
Rachel E. Hartman, PharmD, BCOP Website
Rachel Hartman, PharmD, BCOP
Clinical Pharmacy Oncology Specialist (Lymphoma/Myeloma and CAR-T Cellular Therapy)
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Rachel Hartman is one of the clinical pharmacy specialists within the CAR-T cell therapy and Lymphoma/Myeloma groups at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). Rachel earned her Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of Findlay in 2021, and completed general as well as oncology-focused pharmacy residency at HUP. Since then, Rachel has continued to practice at HUP, further specializing post-residency to Lymphoma/Myeloma and CAR-T cellular therapy. Here, she has been integral in onboarding several new cellular therapies, developing inpatient protocols, and conducting research within the cellular therapy space. -
Read More about Hope Heffner-Solimeo MA, ATR-BC, LPC
Hope Heffner-Solimeo MA, ATR-BC, LPC
Hope Heffner-Solimeo MA, ATR-BC, LPC Website
Hope Heffner-Solimeo, MA, ATR-BC, LPC
Hope Heffner-Solimeo, MA, ATR-BC, LPC
Manager in the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (ODEI)
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Adjunct Professor and CNHP Board of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Drexel University
Leadership Coach
Philadelphia, PA, USAHope Heffner-Solimeo is a Registered, Board Certified Art Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, and Leadership Coach who has worked in the field of Art Therapy for over 14 years and has been at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for 11.5 years. Having moved from frontline clinical care to the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as a Manager, Hope supports trainings and various programs including the Partnering for Cultural Growth (PCG) Initiative, that supports teams across the enterprise to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion in their work. Hope is also an Adjunct Professor and a member of the Board of DEI in the College of Nursing and Health Professions at Drexel University.
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Read More about Kristen M. Hege, MD
Kristen M. Hege, MD
Kristen M. Hege, MD Website
Kristen M. Hege, MD
Independent Board Member,
Mersana, Adaptimmune, Kelonia
San Francisco, CA, USADr. Hege retired in March 2023 from her role as SVP of Early Clinical Development at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) to pursue her dream of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. At BMS, she advanced therapies from small molecules to cell therapies, notably leading the BCMA CAR-T cell program (Abecma) in multiple myeloma from inception to FDA approval. Before BMS, she held leadership positions at Celgene, Cell Genesys, Cellerant, and Theraclone.
Dr. Hege serves on several boards, including Mersana, Adaptimmune, and Kelonia Therapeutics, and co-chairs the Biotech Committee for the Society of Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC). She also has advisory roles in multiple biotech companies. She was a clinical faculty member at UCSF for nearly 30 years, where she treated patients with blood cancers.
She earned her MD at UCSF, with training at Harvard and UCSF in internal medicine and hematology/oncology. Recognized for her contributions to biopharma, Dr. Hege was named one of Fierce Biotech’s top women in 2015, a “Luminary” by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association in 2019, and was honored with the Duane Roth Career Achievement Award in 2022. Her work in CAR T cell development and leadership in Abecma was featured in Forbes and Nature Medicine.
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Read More about Elizabeth O. Hexner, MD, MSTR
Elizabeth O. Hexner, MD, MSTR
Elizabeth O. Hexner, MD, MSTR Website
Elizabeth O. Hexner, MD, MSTR
Associate Professor of Medicine (Hematology Oncology)
Medical Director, Center for Cellular Immunotherapies
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USADr. Hexner is an Associate Professor of Medicine and has two major clinical and research interests: novel cellular therapies and innovation in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). She serves as the Medical Director of the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies and as Director of the Penn MPN program. She is also an Associate Director for the Masters in Translational Research program and co-directs a course in Cell and Gene Therapy at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.
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Eleni Hindle, BSN, RN, CPHON
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Read More about Lauren B. Hollander, NP
Lauren B. Hollander, NP
Lauren B. Hollander, NP Website
Lauren B. Hollander, CRNP
Lead Nurse Practitioner (Hematology Oncology)
Inpatient Liquid Oncology APP service
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Lauren Hollander is the Lead Nurse Practitioner of the Liquid Oncology Advanced Practice Provider Service at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Lauren earned her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Delaware followed by her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania in 2013. Lauren began her Penn Medicine career as a Registered Nurse in Oncology in 2011. She became a Nurse Practitioner on the Liquid APP team in 2014, where she has continued her passion for the care of hematology/ oncology patients for the past 11 years. Lauren's clinical focus is the care of allogeneic stem cell transplant and cellular therapy patients for which she maintains inpatient protocols and has been integral in onboarding of several new cellular therapy processes in the inpatient space. Lauren has trained many NP students and new APPs and has helped develop a comprehensive hematology oncology orientation program for her service of greater than 40 APPs. -
Read More about J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD
J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD
J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD Website
J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD
President
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA, USAJ. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, is President of the University of Pennsylvania. Previously, he served as EVP of the University of Pennsylvania for the Health System and Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine (2011-2023). As President, he leads Penn’s strategic framework, overseeing initiatives like the new data science center, Draw Down the Lightning Grants, Penn Washington, and advancements in climate science, the arts, and sustainability. He also leads efforts to combat bias and promote open expression. As EVP/Dean of Penn Medicine, he spearheaded the Penn Medicine Pavilion and developed the “Serving a Changing World” strategic vision. He fostered excellence in faculty recruitment, student success, scholarship, and philanthropy. Prior to Penn, Dr. Jameson was Dean of the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern. He received his MD and PhD from UNC and completed training at Massachusetts General Hospital. A physician-scientist, he has published over 350 articles and is an editor of "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine." He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine.
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Read More about Phillip Johnson, MD
Phillip Johnson, MD
Phillip Johnson, MD Website
Phillip Johnson, MD
President and Chief Executive Officer of Interius
Philadelphia, USAPhillip Johnson is the CEO of Interius BioTherapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on in vivo delivery of gene medicines with an emphasis on T cell engineering to treat hematologic malignancies. After 30 years in government and academia, he entered the world of private company formation where he has helped raise over $400M for early-stage companies. Phil is a physician-scientist by training and is an international leader in viral vector technology and human gene transfer.
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Read More about Stephan Kadauke, MD, PhD
Stephan Kadauke, MD, PhD
Stephan Kadauke, MD, PhD Website
Stephan Kadauke, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAStephan Kadauke, MD, PhD, is Associate Professor of Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Associate Director of the Cell-Based Therapy Laboratory (CBTL) at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). With deep expertise in transfusion medicine, clinical informatics, and innovative cell therapies, Dr. Kadauke is actively advancing new frontiers in CAR-T therapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplants, hemoglobin gene therapies, and virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs).
Dr. Kadauke completed his medical and doctoral degrees at the University of Pennsylvania, followed by Clinical Pathology residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and a Transfusion Medicine fellowship at Harvard Medical School. At CHOP, he is involved in numerous clinical trials focused on breakthrough cell therapies, leveraging both clinical innovation and informatics to streamline patient care and accelerate research.
In addition to clinical and research leadership, Dr. Kadauke serves as Medical Director of Cell and Gene Therapy Informatics at CHOP, driving the development of cutting-edge systems to support clinicians and researchers in delivering safer, more effective treatments. He is also actively involved in global initiatives aimed at expanding affordable access to CAR-T therapies worldwide, including strategic collaborations in Brazil and Qatar.
Dr. Kadauke has received multiple grants to develop novel cell and gene therapies. His pioneering contributions continue to shape the rapidly evolving landscape of cellular therapies, bridging clinical expertise with global impact.
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Read More about Daniel Lefler, MD
Daniel Lefler, MD
Daniel Lefler, MD Website
Daniel Lefler, MD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology
Assistant Program Director, Hematology-Oncology Fellowship
Assoicate Clinical Director, Sarcoma Medical Oncology
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA, USADaniel Lefler is an Assistant Professor and the Associate Clinical Director of Sarcoma Medical Oncology at the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania. He also serves as Assistant Program Director of Penn's hematology-oncology fellowship. His passion is the excellent clinical care of patients with connective tissue tumors. Within education, he has worked to improve applicant selection of medical trainees and implemented an early phase clinical trials workshop for fellows at Penn. His research interests span real-world data/outcomes, biomarkers informed by genomic data, bioinformatics, and novel drug development. He has previously presented his work at major national conferences including ASCO and CTOS, and he is Penn's site principal investigator for multiple clinical trials for sarcoma patients.
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Read More about Alison W. Loren, MD, MSCE
Alison W. Loren, MD, MSCE
Alison W. Loren, MD, MSCE Website
C. Willard Robinson Professor of Hematology-Oncology
Chief, Division of Hematology Oncology
Director, Blood and Marrow Transplantation
Vice Chair, Faculty Development, Department of Medicine
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USADr. Alison Loren is Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology and the C. Willard Robinson Professor of Hematology-Oncology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also the Director of Blood & Marrow Transplant in the Cell Therapy & Transplant Program at the Abramson Cancer Center.
Dr. Loren specializes in hematologic malignancies and hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Her clinical and research interests focus on outcomes in HCT, fertility preservation and pregnancy, and long-term survivorship. She has formal training in clinical epidemiology, biostatistics, and clinical trial design and implementation, having earned a Master’s degree during her clinical fellowship in hematology/oncology. -
Read More about Kaitlyn Lyons, MS, MBA
Kaitlyn Lyons, MS, MBA
Kaitlyn Lyons, MS, MBA Website
Kaitlyn Lyons, MS, MBA
Project Manager, Cellular Therapy and Transplant
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAKaitlyn Lyons is a seasoned healthcare strategist with five years of experience in health system strategic planning and two years of experience in Cell Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Cell Therapy and Transplant. Kaitlyn has expertise in onboarding and optimization of cutting-edge cell therapy treatments in both academic and community settings. She worked with Lancaster General Health to establish the first community CAR T Cell center in 2022 and has leveraged that experience to construct a playbook for development of community Cell Therapy operations.
Kaitlyn works with healthcare centers to establish best practices for Cell Therapy operations including clinical pathways, operational readiness, and financial and other administrative standard processes. With her background in finance, Kaitlyn strategically blends business acumen with patient treatment readiness, allowing her to approach complex healthcare challenges with both a financial and patient-focused lens. Kaitlyn holds a BS in Finance from Penn State University, and is an MBA candidate at West Chester University, with an expected graduation date of May 2025.
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Read More about Lindsey MacDonald, MSN, MBA, RN, OCN
Lindsey MacDonald, MSN, MBA, RN, OCN
Lindsey MacDonald, MSN, MBA, RN, OCN Website
Lindsey MacDonald, MSN, MBA, RN, OCN
Manager of the CCTT Analytics Unit
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USALindsey MacDonald, MSN, MBA, RN, OCN serves as the Manager of Center for Cell Therapy and Transplant Analytics Unit at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). In this role Lindsey manages the unit's daily operations, leading a team of data coordinators dedicated to excellence in clinical data reporting and analytics.
Her leadership extends to enhancing Electronic Health Record (EHR) functionality for clinicians, ensuring that system modifications not only ease user interaction but also optimize data capture for robust downstream reporting. Through her innovative approach, she has successfully modernized the program’s database infrastructure and pioneered a user-friendly self-service data model that empowers staff with real-time access to critical information.
Lindsey's nursing background in inpatient oncology and cell therapy and transplant is pivotal in her ability to seamlessly integrate clinical insights with informatics initiatives. Her proficiency in employing cutting-edge technologies has been instrumental in bridging gaps between hands-on patient care and backend data processes.
Committed to operational excellence across HUP's network, she plays a crucial role in standardizing procedures and enhancing efficiencies not just within HUP but also across two additional CCTT sites. As a resource for the multidisciplinary team, Lindsey actively contributes to developing new EHR workflows and sophisticated data capture strategies that directly translate into improved patient care quality and outcomes. Her collaborative efforts and forward-thinking methodologies continue to drive advancements across the program.
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Read More about Patricia Mangan, RN, MSN, CRNP, APRN-BC
Patricia Mangan, RN, MSN, CRNP, APRN-BC
Patricia Mangan, RN, MSN, CRNP, APRN-BC Website
Patricia Mangan, RN, MSN, CRNP, APRN-BC
Nurse Lead, Hematologic Malignancies Program
Abramson Cancer Center
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAPatricia A. Mangan, MSN, CRNP, is Nurse Lead of the Hematologic Malignancies and Stem Cell Transplant Programs at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. In addition, she works in collaborative practice with Edward A. Stadtmauer, MD, focusing on the care of patients with multiple myeloma and other blood cancers. She is also a Clinical Academic Associate at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Nursing. Ms. Mangan is a member of the Nursing Leadership Board of the International Myeloma Foundation. She earned her master of science in nursing degree from the University of Pennsylvania and is a board certified registered nurse practitioner (CRNP) and clinical nurse specialist. An invited speaker on a broad number of topics that deal with bone marrow transplant, cellular immunotherapy and the care of patients with hematologic malignancies, Patricia Mangan has lectured on both the local, national and international level. The results of her work have appeared in such peer-reviewed journals as Science, Blood, Nursing, Bone Marrow Transplant, Clinical Journal of the Oncology Nursing Society (CJON), The Lancet Haematology and The Nurse Practitioner.
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Read More about Scott McGoohan, JD
Scott McGoohan, JD
Scott McGoohan, JD Website
Scott McGoohan, JD
Executive Director of Policy and Alliance Development
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Philadelphia, PA, USAScott McGoohan is Executive Director of Policy and Alliance Development at Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Before joining Vertex, Scott served as Director of Science and Regulatory Affairs at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, where he led an array of regulatory policy activities related to the development and review of biopharmaceutical products. Prior to joining BIO, Scott managed regulatory, reimbursement and scientific policy for the American Clinical Laboratory Association.
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Read More about Mir Masud-Elias, JD, MBE
Mir Masud-Elias, JD, MBE
Mir Masud-Elias, JD, MBE Website
Mir Masud-Elias, JD, MBE
Counsel
Arnold & Porter
Washington, DC, USAMir Masud-Elias brings over 20 years of transactional and management experience as a business and legal counselor spanning multiple industries, including tax-exempt organizations, life sciences, healthcare, academic research, pharmaceutical, and financial services. She has extensive experience structuring and negotiating complex research collaborations between for-and nonprofit entities, as well as advising research-focused nonprofits and emerging technology companies. From 2011 to 2024, Mir served as in-house counsel at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) in progressively responsible roles. Most recently, she was Chief Counsel and Executive Director of Legal Affairs at Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) where she provided strategic legal and business advice to key institutional stakeholders and ACC’s external advisory board alongside her general counsel responsibilities in coordination with multiple Penn offices, departments, and all Penn Medicine locations. Mir led and delivered on research and IP monetization goals via a diverse array of research-related agreements, corporate transactional, as well as domestic and international commercial arrangements, and numerous regulatory and compliance issues. She also oversaw an expanding portfolio of key alliances with corporate and nonprofit collaborators. During her tenure at Penn, Mir successfully moved novel ideas forward to make a difference in medical care for Penn patients.
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Read More about Peter A. Merkel, MD, MPH
Peter A. Merkel, MD, MPH
Peter A. Merkel, MD, MPH Website
Peter Merkel, MD, MPH
Professor of Medicine (Rheumatology)
Professor of Epidemiology in Biostatistics and Epidemiology
Chief, Division of Rheumatology
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USADr. Merkel is the Chief of Rheumatology and a Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Merkel is an internationally recognized research and clinical expert in vasculitis, scleroderma, and other systemic autoimmune diseases, and is an author on over 450 scientific publications. He is the Principal Investigator of the Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium (VCRC) and the Vasculitis Patient-Powered Research Network (VPPRN), two leading international research infrastructures for clinical investigation in vasculitis. Dr. Merkel’s research focuses on development of novel therapies for systemic autoimmune diseases, clinical trial design and conduct, outcome measure development, clinical epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, and biomarker discovery.
Dr. Merkel received his MD from Yale University, his MPH from Harvard University, completed his residency training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and his fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. He has been a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, Boston University School of Medicine, and now the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Merkel has received the majority of his research support from the National Institutes of Health, the US Food and Drug Administration, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, with additional funding from industry sources and private foundations.
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Read More about Dora Mitchell, PhD
Dora Mitchell, PhD
Dora Mitchell, PhD Website
Dora Mitchell, PhD
Senior Vice President, Operations
Interius BioTherapeutics, Inc.
Philadelphia, PADora Mitchell, PhD, has over 20 years of leadership experience in the life sciences spanning academia and industry. As Senior Vice President of Operations and Chief of Staff at Interius BioTherapeutics she is responsible for business and laboratory operations, finance, legal/IP, staff, facilities, technology, corporate communications, and strategic support across the organization. Dr. Mitchell oversaw the growth of Interius from formation to a clinical stage biotechnology company establishing a robust operational infrastructure and custom-built state-of-the-art research and development facilities.
Prior to Interius, Dr. Mitchell was on the founding team of Carisma Therapeutics, where she served as Vice President of Operations and built the company from idea to a well-funded preclinical organization. During her tenure at Carisma, Dr. Mitchell also created the business development and alliance management functions setting up collaborations and licenses with academic and industry partners. Previously, she managed a portfolio of 60 start-up companies at PCI Ventures at the University of Pennsylvania, often serving as “entrepreneur-in-residence” and board member for companies in the life sciences portfolio. Dr. Mitchell started her career in venture capital as a member of the Health and Life Sciences team at Battelle Ventures, LP. She holds a PhD in molecular biology from Princeton University.
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Read More about Fabian Müller, MD
Fabian Müller, MD
Fabian Müller, MD Website
Fabian Müller, MD
Principal Investigator
University Hospital of Erlangen
Erlangen, GermanyProf. Müller obtained his MD in Freiburg, Germany and started his clinical education in Hamburg. With a focus on targeting malignant B cells from his early research career he did a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Ira Pastan, at the NCI on resistance to CD22-targeted therapy in ALL and aggressive lymphoma. After his post-doc he continued the work on B cell targeting in Erlangen, Germany using first antibody directed therapies and then CAR T cells with a focus on immunologic questions. As head of the CAR T cell unit he pioneers CAR T cell therapies in novel indications including solid tumors but also rheumatologic diseases.
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Read More about Kiran Musunuru, MD, PhD, MPH, ML, MRA
Kiran Musunuru, MD, PhD, MPH, ML, MRA
Kiran Musunuru, MD, PhD, MPH, ML, MRA Website
Kiran Musunuru, MD, PhD, MPH, ML, MRA
Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine); Professor of Pediatrics
Scientific Director, Penn Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAKiran Musunuru, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., M.L., M.R.A., is Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, Genetics, and Pediatrics in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on the development of novel gene editing therapies for the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. He is a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from the White House, the American Heart Association's Award of Meritorious Achievement and Joseph A. Vita Award, the American Philosophical Society's Judson Daland Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Investigation, the American Federation for Medical Research's Outstanding Investigator Award, Harvard University's Fannie Cox Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching, and the University of Pennsylvania's Jane M. Glick Graduate Student Teaching Award. He recently served as Editor-in-Chief of the scientific journal Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine. He is author of The CRISPR Generation: The Story of the World's First Gene-Edited Babies and Genome Editing: A Practical Guide to Research and Clinical Applications. He is co-founder and Senior Scientific Advisor of Verve Therapeutics.
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Read More about Julia Han Noll, MS
Julia Han Noll, MS
Julia Han Noll, MS Website
Julia Han Noll, MS
Graduate Student
Center for Cellular Immunotherapies
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAJulia Han Noll is a PhD candidate in the Gene Therapy and Vaccines Program at the University of Pennsylvania, where she investigates the impact of immunosenescence on CAR T cell therapy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the lab of Joseph A. Fraietta. Her research integrates bioinformatics and immunology to understand age-related dysfunction in cellular immunotherapy.
Julia earned her Master of Science in Molecular Biotechnology from Heidelberg University and conducted her master's thesis at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), studying the pro-immunogenic effects of MEK inhibitors in pancreatic cancer. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biotechnology from Heidelberg University. Julia’s academic journey has been enriched by international research experiences, including Tsinghua University School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, and BioMed X Innovation Center GmbH, contributing to projects in tumor immunology, metabolism, and computational biology.
Julia is passionate about translating scientific discoveries into innovative immunotherapies, with a particular focus on how age-related T cell dysfunction impacts the effectiveness of cancer treatments. She is especially interested in understanding how aging shapes T cell fitness and influences the success of cellular therapies.
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Read More about Donald M. O’Rourke, MD
Donald M. O’Rourke, MD
Donald M. O’Rourke, MD Website
Donald M. O’Rourke, MD
John Templeton, Jr. MD, Professor in Neurosurgery
Director, Glioblastoma Translational Center of Excellence (TCE)
Center for Cellular Immunotherapies
Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USADonald M. O’Rourke, MD is the inaugural holder of the John Templeton, Jr., MD Endowed Chair in Neurosurgery, and is Professor (with tenure) in the Department of Neurosurgery and The Abramson Cancer Center at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Dr. O’Rourke is the Director of the Glioblastoma Translational Center of Excellence (TCE) in the Abramson Cancer Center as well as the Director of the Human Brain Tumor Tissue Bank, that allows for national and international collaborations in glioblastoma research. He is also a founding member of the Philadelphia Coalition for a Cure PC4C. Dr. O’Rourke’s laboratory studies EGFR targeted therapies and immunotherapies for brain cancer, including the application of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell (CART) immunotherapy to glioblastoma. Dr. O’Rourke has led the Penn group in first-in-man clinical trials using CART cells for treatment of newly diagnosed and recurrent glioblastoma, with the first bivalent CART trial approach for glioblastoma now accruing patients. Dr. O’Rourke has several patents related to EGFR inhibition and CART therapy in human cancers and has been active in licensing laboratory technologies for commercial development of new therapies. Dr. O’Rourke received his MD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and completed his residency in Neurosurgery and fellowship in Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the School of Medicine. He has been recognized annually in Philadelphia Magazine’s list of Top Doctors since 2005 and has also been named one of the Best Cancer Doctors in America and one of America’s Top Doctors annually since in 2006.
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Read More about Hideho Okada MD, PhD
Hideho Okada MD, PhD
Hideho Okada MD, PhD Website
Hideho Okada, MD, PhD
Professor of Neurological Surgery
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CADr. Okada is a creative physician-scientist who has developed therapeutic modalities in the laboratory, translated them into clinical protocols, and used his expertise as both scientist and clinician to assess the clinical data from ongoing trials. Dr. Okada's work has consistently focused on immunotherapeutic strategies aimed at a daunting challenge in oncology – malignant brain tumors. Dr. Okada conducted one of the first immune gene therapy trials in patients with malignant glioma. Dr. Okada's success in navigating the detailed regulatory processes that such trials require demonstrates his attention to detail and breadth of knowledge from basic science to clinical care. Dr. Okada's lab work was the first to identify and fully characterize cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes for gliomas. Dr. Okada's seminal discovery of CTL epitopes in glioma-associated antigens and the work on the mechanisms underlying the adjuvant effects of poly-ICLC enabled him to launch novel glioma vaccine trials in combination with poly-ICLC as an adjuvant. These efforts have also been supported by his mechanistic studies delineating the role of an integrin receptor very late activation antigen (VLA)-4 and chemokine CXCL10 in efficient trafficking of T-cells to brain tumor sites. Dr. Okada has held 4 Investigational New Drug approvals for his own vaccine trials. Since 2004 to 2014, Dr. Okada served as a Co-Leader of the Brain Tumor Program within the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and has worked to expand the program by developing strong interdisciplinary and translational research activities among program members. In 2010, Dr. Okada was selected to be a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, which is an honor society of physician-scientists, those who translate findings in the laboratory to the advancement of clinical practice.
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Read More about Becca Pesce-Noga, MS, CSSBB
Becca Pesce-Noga, MS, CSSBB
Becca Pesce-Noga, MS, CSSBB Website
Becca Pesce-Noga, MS, CSSBB
Abramson Cancer Center at Pennsylvania Hospital
Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAI’m the Data and Quality Manager for the Cell Therapy and Transplant Program at Pennsylvania Hospital. Since 2022, I’ve supported our growing program with a focus on regulatory compliance, data reporting, and optimizing cell therapy workflows.
With a Master of Science in Information Systems Technology and a Six Sigma Black Belt certification, I bring a process-minded, data-driven approach to quality improvement. In my role, I lead efforts around accreditation readiness, internal audits, and performance metrics—working closely with clinical and operational teams to ensure safe, effective, and compliant care. Our program is also uniquely positioned to serve patients who decline the use of blood transfusions, which adds an important layer of complexity and coordination. Supporting this patient population requires thoughtful planning, collaboration, and system-level innovation to ensure quality outcomes while respecting individual values.
I’m passionate about building sustainable processes that support both patient care and staff efficiency, and I’m always looking for ways to improve how we capture, interpret, and act on data.
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Selina Plummersturgis, BSN, RN
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Read More about Kaitlin A. Read, PhD
Kaitlin A. Read, PhD
Kaitlin A. Read, PhD Website
Kaitlin A. Read, PhD
Center for Cellular Immunotherapies
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USADr. Kaitlin A. Read is a molecular immunologist specializing in T cell-redirecting therapies. In the laboratory of Dr. Jim Riley at the University of Pennsylvania, she leads a team focused on the development of novel T cell-based products for the treatment autoimmune disease.
Dr. Read has over 14 years of experience in academic research. She earned her Ph.D. in the laboratory of Dr. Ken Oestreich at the Ohio State University, where she studied cytokine- and transcription factor-driven mechanisms underlying T cell differentiation and function. This work was supported by 2 graduate research fellowships, and resulted in the publication of 13 primary data manuscripts in journals including Nature Immunology, Nature Communications, and the Journal of Immunology.
Dr. Read is passionate about supporting early-stage trainees, including fostering their understanding of core immunological concepts and techniques. She has provided lectures and resources to educate students on the background, purpose, open-access tools, and basic analyses for immunological techniques, including key
-omics assays. She seeks to lay the foundation for trainee confidence and success during later stages of training.Dr. Read has received numerous awards at local, national, and international immunology conferences. She most recently received an award from the Muriel Joan Drew Hege, MD Fund for Women in Cellular Immunotherapy Research, which supports her presentations at both Cellicon Valley and IMMUNOLOGY2025. Her past and present findings have the potential to provide the molecular building blocks for improved vaccine efficacy and the development of novel immunotherapies to treat human disease.
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Read More about Andrew J. Rech, MD, PhD
Andrew J. Rech, MD, PhD
Andrew J. Rech, MD, PhD Website
Andrew J. Rech, MD, PhD
Instructor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Andrew J. Rech, MD, PhD is a scientist studying human immunology at the University of Pennsylvania and a board-certified clinical pathologist. His research integrates wet lab and computational approaches to study immune interactions within complex tissue microenvironments. Dr. Rech has explored the molecular mechanisms behind response and resistance to immunotherapy using murine tumor models and has investigated the genomic and transcriptomic factors that influence immune responses to tumors. His current work focuses on using spatial biology techniques to analyze human samples from clinical trials of CAR T cells in both liquid and solid tumors, uncovering the complex interactions that drive therapeutic outcomes. His ultimate goal is to translate these findings into clinical applications by engineering cellular therapies that can effectively modulate immune processes for therapeutic benefit. -
Read More about Katy Rezvani, MD, PhD, FRCP, FRCPath
Katy Rezvani, MD, PhD, FRCP, FRCPath
Katy Rezvani, MD, PhD, FRCP, FRCPath Website
Katy Rezvani, MD, PhD, FRCP, FRCPath
Professor of Medicine, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation
Vice President and Head, Institute for Cell Therapy Innovation and Discovery, Department of Institute for Cell Therapy Innovation and Discovery, Division of Cancer Medicine
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, TX, USAKaty Rezvani, MD, PhD is a professor of medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where she serves as the Vice President & Head, Cell Therapy Institute for Discovery and Innovation, Sally Cooper Murray Chair in Cancer Research, and medical director of the GMP Facility. She leads a research lab with a focus on NK cell biology and developing novel NK cell engineering strategies for cancer, with the aim of translating these discoveries to the clinic. Dr. Rezvani completed her medical training at University College London, England and her PhD at Imperial College London. She completed her training in immunology and transplantation biology at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD. In addition, she has co-authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications and received multiple prizes and awards, including the American Society of Hematology E. Donnall Thomas award.
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Read More about Robert E. Richards MS, MBA
Robert E. Richards MS, MBA
Robert E. Richards MS, MBA Website
Robert (Robb) E. Richards, MS, MBA
Administrative Director, Cellular Therapy and Transplantation
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USARobb Richards has over 20 years of experience in oncology, first with a private practice in Southern New Jersey and more recently the University of Pennsylvania Health System. He has served in different roles throughout his healthcare career: IT Manager for the Center for Cancer and Hematologic Disease in Cherry Hill, Division Chief Operating Officer of Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA) in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and RCCA corporate VP and Chief Information Officer. He unofficially joined Penn’s Cell Therapy and Transplant program (CTT) in 2016 and was the lead in overseeing operationalizing/implementation of CAR T cell therapy for commercial use. He is currently the Corporate Director of The Center for Cell Therapy and Transplant program at Penn Medicine, with oversight of both commercial and research work and its expansion into community hospitals within the Penn system. He also assists other disease groups within the organization as they are onboarding gene therapies.
Robb received his BS in Information Technology from Drexel University and both his MS in Informatics and MBA from St Joseph’s University.
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Read More about James L. Riley, PhD
James L. Riley, PhD
James L. Riley, PhD Website
James L. Riley, PhD
Professor of Microbiology
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAJames L. Riley, PhD, is a Professor of Microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania. His lab studies the cell biology and therapeutic use of primary human T cells. His lab has developed and is developing several T cell-based therapies to treat HIV, cancer and autoimmune diseases. He is currently leading two large, bench to bedside consortiums of investigators to develop improved T cells to help enable an HIV cure. Dr. Riley graduated from Vanderbilt University with a BS in Molecular Biology, studying Dictyostelium discoideum, and subsequently earned his PhD from Emory University in Dr. Jeremy Boss’ laboratory, studying the gene regulation of MHC class II genes. As an officer in the US Army, he received postdoctoral training in Dr. Carl June’s laboratory, where he developed an interested in T cell signaling pathways and therapeutic uses of primary human T cells.
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Read More about Stefano B. Rivella, PhD
Stefano B. Rivella, PhD
Stefano B. Rivella, PhD Website
Stefano B. Rivella, PhD
Professor of Pediatrics
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Kwame Ohene-Frempong Endowed Chair in Pediatric Hematology
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USAStefano Rivella, PhD, is Professor of Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHoP), holds the Kwame Ohene-Frempong Chair on Sickle Cell Anemia, is the Scientific director of the Comprehensive Center for the Cure of Sickle Cell Disease and Other Red Blood Cell Disorders (CuRED) and leader of the RNA Gene Therapeutics of the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation (led by Dr. Drew Weissman). Through his translational efforts, Dr. Rivella has helped to bring life-changing medical advancements to patients. He contributed to the generation of the first lentiviral vector to cure b-thalassemia, which paved the way for current gene complementation technologies. He generated the first murine models of adult b- and a-thalassemia major, XLSA and CDA1 (sideroblastic and dyserythropoietic anemias), metachromatic leukodystrophy and related-curative gene therapy approaches. He was involved in the characterization of Luspatercept-Reblozyl, and he was the first to propose the use of hepcidin-agonists/inducers in b-thalassemia, hemochromatosis, and polycythemia vera. For instance, Luspatercept has been approved to improve red cell production in b-thalassemia. At the same time, a hepcidin agonist (Rusfertide) has shown its potential to replace phlebotomy without causing iron deficiency in polycythemia vera patients. Dr. Rivella is currently supporting a clinical trial using a lentiviral vector, generated in his laboratory, to cure hemoglobinopathies. He expanded his focus on developing tools for RNA delivery (gene editing and RNA therapies) to treat hematological and metabolic disorders. He also uses this technology to target hematopoietic stem cells in vivo as an alternative and non-toxic approach for myeloablation.
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Read More about Emily Roth BSN, RN, CPN, CPHON
Emily Roth BSN, RN, CPN, CPHON
Emily Roth BSN, RN, CPN, CPHON Website
Emily Roth, BSN, RN, CPN, CPHON, CPHQ
Safety Quality Specialist
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USAEmily Roth is a Registered Nurse; currently working full time as a Safety Quality Specialist (SQS) on the Inpatient Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) unit at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). As an SQS, she works as a nurse leader on the inpatient unit, leading safety and quality improvement initiatives. She focuses on systems-level fixes to support patient safety as well as employee safety. Outside of work, she is currently enrolled in the Certificate in Healthcare Quality and Safety through the University of Pennsylvania.
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Read More about Antonia Rotolo, MD, PhD
Antonia Rotolo, MD, PhD
Antonia Rotolo, MD, PhD Website
Antonia Rotolo, MD, PhD
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine / Penn Medicine
Phildelphia, PA, USAAntonia is a Research Assistant Professor of Immunobiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Her research focuses on developing off-the-shelf iNKT cell-based therapies for cancer and immune-mediated diseases.She earned her MD from the University of Turin in Italy, a PhD in Immunology from Imperial College London in UK, and completed her postdoctoral training in cellular therapy and comparative immunology at the University of Pennsylvania. Her work led to the development of a dual-specific CAR-iNKT cell platform for the treatment of refractory B-cell lymphomas, including those resistant to conventional CAR T-cell therapies. Now in clinical development, this platform is also being explored for applications in solid tumors.At Penn Vet, Antonia established the first canine iNKT model to bridge the gap between mouse preclinical studies and human clinical trials. She is currently investigating the safety and efficacy of off-the-shelf, unedited CAR-iNKT cells from healthy dogs in MHC-unmatched canine patients with refractory, metastatic osteosarcoma.Committed to advancing iNKT cell therapies globally, Antonia founded and chairs the Consortium for iNKT Research and Therapy. Her goal is to promote iNKT discoveries and ultimately harness their effector, immunomodulatory, and off-the-shelf potential to develop more effective, universal cellular therapies for patients with as-yet incurable cancers and immune-mediated diseases worldwide.
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Read More about Marco Ruella, MD
Marco Ruella, MD
Marco Ruella, MD Website
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Scientific Director of the Lymphoma Program
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USADr. Marco Ruella is a physician-scientist and assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He treats patients with blood cancers and focuses on using immunotherapy, where the body’s own immune system is harnessed to fight cancer. His research looks at why some cancers return after CAR T-cell therapy and aims to design new treatments to prevent this. Dr. Ruella earned his medical degree in Italy and completed advanced training in the U.S. He has received many awards for his work, including from the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Dr. Ruella has published widely, holds multiple patents, and advises companies in cancer immunotherapy. He also founded viTToria Biotherapeutics to help bring new treatments to patients.
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Read More about Kimberly Sacco, MS
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Read More about Andy Scharenberg, MD
Andy Scharenberg, MD
Andy Scharenberg, MD Website
Andy Scharenberg, MD
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Umoja Biopharma
Seattle WA, USADr. Andrew M. Scharenberg is a leading figure in cell and gene therapy. He founded Umoja Biopharma and is an Executive Partner at MPM Capital. He also chairs scientific advisory boards at several biotech companies, including Generation Bio and Alpine Immune Sciences.
Previously, he co-directed the Program in Cell and Gene Therapy at Seattle Children’s, advancing therapies for inherited diseases. He was instrumental in developing engineered regulatory T-cells and allogeneic CAR T-cell platforms at Cellectis Therapeutics. Dr. Scharenberg also co-founded Pregenen Inc., acquired by bluebird bio.
A physician and scientist, he served as an attending physician and professor at the University of Washington. He received his M.D. from the University of North Carolina and completed fellowships at the NIH and Beth Israel Hospital. He is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the American Pediatric Society, and received the National Young Investigator Award.
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Read More about Stephen J. Schuster, MD
Stephen J. Schuster, MD
Stephen J. Schuster, MD Website
Robert and Margarita Louis-Dreyfus Professor in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Lymphoma Clinical Care and Research
Director, Lymphoma Program and Lymphoma Translational Research
Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAStephen J. Schuster, MD is the Robert and Margarita Louis-Dreyfus Professor of CLL and Lymphoma and a professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the Director of the Lymphoma Program and Director of Lymphoma Translational Research at the Abramson Cancer Center.
After graduating AOA from Jefferson Medical College and completing his residency at Pennsylvania Hospital, Dr. Schuster completed clinical and research fellowships at the Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research. In 1989, he became a member of the Cardeza Foundation at Jefferson Medical College.
Dr. Schuster joined the University of Pennsylvania in 1998. Since then, his research has focused on the development and application of novel immunotherapies for B-cell lymphomas and CLL, including autologous tumor-derived vaccines, autologous costimulated T-cells, radioimmunotherapy, monoclonal antibody therapy, bispecific antibody therapy, and adoptive immunotherapy using chimeric antigen receptor modified T cells (CAR-T cells)
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Read More about Laura Shawver, PhD
Laura Shawver, PhD
Laura Shawver, PhD Website
Laura Shawver, PhD
President and Chief Executive Officer
Capstan Therapeutics
San Diego, CA, USALaura Shawver is Capstan’s President and CEO. Laura most recently served as CEO of Silverback Therapeutics (acquired by ARS Pharma) and President and CEO of Synthorx (acquired by Sanofi). She has more than two decades of experience in executive leadership positions, and serves on the Board of Directors of public and private companies. She is also founder and director of The Clearity Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving treatment options for women with ovarian cancer.
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Read More about Nour Shobaki, PharmD, PhD
Nour Shobaki, PharmD, PhD
Nour Shobaki, PharmD, PhD Website
Nour Shobaki, PharmD, PhD
Principal Scientist and Group Leader at the June Lab
Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) Investigator
Center for Cellular Immunotherpies
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USADr. Nour Shobaki is a tumor immunologist specializing in cellular immunotherapies for solid tumors, particularly prostate cancer. She leads a research program at the June Lab, University of Pennsylvania, where her work focuses on developing engineered CAR T cell therapies to improve patient outcomes.
Dr. Shobaki earned her MS and PhD in nanomedicine from Hokkaido University, Japan, where she studied tumor immunology, macrophage biology, and nanotechnology-based drug delivery. Following her doctoral studies, she completed postdoctoral training in immuno-oncology at Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Georgetown University, and in the biotech industry. Through these experiences, she gained specialized knowledge in T cell engineering and immunotherapy development.
In addition to her research, Dr. Shobaki has actively engaged in advocacy for cancer research. She was selected by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) to represent early career researchers during the AACR Early Career Hill Day in Washington, D.C. (2022), where she advocated for sustained funding for cancer research.
Dr. Shobaki has received several prestigious awards, including the 2024 Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) Young Investigator Award and recognition in the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) SPARKATHON Class of 2025. She was also supported by the Muriel Joan Drew Hege Fund to attend the Annual Women’s Leadership Backpacking and Hiking Retreat in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA, as part of Dr. Kristen Hege’s Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) fundraiser supporting women in science. This award also funded her travel to SITC 2024, where she presented her research progress in the field.
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Read More about Donald L. Siegel, MD, PhD
Donald L. Siegel, MD, PhD
Donald L. Siegel, MD, PhD Website
Donald L. Siegel, MD, PhD
Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Director, Division of Transfusion Medicine and Therapeutic Pathology
Director, Clinical Cell and Vaccine Production Facility,
Center for Advanced Cellular Therapeutics
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USADr. Don Siegel is a Professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and founding director of the Division of Transfusion Medicine & Therapeutic Pathology at the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on immunohematology, hemostasis, thrombosis, autoimmunity, and oncology, particularly using phage display technologies to discover antibodies for targeted therapies like chimeric antigen receptor T-cells. He has published over 100 papers and holds numerous patents.
Dr. Siegel has received several prestigious awards, including the Research Innovation in Scientific Excellence Award, the Tibor Greenwalt Memorial Award, and the Robert de Villiers Spiral of Life Award. In 2022, he was inducted into the AABB National Blood Foundation Hall of Fame and appointed to their Board of Directors. He also received the Press Ganey Pinnacle of Excellence Award for his apheresis clinic in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
He earned a Biophysics degree from Brown University, a Ph.D. from Harvard University, and an M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Siegel joined the Penn faculty in 1992 after completing his residency and fellowship.
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Read More about Katie A. Smith DNP, MPH, RN, ACCNS-P, CPN, CHESKatie A. Smith DNP, MPH, RN, ACCNS-P, CPN, CHES
Katie A. Smith DNP, MPH, RN, ACCNS-P, CPN, CHES
Katie A. Smith, DNP, MPH, RN, ACCNS-P, CPN, CHES
Clinical Nurse Specialist, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USAKatie Smith is a Clinical Nurse Specialist with the Division of Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Katie began her nursing career as an inpatient oncology nurse at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in 2015 after completing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Delaware. Katie completed a Master of Public Health at West Chester University of Pennsylvania in 2018 and Doctor of Nursing Practice at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in 2023.
As a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Katie works across disciplines to support complex patient care and evidence-based nursing practice. She has led several unit-based and hospital-wide initiatives, including implementing a new standard of care nursing neurological assessment and work to improve systems that promote early recognition of clinical deterioration. Katie is passionate about health equity and addressing health disparities in the clinical setting.
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Read More about Heather Sosnoski, BS
Heather Sosnoski, BS
Heather Sosnoski, BS Website
Heather Sosnoski, BS
Graduate Student
Center for Cellular Immunotherapies
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAHeather Sosnoski is a 5th year PhD candidate at the University of Pennsylvania in the Pharmacology Graduate Group. I am doing my thesis work in Dr. Avery Posey’s lab studying the use of Chimeric Autoantibody Receptor (CAAR) T-cells in treating autoimmune disease. I am originally from Massachusetts and earned my bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and neuroscience from Syracuse University in New York. Once I graduate from Penn I hope to work on development of CAR T-cell therapies and be involved in their clinical trials.
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Read More about Anna Sparrow MSN, MPH, RN
Anna Sparrow MSN, MPH, RN
Anna Sparrow MSN, MPH, RN Website
Anna Sparrow, MSN, MPH, RN
Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator
Cancer Immunotherapy Program
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USAAnna Sparrow is a Clinical Research Project Manager in the Cancer Immunotherapy Program at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where she leads both safety operations and patient access processes for cell therapy clinical trials. She oversees the patient journey from initial referral through trial enrollment, ensuring patient-centered care, and regulatory compliance across early-phase studies. She works closely with multidisciplinary teams to coordinate safety reporting, streamline patient onboarding, and maintain adherence to regulatory standards. Anna is dedicated to strengthening the infrastructure that supports cell therapy, with a focus on delivering safe, efficient, and patient-centered research experiences.
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Read More about Joseph W. St. Geme, III, MD
Joseph W. St. Geme, III, MD
Joseph W. St. Geme, III, MD Website
Joseph W. St. Geme III, MD
Leonard and Madlyn Abramson Endowed Chair in Pediatrics
Chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Physician-in-Chief
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Chair of the Department of Pediatrics
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USAJoseph W. St. Geme, III, MD is Physician-in-Chief, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, and President of the Physician Practice Association at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In addition, he is the Madlyn and Leonard Abramson Professor of Pediatrics and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. St. Geme received his bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Stanford University and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He completed a pediatric residency and chief residency at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Subsequently, he pursued postdoctoral training in microbiology and infectious diseases at Stanford University, working in the laboratory of Stanley Falkow and receiving clinical training at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. In 1992 he joined the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis as a member of the Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Molecular Microbiology. In 1998 he was named Director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, and in 2000 he was appointed Co-Leader of the Department of Pediatrics Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation Research Unit. In 2005 he was recruited to Duke University Medical Center to serve as Chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Chief Medical Officer of Duke’s Children’s Hospital. He was recruited to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 2013.
Dr. St. Geme is an internationally recognized scientist and has focused his research efforts on understanding host-pathogen interactions involving pathogenic bacteria, aiming to facilitate vaccine development and to identify targets for novel antimicrobials. He is also an accomplished clinician and has been cited annually by Best Doctors in America for over 15 years. In addition, he is a passionate educator and has received teaching awards from medical students, residents, and graduate students.
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Read More about Natalie K. Stefano, RN, BMTCN
Natalie K. Stefano, RN, BMTCN
Natalie K. Stefano, RN, BMTCN Website
Natalie K. Stefano, RN, BMTCN
Registered Nurse
Cell Therapy and Transplant Coordinator
Penn Medicine
Philadelphia PA USANatalie Stefano is a Cellular Therapy and Transplant Nurse Coordinator at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She graduated from Drexel University with her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. As an undergraduate student, she worked on the bone marrow transplant unit at The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP). She found her passion for helping patients undergoing allogeneic and autologous bone marrow transplants as well as CAR T therapies during this time, and transitioned into a nursing role on this floor upon graduating. She is a board-certified blood and marrow transplant nurse who demonstrates a strong foundation of knowledge and a commitment to the highest standards of practice in this rapidly evolving area of medicine. In 2023, she joined the Cellular Therapy and Transplant team as a nurse coordinator. In this role, Natalie navigates and coordinates the complex care pathways for individuals undergoing innovative cell therapies.
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Read More about Mackenzie Stewart MSN, CRNP, CPNP-AC
Mackenzie Stewart MSN, CRNP, CPNP-AC
Mackenzie Stewart MSN, CRNP, CPNP-AC Website
Mackenzie Stewart, MSN, CRNP, CPNP-AC
Cell Therapy Nurse Practitioner
Cancer Immunotherapy Program
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USAMackenzie Stewart is a Nurse Practitioner in the Cancer Immunotherapy Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) where she sees patients who are enrolled in various CAR T-cell therapy clinical trials. Prior to joining the team at CHOP, Mackenzie was the outpatient Hematologic Malignancies Nurse Practitioner at Nemours Children’s Hospital. She received her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Pittsburgh. She also graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Spanish from Middlebury College.
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Read More about Keith Stroup, Esq
Keith Stroup, Esq
Keith Stroup, Esq Website
Keith Stroup, Esq
Vice President & Deputy General Counsel
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USAKeith Stroup is the Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), where he oversees legal support for the clinical operations of CHOP and focuses his practice on transactional matters, including network affiliations, joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. Prior to joining CHOP, Keith spent over 13 years as in-house counsel at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, most recently as Senior Counsel overseeing the Risk Management and Claims Departments and managing a broad range of health care transactional matters. Prior to Jefferson, Keith was an attorney at Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll where his practice focused on health care client matters. Keith's background also includes over a decade in the insurance business, as an Account Executive managing insurance placements for health care systems and as a claims representative managing medical professional, general and automobile liability claims. Keith received his J.D., cum laude from Widener University School of Law and his B.S. in Business Administration from The College of New Jersey.
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Read More about John S. Swartley MBA, PhD
John S. Swartley MBA, PhD
John S. Swartley MBA, PhD Website
John S. Swartley, MBA, PhD
Chief Innovation Officer
University of PennsylvaniaJohn S. Swartley, MBA, PhD is the Chief Innovation Officer of the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) where he spearheads and advises innovation initiatives across the entire institution and its twelve schools. Dr. Swartley served previously as the Associate Vice Provost for Research and Managing Director of the Penn Center for Innovation (PCI) where he led a multi-faceted team focused on new product development, corporate partnerships, technology licensing and new venture creation based on faculty expertise and discoveries made at Penn. Prior to joining Penn in 2007, Dr. Swartley was Senior Vice President and General Partner of BCM Technologies (BCMT), the venture capital investment subsidiary of Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Swartley joined BCMT in 2003 from the Yale University Office of Cooperative Research where he was Associate Director of the Medical Campus Office. Over the course of his career, Dr. Swartley has facilitated thousands of commercialization and research partnership agreements that have collectively generated nearly five billion dollars in licensing income and sponsored research funding, as well as participating in the formation and oversight of hundreds of university spin-out companies that have collectively raised several billion dollars of investment capital. He holds a B.S. in Biology from Bates College, an MBA from the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University, and a PhD in Microbial & Molecular Genetics from Emory University.
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Read More about David T. Teachey, MD
David T. Teachey, MD
David T. Teachey, MD Website
David T. Teachey, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Director, Clinical Research, Center of Childhood Cancer Research
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USADavid T. Teachey, MD is a Professor of Pediatrics in the Divisions of Hematology and Oncology at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a physician-scientist with clinical and research expertise focused on developing novel therapies for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and rare autoimmune diseases, including autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS). He studies new therapies in preclinical models in his research laboratory and then translates these therapies into clinical trials. He is the PI on multiple local, national, and international ALL clinical trials and often performs the correlative studies for those trials in his lab. He is the Vice Chair for ALL Biology for the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), Director of Clinical Research for the Center of Childhood Cancer Research at CHOP, and Co-Leader of the Immune Dysregulation Frontier Program at CHOP. He is also a specialist in hematopoietic stem cell transplant and in the use of cellular and immunotherapies for the treatment of ALL.
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Read More about Denene M. Wambach Esq.
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Read More about Julia T. Warren, MD, PhD
Julia T. Warren, MD, PhD
Julia T. Warren, MD, PhD Website
Julia T. Warren, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Hematology)
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Hematologist, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USAJulia Warren, MD, PhD, is a pediatric hematologist/oncologist physician-scientist at the University of Pennsylvania and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She completed MD and PhD (Immunology) training at Washington University in St. Louis, where her research focused on understanding basic mechanisms of receptor signaling in osteoclastogenesis. She then completed pediatric residency and hematology/oncology fellowship training as a member of the Oliver Langenberg Physician-Scientist Training Program at Washington University in St. Louis. Her fellowship research focused on normal and malignant myeloid biology and included the identification of novel germline genetic variants impacting mitochondrial function as a cause of congenital neutropenia. Her work also provided evidence for mitochondrial dysfunction in impaired granulocyte precursor survival/differentiation. Her laboratory program here at CHOP/UPenn is focused on understanding mitochondrial function in early granulocyte fate decisions, as well as pre-malignant clonal evolution in congenital neutropenia. Her long-term goals are to understand determinants of normal granulopoiesis that will support the production of off-the-shelf granulocyte transfusion products, and to better identify and treat pre-malignant myeloid clones in bone marrow failure syndromes. Dr. Warren’s research has been supported by an National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute K99/R00, American Society of Hematology Scholar Award, Precious Jules Childhood Cancer Foundation Research Grant, and the Hartwell Foundation. Her research interests continue to be informed by her patients, who she sees through the Comprehensive Bone Marrow Failure Center and Cancer Predisposition Clinic programs.
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Read More about Elizabeth A. Weber RN, BSN
Elizabeth A. Weber RN, BSN
Elizabeth A. Weber RN, BSN Website
Elizabeth A. Weber, RN, BSN
Program Manager, Cell Therapy and Transplant
Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USALizzie began her work in cellular therapy in 2018 as Penn Medicine’s first Commercial CAR-T Coordinator, where she was instrumental in developing the infrastructure to provide safe, efficient patient access to FDA-approved CAR-T therapies, while also navigating complex insurance pathways to ensure coverage and reimbursement for these high-cost treatments.
She moved into the role of Program Manager for the Center for Cellular Therapy and Transplant at Penn Medicine in 2023, leading strategic initiatives to strengthen both the clinical and financial coordination of cellular therapy and transplant services. Lizzie leads a dedicated team of transplant and financial coordinators, ensuring seamless alignment with program goals and delivering high-quality support across the patient journey. She collaborates closely with a wide range of internal stakeholders to design and implement systems that enhance operational efficiency and enable the successful integration of new cell and gene therapies into clinical practice. Lizzie interfaces with other institutions and industry partners to advocate for both patients and treatment centers in the evolving landscape of cellular therapy, while also disseminating lessons learned and best practices to help shape standards across the field. -
Read More about Drew Weissman, MD, PhD
Drew Weissman, MD, PhD
Drew Weissman, MD, PhD Website
Drew Weissman, MD, PhD
Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research
Director of Vaccine Research, Infectious Diseases Division
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania / Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USADr. Drew Weissman is the Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research and director of the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation in Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine. Drew and Katalin Kariko, PhD were jointly awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine for their discoveries that enabled the modified mRNA technology used in Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna’s vaccines to prevent COVID-19 infection.
Dr. Weissman earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biochemistry from Brandeis University and his M.D. and Ph.D. in immunology and microbiology from Boston University. He completed his residency at Beth Israel Hospital and a fellowship at the NIH with Dr. Anthony Fauci.
He holds many patents and has published over 200 papers. Dr. Weissman has received numerous prestigious awards, including the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, the Breakthrough Prize, the Albany Medical Center Prize, and a Nobel Prize nomination.
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Read More about Claire M. White MSN, RN
Claire M. White MSN, RN
Claire M. White MSN, RN Website
Claire M. White, MSN, RN
Administrative Manager
Cancer Immunotherapy Program
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA, USAClaire White, MSN, RN is an Administrative Manager for the Cell Therapy and Transplant Section at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In this role, she oversees access operations for the CAR T program with a focus on equitable and timely patient access to cell & gene therapy treatments offered both commercially and on clinical trials. Claire joined The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as a staff nurse in the Pediatric Oncology Clinic in 2012 and later joined the Cancer Immunotherapy Program as a Nurse Navigator in 2015. Claire serves on various access, health equity, and payor relations committees. She is passionate about health system innovation to support access to and sustainability of novel cellular and gene therapies.
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Marissa Zangardi, BSN, RN, CPN
