Qi Zhou, Ph.D., is a professor in life sciences, and is now the Vice President and Member of the Presidium of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). He is also the president of Beijing Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine. Prof. ZHOU is CAS Member and Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS). Prof. ZHOU's research interests cover stem cell, reproductive, and developmental biology, and he is also dedicated to promoting the application of stem cells to clinical use. He has been serving as the chief scientist of several national and CAS research projects in areas of reproductive and developmental biology, and stem cells.

Fuchou Tang is a full professor at BIOPIC, College of Life Sciences, Peking University. He is also Associate Director of Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG). His lab focuses on the epigenetic regulation of gene expression network during human early embryonic development and germline development as well as in cancer (Cell, 2013, 2015, 2020; Nature, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019; Science, 2015, 2018; Cell Stem Cell, 2014, 2017a, 2017b, 2017c, 2018; Nature Genetics, 2018; Nature Cell Biology, 2018a, 2018b; GUT, 2020; Cancer Cell, 2020). His lab pioneered the single cell sequencing field and has systematically developed a serial of single cell functional genomic sequencing technologies (the first single-cell DNA methylome sequencing technology (scRRBS, 2013), the first single-cell triple omics (Transcriptome, DNA methylome, Genome copy number variations) sequencing technology (scTrio-seq, 2016), the first third-generation sequencing platform-based high-precision single cell RNA-seq (SCAN-seq, 2020), the first third-generation sequencing platform-based single cell genome sequencing (SMOOTH-seq, 2021) in the world). His work has been cited for more than 11,000 times. He has been invited to give presentations at AGBT, ISSCR, ICHG, Gordon Conference, HCA. He organized the Cold Spring Harbor Asia conference of Frontiers in Single Cell Genomics in 2016, 2018, and 2020.

Elsa Abranches is a Senior Director and Head of Cell Therapy Bioprocess Development and Manufacturing, within the Cell Therapy Department of BioPharmaceuticals R&D at AstraZeneca. Elsa is responsible for leading the section providing translational technology and high-quality cells for pre-clinical research, to enable the efficient development and delivery of Cell Therapy projects to patients, primarily across cardiovascular, renal, metabolic, respiratory and immunological disease areas.

Elsa Abranches is internationally recognized for her expertise in stem cell biotechnology, standardization and Advanced Therapies regulation areas, with over 20 years of experience ranging from applied research through to manufacturing and regulatory compliance of stem cell-derived products.

Elsa has received her degree in Chemical Engineering in 2001 and her Ph.D in Stem Cell Biotechnology in 2006, from the Technical University of Lisbon. Since then, Elsa has delivered on multiple collaborative projects both in Academia and within the UK Regulator (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, MHRA), focused on assuring the quality of clinical grade stem cell lines alongside a program of cell and gene therapy standardisation. Elsa has also been involved in several national and international committees supporting regulatory compliance and delivery of Advanced Therapy Medicinal products.

Professor Melissa Little, BSc (Hons I), PhD, GAICD, FAAHMS, FAAS, is CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Executive Director of reNEW Copenhagen, Chief Scientist at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, and leader of the Kidney Regeneration Laboratory, Melbourne, Australia where she holds an NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellow. Melissa is currently President of the International Society for Stem Cell Research and holds an honorary position as Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, University of Melbourne.  

Internationally recognised for her work on kidney development and her pioneering studies into potential regenerative therapies in the kidney, Professor Little’s approach to generating kidney organoids from human pluripotent stem cells has been adopted across the globe where it is being applied to disease modelling, drug screening and renal replacement therapies. Founded on >30 years of fundamental developmental biology, her stem cell research illustrates the capacity for understanding to be applied to product development. Professor Little’s work has been recognised by many awards, including the Alfred Newton Richards Award from the International Society for Nephrology (2018) for her kidney organoid research, the Julian Wells Medal (2020) for her contribution to understanding of genetic basis of kidney development, and the Homer W. Smith Award (2021) for her outstanding contributions that fundamentally affect the science of nephrology.

Jung-Hyun Kim graduated University of Heidelberg, Germany in 2010 major in tumor biology.  Jung-Hyun did her postdoc at Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health until 2014 studied in hematopoietic stem cell and the stem cell niche. After 8 years in abroad, Jung-Hyun came back to Korea and working for the government from 2014 until now. As deputy director of the Korea national stem cell bank, Jung-Hyun has been worked to establishing cell therapy product manufacturing GMP facility, clinical grade stem cell banking and genetic quality testing system. Currently, as a ISCBI steering group member, she is working for the global harmonization of seed-stock banking and quality controls.

Glyn Stacey has a background in microbiology and cancer research. From 2003, he was the founding Director for the UK Stem Cell Bank for human embryonic stem cells. Glyn’s work has covered safety and quality issues in cell therapy, cells used for manufacturing purposes, development of novel cell-based assays genetic reference materials. Over more than 30 years, Glyn has maintained a strong interest in improvement of cryopreservation methods and biobanking of various biological materials. He has been the Chair for the Society for Low Temperature Biology (www.sltb.info). Glyn has also been a PI for a number of UK and EC funded research consortia and was a leading PI for the EBiSC European iPSC bank project. He serves as numerous SAB members for EU research programmes, a special advisor on cell substrates for WHO, an advisor on OECD initiatives. In the last 20 years his work has focused on stem cell applications including coordinating technical workshops, developing pluripotent stem cells for cell-based medicines and initiating the International Stem Cell Banking Initiative (www.iscbi.org) with members in 28 countries. His main role today is as a special expert supported by CAS PIFI program, where he advises the National Stem Cell Resource Center, on development of their research and clinical studies.

Tongbiao Zhao, Professor/Principal Investigator of Stem Cell and Immunology at the Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Dr. Zhao’s researches aim to address some bottlenecks restricting clinical development of stem cells. His team has defined the immunogenicity of mouse and human induced pluripotent stem cells (Nature 2011, Cell Stem Cell 2015, Cell Discovery 2015); established oxidative phosphorylation and high autophagic flux are intrinsic characters for pluripotent stem cells to maintain their identity (Protein & Cell 2022, Autophagy 2016, Cell Death Differ 2017, Nature Commu 2019, Bio Rev 2019, Protein & Cell 2020); developed the first stem cell standard in ISO/TC276 (ISO/TC276 FDIS 24063). Dr. Zhao serves as a committee expert at the International Organization of Standards ISO/TC276, a steering committee member of International Society for Stem Cell Research, the director of Standard Committee of Chinese Society for Cell Biology, and a committee member of Chinese Society for Stem Cell Research. His team will continue work on the transplantation immunology for stem cells, and will work on a serial of stem cell standards both nationally and internationally.

Tenneille Ludwig serves as the Director of the WiCell Stem Cell Bank overseeing the banking, distribution, and core services operations at WiCell. Dr. Ludwig holds a Ph.D. in embryology and developmental biology with a minor in bioethics from The University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her post-doctoral work in the laboratory of Dr. James Thomson on the optimization of cell culture conditions and resulted in the development of the first defined, feeder-independent culture system for human pluripotent stem cells (TeSR/mTeSR).  In addition to her duties at WiCell, she is a member of the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center and serves on the ESCRO Committee at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She works with multiple boards and organizations, collegiate training programs, international registries, and serves as a Steering Committee Member for the International Stem Cell Banking Forum (ISCBF), the International Stem Cell Initiative (ISCI) Genetics and Epigenetics Study Group, and the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) Manufacturing, clinical Translation, and Industry Committee. Her primary focus remains collaborating within these groups to refine consensus standards for banking, characterization, and distribution of research and cGMP grade materials, and working with investigators to support the advancement of stem cell technologies through clinical trial.

Baoyang Hu is a Principal Investigator at the Institute of Zoology, Chinese academy of Sciences (IOZ/CAS), known for his work in stem cell based neural regeneration and transplantation. He is the executive director of the Innovation Academy for Stem Cell and Regeneration of CAS, the deputy director of State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, and the executive dean of Medical School at the University of the CAS (UCAS).

Dr. Hu’s research interests focus on human brain development, neural differentiation and neural degenerative diseases. He pioneered the neural differentiation of subtype specific neurons from hESCs and discovered the variable neural differentiation potency of human iPSCs (PNAS, 2010). Using hESC and neural differentiation as tool, his team discovered that SIRT6 represses H19 for proper development in primates, and knockout of SIRT6 cause development retardation of monkeys (Nature, 2018). He and his colleagues initiated the first clinical trial of treating Parkinson's disease using hESC-differentiated DA neuronal progenitors.

He has published more than 40 papers in prestigious journals such as Nature, Science, and Cell Stem Cells, and was granted 2 US patents. He serves as director of CSSCR and the Chinese Society of Cell Biology.

Martin Pera was amongst a small group of researchers who pioneered the isolation and characterization of pluripotent stem cells from human germ cell tumours, studies that provided an important framework for the development of human embryonic stem cells. His laboratory at Monash University was the second in the world to isolate embryonic stem cells from the human blastocyst, and the first to describe their differentiation into somatic cells (precursors of the central nervous system). Currently his lab studies the regulation of self-renewal and pluripotency, heterogeneity in pluripotent stem cell populations, and neural specification of pluripotent stem cells. His work on neural differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells led to the development of a new treatment for macular degeneration, a common form of blindness, which is now in clinical trial in Israel. He has provided extensive advice to state, national and international regulatory authorities on the scientific background to stem cell research, and has delivered hundreds of commentaries for print and electronic media on stem cell research, ethics, and regulatory policy. At the Jackson Laboratory Pera will continue work on the regulation of pluripotency, and will study the genetic basis of individual differences in the response of the central nervous system to injury.

Andreas Kurtz,Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering (IBMT), Berlin, Germany Charité Universit?tsmedizin Berlin, Berlin Instiutes of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT). Dr. Kurtz received his Diploma in Genetics from Martin-Luther University in Halle/Germany and his PhD in Cell Biology from the Academy of Sciences in Berlin, Germany. He worked as Assistant Professor at Georgetown and Harvard Universities before becoming Director of the German Stem Cell Authority in 2003. He is founding PI of the Berlin Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT) in Berlin and heads its Stem Cell Research Lab until now; from 2009 to 2016 he joined the faculty of Seoul National University to establish a teaching program in cell biotechnology. In 2020, he joined Fraunhofer IBMT to further data related research and application in the stem cell field. His research concerns stem cell therapy and stem cell database development. He coordinates the European Stem Cell Registry (https://hPSCreg.eu) since 2010. From 2017-2021 he was member of the European Group of Ethics in Science and New Technologies at the European Commission.

Prof. Weizhi Ji currently is a Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Professor and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology. He is now the President of Chinese Society for Stem Cell Research. Prof. Ji has been devoted to developing non-human primate disease models and to advance regenerative and developmental biology with the overarching aim to improve human health. His research has focused on the mechanisms of early embryo development regulation, stem cell pluripotency and nonhuman primate models for human neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases. His lab developed the first gene-modified rhesus and cynomolgus monkeys via Cas9/RNA-mediated gene targeting in 2014, first proved the feasibility to generate chimeric monkeys using ESCs in 2015 and succeeded in extending in vitro culture for monkey in 2019 and for human early embryos in 2020. These gives a rare opportunity to study the developmental events of gastrulation in primates and offers insights into the new discoveries of fundamental theories in embryonic development, stem cells and promotes the development of innovative treatment for neurodevelopmental disorders. His research has been published in internationally recognized journals, including Cell, Science, Nature, Cell Stem Cell, PNAS and others, among which the study of the first primates born with genomes engineered by precision gene-targeting methods published in Cell has been regarded as a milestone of animal disease model development and listed as one of the 10 technology breakthrough in 2014 by MIT Technology Review, Best Research Article of 2014 by Cell, one of the 8 Success in science of 2014 by Nature.

Hideyuki Okano received M.D. in Physiology from Keio University in 1983. After he obtained a Ph.D. degree in Molecular Biology of Myelin-related genes and myelin deficient mutant mice from Keio University in 1988, he held a post-doctoral position at Dr. Craig Montell’s Lab at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He was appointed full professor at Tsukuba University School of Medicine in 1994, Osaka University School of Medicine in 1997, and returned to Keio University Medical School in 2001 as a full professor of Physiology. He has been conducting basic research in the field of regenerative medicine including, neural stem cells and iPS cells, spinal cord injury, developmental genetics, and RNA binding proteins. He has been awarded number of awards and honors including the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2009 and the first prize of the 51st Erwin von B?lz Prize in 2014. He aims to establish and provide patient-specific iPS cells and genetically modified non-human primate models for neuroscience research and to explore the pathogenic mechanisms of neurological/psychiatric disorders. Currently, he is the leader of the Brain Project in Japan (Brain/MINDS) and the President of the Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine.

Ssang-Goo Cho，Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biotechnology / KU Institute of Technology, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea.

Dr. Ssang-Goo Cho graduated from the Department of Genetic Engineering at Korea University, and received his Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Korea University. He worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Creative Research Initiative (CRI) Center for Cell Death, Graduate school of Biotechnology, Korea University and at Rutenberg Cancer Center, Mount Sinai Medical School, New York, USA. In addition, He also served as a research professor at Korea University and a visiting scientist at Institut Pasteur. He is currently a professor at Department of Stem Cell Regeneration and Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Director of Molecular Cell Reprogramming Center, and CEO of StemExOne Ltd. In addition, he is also currently serving as the president of the Korean Society for Stem Cell Research (KSSCR) and the Dean of Konkuk Institute of Technology KIT at Konkuk University. His areas of expertise include signaling pathways in stem, cancer, and cancer stem cells, molecular mechanism of cellular reprogramming, and apoptosis or autophagy, pancreatic beta-cell differentiation, stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles, organoids etc. He has published more than 180 papers in scientific journals and achieved 13 international patents/ 59 domestic patents/ 9 technology transfers.

Xiuwu Bian, M.D. & Ph.D., is a professor of pathology and the member of Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is the director of the Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Chongqing, China. He is now the vice-president of Chinese Society for Stem Cell Research and the president of Chinese Association of Pathologists. His research interests cover stem cell variation, cancer stem cells and tumor microenvironment. Dr. Bian has been devoted to characterization of various cancer stem cells (CSCs) from human cancer, identification of CSC plasticity and heterogeneity, and the interaction of CSCs with tumor microenvironment. He found that CSCs contribute to angiogenesis through production of angiogenic factors and trans-differentiation into endothelia and pericytes, thus generated new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for precision medicine. He also established a biobank for CSCs and COVID-19 tissues.

Dr. Tianqing Li currently is a Professor/Principal Investigator of the State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology. Dr. Li’s researches aim to uncover the regulatory mechanisms of primate post-implantation embryo development and stem cell pluripotency, and develop treatment strategies of human neurodegenerative diseases with stem cells.

His lab developed the first 3D-culture system that extends human blastocysts growing up to pre-gastrulation stage and provided a developmental landscape of human pre-gastrulation embryos (Nature, 2020); first proved the feasibility to generate chimeric monkeys using embryonic stem cells (Cell Stem Cell, 2015) and deciphered chimeric mechanisms of monkey pluripotent stem cells (Cell Reports, 2018); revealed a previously unknown mechanism that BRN2, a conserved gene, drives early primate telencephalon development by gaining novel mechanistic functions (Science Advances, 2022); and developed a serial systems for isolation, standardized and large-scale culture, differentiation and transplantation of primate stem cells, as well as treatment strategies with stem cells to treat Parkinson’s diseases and spinal cord injury in non-human primate disease models (Biomaterial, 2015, 2016, 2020; Stem Cell Reports, 2016; Stem Cell Res Ther. 2020, et al). These findings offer insights into the new discoveries of fundamental theories in embryonic development, stem cells and promote the development of innovative treatment for neurodevelopmental disorders. He has published more than 40 papers in prestigious journals such as Nature, Cell Stem Cell, Science Advances, Cell reports and others.

Yo Mabuchi, Ph.D，research goal is to analyze the properties of stem cells contained in bone marrow to examine their physiological functions and their effectiveness in regenerative medicine. To date, He have developed a technique to isolate mesenchymal stem cells from humans, mice, and rats using a flow cytometer (JEM, 2009, Nature Protocols, 2012, Stem Cell Reports, 2013, Scientific Reports, 2017). To further development of research, He will analyze the mesenchymal progenitor cell population in aging, disease, and organoid models.

Professor Jaecheol Lee graduated from Sungkyunkwan University School of Pharmacy in 2005 and received his master's and doctoral degrees from the same university in 2011. After he obtained a doctoral degree, he held a post-doctoral position at Joseph Wu's Lab at Stanford University School of Medicine. In 2018, he was appointed as an assistant professor at Sungkyunkwan University School of Pharmacy. His main research area is modeling of rare human diseases using patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells. His research goals are to provide novel therapeutic targets and develop drug screening platforms using patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells.

Jinkook Jung is a scientific Director, Korea National Institutes of Health.He was in charge of quality control for recombinant biological drugs such as growth hormone, filgrastim, erythropoietin, He took experience and knowledge about the GMP quality system. Since then, He has been in charge of quality control and quality assurance for biopharmaceuticals such as antibody and cell therapy for over 20 years. And He also have experience in responding to GMP inspections by Europe and the United States regulators, as well as experience in establishing and qualifying GMP manufacturing facilities that comply with cGMP standards. In addition to these, He has experience in performing a project for the production of clinical GMP guidelines promoted by Korea Regulatory Body, MFDS, and has a track record in various fields such as participating in a number of GMP consultations and training.

Jie Hao, director of the National Stem Cell Resource Center, committee member of ISO/TC276, member of Professional Committee of Biological Sample Bank of China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS)，expert of Standard Working Committee of China Society of Cell Biology, expert and secretary general of Standard Working Group of Chinese Society for Stem Cell Research.

Jie Hao is committed to the research of stem cells and regenerative medicine, and has made many important achievements in cell bank construction, cell drug research and development, stem cell treatment of major diseases, and so on. Led the team to establish the first clinical stem cell bank in China, which was successfully approved as the National Stem Cell Resource Center, and became the first biological sample bank in China to pass the on-site evaluation of CNAS biological sample bank quality and capacity accreditation criteria and the stem cell bank to obtain the administrative license for human genetic resources in China. Established the China Alliance of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine and actively promoted the International Stem Cell Banking Initiative plan (ISCBI).

Prof. Heng Jun Gao,The chairman of National Technical Committee 559 on Bio-specimen of Standardization Administration of China (SAC/TC559); The chairman of Biobank Branch, China Medicinal Biotech Association (BBCMBA); The chairman of Tumor Biospecimen Integration Research Branch of the China Anti-Cancer Association (CACA).

Dr.Shufang Meng works in the cell labaratory of the Institute for Biological Products Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, and specialize in the quality control of biological.

Her main research fields in recent years: quality control methods and standards for cell and gene therapy products.National new drug evaluation expert, member of the Eleventh National Pharmacopoeia Committee, member of the National and Beijing Clinical Research Committee on Stem Cells.

Dr. Yaojin Peng currently is an associate professor of biotechnology law and ethics, at the Institute of Zoology (IOZ), Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in Beijing, China. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in life science and a Master’s degree in Law. He finished his PhD at the Faculty of Law, Maastricht University, the Netherlands. Dr. Peng’s research focuses on legal and ethical issues in the fields of biotechnology and medicine, intellectual property law and standards, policy and management of S&T, etc. He has published several articles in top academic journals, including Nature Biotechnology, Cell Stem Cells. Moreover, Dr. Peng is an expert of National S&T Expert Bank, a member of Expert Committee of National Stem Cell Resource Bank Innovation Alliance, the deputy secretary general of the Center for Science & Technology Development and Governance, Tsinghua University, and an external researcher of the School of Law, Singapore Management University.

Charles’s scientific background lies within the fields of cryobiology, cell and tissue banking. In 1978, he joined the MRC Medical Cryobiology Group at Cambridge University; researching the cryopreservation of kidney, cornea, pancreatic islets, and arteries. In 1992, he helped found the East Anglia Tissue Bank; the first therapeutic tissue bank within the UK National Blood Service. Here, he was responsible for the heart valve, stem cell, skin and amniotic membrane banking services. In 2003, he helped found the UK Stem Cell Bank; becoming its Operations Manager. Tasked with providing human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells for research and clinical application, he was responsible for the ab initio development of the Bank’s cleanroom and liquid nitrogen storage facilities, its quality management system and banking processes; ensuring compliants with UK regulatory requirements. He remained there until retiring in 2017. He is a past-president of the British Association for Tissue Banking, trustee and past-committee member for the Society for Low Temperature Biology and current member of the editorial board of the Journal of Cryobiology.

Jing Lyu, MD, on toxicology and occupational health research at the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medical Sciences before 2003, then began to work at laboratory accreditation in the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment, and is now the deputy director of the Special Standard Accreditation Department, mainly responsible for the medical laboratory accreditation, biobank accreditation program.

Kate Cornish completed her PhD in retinal photoreceptor transplantation at University College London. Following that she moved to the Maurice Wohl Neuroscience Institute at King’s College London to examine human neurodevelopment through directed differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells. In 2019 she joined the UK Stem Cell Bank at the National Institute of Biological Standards and Controls (NIBSC) as a senior stem cell biologist. Since then she has focused on clinical grade stem banking and standardisation of stem cells and cell therapies. From summer 2022 she will lead a new cell therapies group at NIBSC.

Dr. Sabine C. Müeller (Fraunhofer IBMT) is head of the Biomedical Data & Bioethics“ group, located in Berlin and Sulzbach/Saar. Her group is developing and maintaining the human pluripotent stem cell registry (hPSCreg) as an important EU infrastructure in stem cell research, and heading the IT operations of the imi2-funded project EBiSC2 – a sustainable European Bank for induced pluripotent Stem Cells. In addition, she is a key part of the EBiSC2 project management team. Before she joined Fraunhofer IBMT, she studied Bioinformatics at Saarland University and received 2016 her PhD in Clinical Bioinformatics. Her main research topics are digital stem cell technologies, data-centered biobanking and information systems for biomedical translation.

Fredrik Lanner is an assistant professor at Karolinska Institutet. Following his postdoctoral in the lab of Dr. Janet Rossant at the Sickkids Research Institute in Toronto, he established his independent lab at Karolinska Institutet focusing on early human embryo development and translational stem cell medicine. The lab has established the first clinically compliant hESC in Sweden (KARO1) within the cell manufacturing unit at Karolinska University Hospital. The lab has subsequently developed in vitro differentiation protocol for clinical manufacturing of hESC-derived retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells from treatment of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), identified cell surface markers for RPE cells (Plaza Reyes et al., Stem Cell Reports 2016, Plaza Reyes et al., Nature Communication 2020), evaluated CRISPR-based elimination of HLA-epitopes to avoid transplantation rejection (Petrus-Reurer et al Stem Cell Reports 2020), undertaken preclinical safety studies (Petrus-Reurer et al Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2020) and performed extensive transcriptional characterization during RPE differentiation (Petrus-Reurer et al BioRxiv 2021). Based on these developments and through collaborative agreement with StEriks Eye Hospital (Sweden) and Novo Nordisk (Denmark) a clinical trial aiming to treat AMD is being prepared.

Alexandra Stolzing has dedicated her scientific career to the understanding and development of rejuvenation biology. She holds a PhD from Humboldt University Berlin for her work on degradation of damaged proteins by aged microglia, and received her Habilitierung at the University of Leipzig, Germany for her thesis “Modification of aging in mesenchymal stem cells”. She worked at the Kroto Research Institute (UK) and as Group leader and deputy Head of Department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (Germany). She was tenured in 2018 as a full Professor for Biogerontological Engineering at Loughborough University, UK. In addition, she has worked as VP for Research and CSO in start-up companies in the rejuvenation biology sector. She has over 70 academic publications and has led several international research consortia. Her research in regenerative medicine spans areas including cell & gene therapy development and cryopreservation.

Piers Walser is the Lead Process Development & Protein Engineering Scientist for the Clinical Biotechnology Centre within Cellular and Molecular Therapies, part of NHS Blood and Transplant where he heads the research and development group focussing on viral vector bioprocess development, recombinant protein engineering and plasmid manufacturing development as well as novel therapeutic modalities, such as therapeutic RNA.

Prior to this role, he led the antibody and protein engineering group at NHSBT, involving multiple commercial and academic collaborations. He has a strong background in structural biology and biophysics, in particular membrane biophysics as well as computational molecular dynamics and X-ray crystallography. He is interested in structure-driven protein and bio-engineering.

Dr. Deborah L. French is Director of the Human Pluripotent Stem Cell (PSC) Core at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania, and past President of the Stem Cell COREdinates consortium. The human PSC core was established in 2008 as part of the Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics. A major research goal is to model pediatric and adult diseases using pluripotent stem cells in combination with gene editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9. Dr. French is part of multi-investigator teams utilizing human pluripotent stem cells to create new models to better understand the pathogenesis of specific disorders. Research efforts focuse on utilizing these renewable sources of pluripotent stem cell-derived human lineages for therapeutic, diagnostic, and investigative applications.

Kim Leonhard has been a part of the cytogenetics team at WiCell for 14 years, and currently serves as the Cytogenetics Supervisor overseeing the daily activities of the analysis team. Ms. Leonhard completed her Bachelor of Science in Genetics at the University of Wisconsin Madison and earned a certificate from the Mayo School of Health Sciences after completing the Cytogenetic Technology Program. She has a clinical certification in cytogenetics (CG(ASCP)) and is trained in the analysis of g-banded chromosomes, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), spectral karyotyping (SKY), SNP microarray, and the harvest of cells.

Dr. Shawn Je is currently an Associate Professor (with tenure) in the Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders Program at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore. He received his B.S. from KAIST, M.S. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and his Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Genetics from the Graduate Partnership Program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the George Washington University Medical School. Then, he pursued postdoctoral training at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)/ Duke University Medical School. He joined Duke-NUS Medical School in late 2010 as an assistant professor and received his tenure in 2017. He is also a director of the Advanced Bioimaging Centre at SingHealth. The focus of his research is on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying neurological and psychiatric disorders.