Two Cell & Gene Therapy Symposiums Teaming Up
This year, California Life Sciences and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine are partnering with the UC San Diego Gene Therapy Initiative to expand the annual Cell & Gene Therapy Symposium into a two-day program. Each organization brings distinct expertise to the field: CLS and CIRM in commercialization, regenerative medicine funding, and the policy and industry networks shaping California’s life sciences ecosystem, and UC San Diego GTI in translational gene therapy research.
Day one, hosted by UC San Diego GTI, features academic and industry leaders showcasing cutting-edge cell-based safety models, ex-vivo and in-vivo genetic therapy technologies, and bold bench-to-bedside strategies. Day two, hosted by CLS and CIRM, features panels on scientific innovation, manufacturing, patient delivery, and commercialization.
Each day stands on its own, so participants can choose to attend one or attend both. The program is built for everyone working in this space across Southern California, across therapeutics, manufacturing, research, capital, and the legal and policy infrastructure that supports the field.
Salk Institute for Biological Studies
La Jolla
September 16 & 17
Agenda
Day 1 | GTI Symposium – Hosted by UC San Diego Gene Therapy Intitative
Programming will cover topics including:
AntiSense Oligonucleotides for Rare Disorders
Ex Vivo Cell Platform for Safety Studies and Treatments for Rare Diseases and Cancer
Panel on Navigating Bench to Bedside
In Vivo Gene Editing as an Emerging Technology
AAV Gene Therapy: Improvised Capsids and Groundbreaking Applications
Day 2 | CGT Symposium – Hosted by California Life Sciences
8:30 – 9:00 AM | Registration & Breakfast
9:00 – 9:15 AM | Welcome Remarks
› John Carethers, MD, Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences, UCSD & Board Member, Independent Citizens’ Oversight Committee (ICOC)
9:15 – 9:45 AM | Keynote Address
› Eric Adler, MD, Clinical Professor, UCSD Department of Medicine
9:45 – 10:35 AM | Panel: Rare Disease & Regulatory Updates
Cell and gene therapies for rare and ultra-rare diseases face real-world challenges across regulatory, manufacturing, financing, and patient access. This panel brings together scientists, regulators, and industry partners who are directly shaping the field to share actionable insights and collaborative solutions.
› Jason Conaty, PhD, JD, Counsel, Hogan Lovells Cadwalader (Moderator)
› Paul Ayoub, PhD, President & CEO, Rarity PBC
› Don Fink, PhD, Master Practice Expert, Regulatory, Dark Horse Consulting Group
Additional Panelists to be Announced
10:35 – 10:55 AM | Coffee Break
11:00 – 11:50 AM | Panel: Advances in Gene Editing
Rapidly emerging in vivo cell and gene therapy approaches, including advanced gene-editing platforms, immuno gene therapy, and endogenous immune lineage reprogramming, are expanding treatment options for patients with cardiometabolic diseases and cancers. This panel examines the safety, efficacy, and translational pathways driving these innovations forward.
› Saul Priceman, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Southern California (Moderator)
› Justin Eyquem, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at UC San Francisco
› Lior Goldberg, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, City of Hope
› Tippi MacKenzie, MD, Director, Broad Stem Cell Center and Professor of Surgery, UC San Francisco
› Brett Stahl, PhD, Co-Founder & VP External Innovation, Scribe Therapeutics
12:00 – 1:00 PM | Networking Lunch
1:00 – 1:50 PM | Panel: Commercialization & Manufacturing
FDA guidance on CMC requirements for cell and gene therapy has recently evolved, but the evidentiary standard for demonstrating a safe, consistent, and high-quality product remains unchanged. Deficiencies in raw materials, scalability, potency, or comparability carry consequences that extend well beyond regulatory delay, undermining the long-term viability of a program. This panel draws on lessons learned across the development lifecycle to examine what a rigorous CMC strategy requires in practice and how early development decisions shape outcomes.
› Taby Ahsan, PhD, Vice President, Cell and Gene Therapy Operations, City of Hope (Moderator)
Additional Panelists to be Announced
1:50 – 2:20 PM | Patient Advocate Speaker
Speaker to be Announced
2:20 – 3:10 PM | Panel: Patient Access
Patient and market access for CGTs remains a significant challenge, driven by complex delivery logistics, limited treatment centers, high upfront costs, and low awareness of available therapies. This session focuses on best practices for access planning during clinical development, covering how trial decisions, payer and provider dynamics, patient advocacy, and population-level strategy all shape the path to patient access.
› Haifaa Abdulhaq, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine, UC San Francisco
Additional Panelists to be Announced
3:10 – 3:30 PM | Coffee Break
3:30 – 4:20 PM | Panel: The Ethical Considerations of Using AI in Cell & Gene Therapy
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are increasingly embedded in cell and gene therapy research, development, and clinical decision-making, raising important questions about how these tools are used responsibly. This panel examines the ethical dimensions of AI in CGT, including informed consent, fairness in access for rare and orphan disease communities, and the risk of patient harm when AI augments or influences clinical judgment. As the field moves toward leveraging every available tool to drive solutions for patients, panelists will explore where the boundaries of responsible AI use lie and what guardrails are needed to ensure equitable outcomes.
Panelists to be Announced
4:20 PM | Closing Remarks
4:30 – 5:30 PM | Networking Reception & Exhibitor Showcase
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Sponsorship Opportunities
Lead Sponsor (Limited)
$10,000
$10,000
- Verbal recognition during welcome and closing remarks
- Opportunity to introduce a program segment*
- Complimentary registration for four (4) attendees, including meals, reception, and breaks
- Optional exhibit location with six (6)-foot table display
- Prominent logo recognition on all event marketing and promotional materials
Reception Sponsor (Limited)
$7,500
$7,500
- Sponsor of closing networking reception, following the program, including event signage and create logo placement
- Complimentary registration for three (3) attendees for the full program, including meals, reception, and breaks
- Optional exhibit location with six (6)-foot table display
- Logo recognition on all event marketing and promotional materials
Coffee Break Sponsor (Limited)
$5,000
$5,000
- Sponsor of one (1) coffee break during the program, including event signage and create logo placement
- Complimentary registration for two (2) attendees, including meals, reception, and breaks
- Optional exhibit location with six (6)-foot table display
- Logo recognition on all event marketing and promotional materials
Supporting Sponsor (Limited)
$2,500
$2,500
- Complimentary registration for one (1) attendee, including meals, reception, and breaks
- Logo recognition on all event marketing and promotional materials
See What You Missed at the 2025 Symposium
CLS’ 2025 Cell & Gene Therapy Symposium brought together leaders from across the life sciences ecosystem to explore the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of these transformative therapies. Discussions focused on navigating regulatory pathways, building investor confidence, scaling manufacturing, and responsibly leveraging AI and automation, while keeping patients at the center of innovation. Speakers highlighted the critical role of academic medical centers in connecting research, clinical care, and regulatory engagement, and emphasized that meaningful progress depends on addressing barriers to access, affordability, and supply. A clear theme emerged throughout the day: advancing cell and gene therapies will require strong collaboration across science, policy, investment, and advocacy to turn breakthrough discoveries into real-world patient impact.
