RESILIENCE Careers Webinar: From Bench to Bedside: Exploring Careers in Cell Therapy

Overview:

Join us for a webinar that offers an overview of the full lifecycle of cell therapy development, from early-stage research through to manufacturing, regulatory approvals, and patient delivery. This session will take you behind the scenes of the cell therapy pipeline and highlight the wide range of career paths that contribute to bringing these life-changing treatments to market.

Drawing from his own journey—spanning bioprocess development, product development, operations, quality, health economics, and consultancy—James will share insights into how careers can evolve within the cell and gene therapy sector, and how to break into the field through apprenticeships, degrees, or hands-on experience.

What you’ll learn:

• A quick overview of the cell therapy lifecycle: from discovery to delivery

• Career paths that play a part in that journey, and how they connect

• Real-life advice on breaking into the industry or transitioning between roles

This session is ideal for students, early-career professionals, or anyone considering a transition into or within biotech/CGTC.

Speaker Bio:

James Kusena is a Bioprocessing and Operations Consultant with deep expertise in cell and gene therapy process development and manufacturing translation. His work focuses on enabling robust product realisation, with an emphasis on process development, manufacturability, clinical adoption, and health economics.

James has held executive roles within the biotech sector, including Vice President of Operations & Product Owner and Vice President of Bioprocessing & Applications. In those roles, he led the development of tools and technologies for cell therapy manufacturing and process development. He also brings a strong entrepreneurial background, having been involved in ventures across biotech, health & fitness, professional development, and real estate.

James holds a Ph.D. in regenerative medicine from Loughborough University and is a recipient of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Shott Scale-Up Accelerator Award. He serves as an advisory board member for the Centre for People-Led Digitalisation and sits on the steering committee for UCL’s MSc in Cell & Gene Therapy Manufacturing & Commercialisation Programme, where he is also a visiting lecturer.

Drawing from a career that has spanned bioprocess development, product innovation, operations, quality, and consultancy, James brings a unique cross-functional perspective to his work. He now supports organisations and individuals as a consultant and coach—empowering them to navigate complexity, build impactful careers, and drive innovation in life sciences.