UCL showcases leadership at Europe’s largest commercial cell and gene therapy congress

UCL reinforced its position as a global leader in cell and gene therapy at this year’s event, held on 17–18 March at ExCeL London. The UCL Translational Research Office (TRO), together with UCL Business (UCLB), engaged international industry partners, showcased UCL’s expertise, and highlighted the university’s central role in advancing Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs).

Showcasing UCL’s scientific leadership

The Advanced Therapies Congress is Europe’s largest commercial cell and gene therapy conference and exhibition, bringing together more than 3,300 global executives and 300 speakers.

This year’s programme featured 18 UCL speakers across keynotes, case studies and panel sessions. Their contributions shared expert knowledge on the complexities of ATMP development and demonstrated UCL’s leadership in moving therapies from lab to patients.

Professor Bobby Gaspar, Chief Executive Officer at Orchard Therapeutics and Honorary Clinical Professor at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, delivered a keynote address on "Past, Present and Future of Gene Therapy: How far have we come?". He drew on insights from his experience founding a successful UCL spinout.

Professor Edward Wild, Professor of Neurology at the UCL Huntington’s Disease Centre, discussed "The first successful treatment of Huntington’s disease with a gene therapy" during a keynote fireside chat with Ashleigh Furlong, Health Reporter at Bloomberg News.

Dr Pamela Tranter, Head of the Translational Research Group at the TRO, delivered a well‑received presentation on the challenges of developing advanced therapies. She outlined translational, regulatory and clinical considerations and showed, through UCL case studies, how academia plays a key role in navigating these pathways. Her session generated strong interest and led to discussions about future collaboration.

Engaging partners and connecting communities to support innovation

UCL’s active presence across the programme, combined with strong visibility in discussions on commercialisation and regulatory strategy, reaffirmed the university’s role in helping to deliver next‑generation therapies.

More than 100 interactions took place at the UCL booth, where delegates met colleagues from the TRO and UCLB to explore opportunities for collaboration. Interest in the UCL Therapeutic Innovation Networks (TINs) was particularly strong, reflecting continued demand for connection with UCL’s research and clinical expertise, as well as with like‑minded communities across the wider innovation ecosystem. Increasing engagement and building new collaborations remains a priority to support successful innovation.

Driving forward translation and impact

UCL remains committed to advancing ATMP development through strategic partnerships, high‑quality research and close collaboration with industry, helping to accelerate new treatments and improve patient outcomes. On 22 April, UCL will host the Advanced Therapies Symposium at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, featuring sessions on CAR‑T therapy for autoimmune conditions, rare disease gene therapy, cell therapy and approaches for translating innovations from laboratory to market. Alongside keynote talks and panel discussions, the symposium will include presentations and posters from early career researchers, offering new perspectives on emerging therapeutics and technologies.

For more information about UCL’s translational research and collaboration opportunities, visit our website or contact the TRO team.

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