Steering Committee & Participants
Steering Committee
Meet our Cell & Gene Therapy Insights SIG Steering Committee Members advising on the topics for discussion.
Gwendolyn Binder
President, Science and Technology
Cabaletta Bio
Gwendolyn Binder, Ph.D. is an R&D executive with specialized expertise in the discovery and early clinical development and optimization of engineered T cell therapies. As President, Science and Technology at Cabaletta Bio, she established and leads the strategic vision for research and technology, overseeing scientific, technical, and compliance operations to deliver the first curative targeted cellular therapies for patients with autoimmune diseases. Prior to Cabaletta, Dr. Binder was the Chief Technology Officer at Adaptimmune Therapeutics, where she established the company's US operations and led international manufacturing and research teams of over 150 personnel, and contributed to the first approved engineered TCR T cell therapy for cancer. Her career also includes serving as the Director of Operations for the Translational Research Program at the University of Pennsylvania under Dr. Carl June, where she authored multiple Investigational New Drug (IND) applications, including the CD19 CAR-T IND that ultimately was approved as Kymriah. In her early career, she contributed to efforts leading to the first lentiviral vector used in human trials, at VIRxSYS Corp. Dr. Binder earned her Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Medicine from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, with a focus in viral neuroimmunology. She is a recognized leader in cell and gene therapy translational research, with over 40 publications in top-tier journals such as Science, Nature Medicine, and The New England Journal of Medicine.
Adrian Bot
Former CSO
Capstan Therapeutics
Adrian Bot, M.D., Ph.D. is a biopharma executive with three decades of experience in research and development with a focus on immune, cell, gene therapy and nanomedicines, from start up to global, commercial stage companies. Most recently, he was the founding Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of R&D at Capstan Therapeutics, a company developing next generation RNA-based precision medicines. Previously, he held senior leadership roles at Kite Pharma and Kite — a Gilead Company, including Chief Scientific Officer, Global Head of Translational Medicine and Head of Discovery Research, respectively. At Kite, he contributed to the development of first-in-class CAR T cell therapy products for cancer. Previously, Dr. Bot served in various senior R&D leadership positions at MannKind Corp and Alliance Pharmaceutical Corp, La Jolla, California. He obtained his M.D. in Romania in 1993, his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York in 1998 and subsequently, he was a Guest Scientist at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California. Dr. Bot is an inventor with multiple issued patents in the field of immunotherapy, and he authored or co-authored more than 200 peer reviewed manuscripts, abstracts, book chapters and monographs. He serves on the Board of Directors of Cartesian Therapeutics, Immuthera Bio and ImmunoScape, and serves as Advisor for AbbVie Inc, Stand Up 2 Cancer and other organizations. Dr. Bot participated in several exits to date: Kite Pharma initial public offering, Kite Pharma acquisition by Gilead Sciences and Capstan Therapeutics acquisition by AbbVie Inc.
Sven Kili
Partner
Saisei Ventures & Principal, Sven Kili Consulting Ltd
Dr. Sven Kili is a respected KOL in healthcare and biotechnology, boasting over 20 years of experience. He began as a surgeon in the NHS, where he gained valuable insights into patient care. Transitioning to Cell and Gene Therapies (CGT), Sven played key roles in leading the development, approval and commercialization of both a cell therapy and the first ex-vivo gene therapy. With expertise across all stages of CGT development, he has built companies and teams in both large pharma/biotech and startups. Sven is a partner at Saisei Ventures, a boutique therapeutic venture investment firm focussed on creating and growing innovative companies, including with a focus on the Japanese CGT ecosystem. He also heads his consulting firm, Sven Kili Consulting Ltd., offering strategic guidance to organizations in the biotech and healthcare sectors. Most recently he served as the Chief Development Officer for CCRM (Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine) and OmniaBio. Sven actively contributes to industry boards and committees, including the BIA CGTAC, Innovation Hubs for Gene Therapy, ISCT, and ARM. Sven holds a visiting chair at UCL (University College London), where he heads the steering committee for a post-grad degree in Cell & Gene Therapy manufacturing and commercialisation. His dedication to advancing regenerative medicine and CGT is reflected in his multifaceted roles and ongoing efforts to shape the future of healthcare through innovation and strategic collaboration.
Confirmed Participants
Meet our Cell & Gene Therapy Insights SIG confirmed participants.
