Early-stage decisions that shape cell therapy development

Jeff Liter is a seasoned biotechnology executive who has raised more than $15 million in angel seed capital to launch four companies, each guided to profitability or a strategic exit. He entered the cell therapy field as Chief Operating Officer of Progenitor Cell Therapy, where he supported over 25 clinical trials from Phase I through pivotal Phase III studies, and has since led major technology transfers and operational scale-ups, including Kite Pharma's T-cell therapy from the National Institutes of Health and the Novartis and Adaptimmune programmes from the University of Pennsylvania. He later led B-MoGen Biotechnologies in developing TcBuster, the first widely adopted transposon-based gene engineering tool in cell therapy, broadening access to non-viral engineering approaches.

As CEO of Luminary Therapeutics, Jeff advanced a novel ligand-based CAR platform into the clinic, achieving an approved Phase I IND for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This multi-antigen targeting approach is designed to address the approximately 25% relapse rate driven by antigen escape. He also leads OX2 Therapeutics, where he has guided the development of a therapeutic candidate into a Phase I clinical trial for recurrent glioblastoma, addressing a significant unmet need in oncology.

Jeff is recognized for his ability to bridge scientific innovation with disciplined execution, translating cutting-edge therapies into clinically and commercially viable solutions.

Dr. Mojtaba Parvizi is a scientific leader in cell and gene therapy, immuno-oncology, and translational medicine. At Cytiva, he directs the Global FastTrak Cell Therapy program, where he works with biotech and pharmaceutical partners worldwide to accelerate the development and commercialization of CAR-T and other engineered immune cell therapies. He leads global efforts to connect translational science with operational excellence, advancing scalable and automated solutions that strengthen cell therapy manufacturing. Passionate about bridging innovation with strategy, he is dedicated to improving efficiency, reproducibility, and patient access to next-generation therapies.

Dr. Mo Heidaran is currently Chief Scientist at Cellx Consulting and Founder of CHCF a non profit organization with interest in discovery and development of gene based biomarkers for diagnosis of serious brain disorders.  He is a recognized expert in the development of cell and gene therapies with more than 9 years of experience at the FDA’s working in both product and compliance offices (CBER/OTP/OCBQ), 3+ years in a large CRO, Parexel as VP of Technical and Regulatory, and 15+ years as Director R&D in biotech industry working in companies like Celgene, BD, and GC Therapeutics. He is a former member of the International Society of Cell Therapy Legal and Regulatory Affair Committee, and United State Pharmacopeia Bio5 Expert Committee. He is the founder of the new Gordon Research Conference on Synthetic Biology in 2000. He is current member of the Advancing RNA Advisory Board. He also holds 25 issued patents and 54 pending patents, and his work has appeared in more than 50 peer-reviewed scientific publications.  

Aleks Guvenel is the Head of Process Development at Quell Therapeutics, a UK-based biotechnology company developing regulatory T cell (Treg) therapies for immune-mediated diseases. He is leading the development and optimisation of the company's Treg manufacturing platform, supporting the translation of innovative cell therapies into clinical development. Prior to Quell, Aleks worked at University College London and Great Ormond Street Hospital, where he contributed to the development and manufacture of cell and gene therapies for paediatric post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) and leukaemia. He has extensive experience in cell therapy process development and manufacturing.