Cell & Gene Therapy 2026
Free-to-attend!
Date
09 – 10 March 2026
Location
Cambridge, UK
Day(s)
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Hour(s)
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Minute(s)
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Event Overview
Discover the breakthroughs shaping the future of medicine at this two-day event designed for scientists, innovators, and industry leaders. Our programme combines cutting-edge talks, interactive panel discussions, and dedicated networking opportunities to foster collaboration and spark new ideas:
- Gene Therapies for Neurological & Neurometabolic Disorders: Explore the full translational journey – from preclinical innovation to clinical trials – featuring a unique perspective from a parent whose child received gene therapy.
- Making New Medicines for Sensory Disorders: Learn how advanced modalities are transforming treatment for vision loss, hearing impairment, and neuropathic pain, and tackle the challenges of adoption and reimbursement.
- Individually Rare but Collectively Common: See how cell and gene therapy platforms are accelerating solutions for rare diseases, with strategies to scale impact across genetically defined populations.
- Engineering the Future of Cancer Immunotherapy: Dive into next-generation T cell design, CAR/TCR innovations, and enabling technologies driving safer, more effective cancer treatments.
Track Information
Day 1 – Monday 09 March
Auditorium 1- AM
Gene therapies for neurological and neurometabolic disorders
Track Chairs: Rajvinder Karda (University College London)
The session will showcase successful examples of gene therapy for severe paediatric neurological and neurometabolic disorders. It will explore the full translational journey, from the development of preclinical gene therapy approaches and their evaluation in clinically relevant disease models, through to the translation of these therapies into clinical trials. The session will also feature a unique perspective from a parent whose child has received gene therapy, offering a personal insight alongside scientific and clinical viewpoints. Together, these talks will highlight current challenges in the field and discuss emerging opportunities and future directions for gene therapy
Auditorium 1 – PM
Making New Medicines for Sensory Disorders
Track Chairs: Tim Allsopp (Consilium Bio Ltd)
The session will showcase leading examples of how advanced modalities are generating paradigmatic shifts in the treatment options for patients suffering from vision, hearing loss and neuropathic pain. We aim to present the challenges and opportunities in the development, manufacture, evaluation and adoption of these modalities as future treatments for sensory disorders. The session will cover the level of innovation involved in the design of novel therapies targeting inherited and late-in-life onset disorders, designs to enhance their effectiveness and how developers have addressed the feasibility of delivery. It will also discuss the likely impact for patients, society and healthcare budgets that an approved medicine will deliver when their effect is quality of life improving, but not typically life extending. Finally, we will discuss the conundrum of how payors might decide on which medicines to invest in based on their comparative evaluation
Day 2 – Tuesday 10 March
Auditorium 1 – AM
Individually rare but collectively common: Accelerating gene therapies for rare disease
Track Chairs: Karen Skinner (LifeArc)
Auditorium 1 – PM
Engineering the Future of Cancer Immunotherapy: Advances in T Cell Design and Function
Track Chairs: Christos Georgiadis (UCL, GOS Institute Of Child Health)
Science Committee
Conference Directors
Early Career Professional Conference Director
Verena Brucklacher
Laverock Therapeutics
David Baker
AstraZeneca
Eve Stalker
Broken String Bio
Track Chairs
Tim Allsopp
Consilium Bio Ltd
Karen Skinner
LifeArc
Rajvinder Karda
Institute for Women’s Health, UCL
Christos Georgiadis
UCL, GOS Institute Of Child Health
Speakers
View our speaker lineup, their talk titles and abstracts.
Dr Stephen Ward
Chief Technology Officer,
Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult
Dr Stephen Ward has over two decades of cell and gene therapy expertise, within a career spanning biological medicine research, development and manufacturing. He has been with the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult for over 10 years, playing a pivotal role building its pioneering process development and analytical capabilities; and leading major strategic manufacturing, supply chain, skills and industrial growth programmes. In 2024, he became Chief Technology Officer, shaping the organisation’s technology development strategy. Dr Ward is also Vice Chair of the Medicines Manufacturing Industry Partnership. He will present “Is the Coming of Age of Advanced Therapies Now Within Our Grasp or Ephemeral Hope?” on day one of the conference.
Dr Annarita Miccio
Lab Director, Imagine Institute,
and Senior Researcher, Inserm
Dr Annarita Miccio directs the laboratory of chromatin and gene regulation during development at the Imagine Institute in Paris, France. Her work focusses on transcriptional control of haematopoiesis and developing therapies for beta-haemoglobinopathies. In particular, she optimised the design of lentiviral vectors currently employed in a clinical trial for sickle cell disease and developed CRISPR/Cas9 strategies for beta-haemoglobinopathies. Dr Miccio is the author of over 70 publications and more than 15 patents, she has led major EU- and national-funded projects and received multiple scientific awards. She will discuss the “Successes and Challenges in Gene Therapy: The Example of Beta-Haemoglobinopathies” during her presentation on the second day.
Activities
This conference recognises outstanding contributions of early career professionals to science and innovation through our awards. Offering you the opportunity to celebrate your research or technology with the ELRIG community.
Awards available at this conference:
- Early Career Professional Best Poster Award
What is an Early Career Professional?
- Undergrad
- Postgrad (including PhD)
- Within 5 years of finishing higher education and starting your career
*Career breaks will be recognised, as will individuals whose career has spanned a break due to caring responsibilities or personal circumstances.
ECP Poster Award
The Early Career Professional Poster Award recognises the research and fresh ideas that the next generation of scientists bring to drug discovery.
Posters are judged on relevance, innovation, impact, and presentation quality, with the winner receiving:
- £250 (which you can keep, donate to your lab, or give to charity).
- A prestigious glass trophy.
- Industry exposure & networking opportunities.
We define an ECP as an undergrad, postgrad (including PhD), or someone early in their career.
If you’re interested in applying for this award, please register for this conference and follow the instructions in your confirmation email.
Travel Bursaries
A limited number of £100 travel bursaries are available to support delegates attending the upcoming Cell & Gene Therapy Conference.
These bursaries are intended to help offset travel and/or accommodation costs for those presenting a poster at the event.
Eligibility
Applications are open to all registered delegates who have submitted a poster abstract, across all career stages and institutions.
Up to £100 will be awarded per successful applicant.
Allocation Process
Spaces are limited and bursaries will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to review. Applicants must already be registered for the conference at the time of application. Awards will be based on reasonable travel and accommodation costs, and supporting receipts may be requested.
T&Cs
All delegates may apply for a bursary to support travel and/or accommodation costs to attend ELRIG’s Cell & Gene Therapy 2026 conference, 9th – 10th of March 2026, in Hinxton Hall, Cambridge, UK.
The application deadline is 1st of March 2026
We will notify applicants of the outcome by 2nd of March.
Eligibility
- You must have already registered to attend Cell & Gene Therapy 2026.
- Applicants must have submitted a poster abstract.
- Awards of up to £100 will be allocated based on ELRIG’s assessment of the most economical mode of transport and a reasonable standard of accommodation.
Terms and Conditions
- Travel bursaries are paid in pounds sterling to UK based bank accounts only.
- Applicants may be asked to provide scans of receipts relating to attendance of the meeting.
- Funds will be paid in advance by bank transfer.
- If you do not attend or are unable to attend the event, repayment of the grant to ELRIG will be due.
- Details of applicants will be retained by ELRIG for a period of year seven years for the purpose of administering the grant. See our data protection notice www.elrig.org
Agenda
View the agenda for this conference.
Exhibitors
Find exhibitors on the event floorplan.
Posters
Discover numerous posters and innovative research from across the drug discovery community, aligned to our track themes. Hear from our Flash Poster Presenters and find out who has won the coveted Early Career Professional Poster Award!
PLEASE NOTE: Only one poster can be submitted per delegate. We only need your title and abstract, you do not need to upload your PDF. Also only Early Career Posters will be considered for a flash presentation at this event.
How to submit a poster
To submit a poster application you must first register for this conference. A link to the poster portal will be available in your registration confirmation email. The poster abstract submitted must not exceed 300 words.
PLEASE NOTE: Only one poster can be submitted per delegate, we only need your title and abstract, you do not need to upload your PDF and only Early Career Posters will be considered for a flash presentation at this event.
Poster deadlines
- Flash poster presentation are open to ECPs only – please submit your title and abstract by 16 February
- to be considered for general display – upload your title and abstract by 01 March
We have limited space at site and late entries will not be accepted.
If you have any questions regarding your submission, please contact events@elrig.org
Poster acceptance
Flash Poster Acceptance
If your poster is chosen for a Flash Poster presentation, you will need to prepare a PowerPoint presentation to last no more than 5 minutes. The scientific judging panel will review the posters submitted for Flash poster presentations and if successful you will receive confirmation from the ELRIG Team two weeks prior to the event.
During the event
Your poster should be displayed for the duration of the full event.
A board will be available with your poster number and Velcro strips to affix your poster (your poster must be A0 portrait).
Poster sessions will take place during the late afternoon networking session on Day 1, and in the lunch refreshment break on Day 2. You will be expected to be at your poster during these times to answer questions from delegates.
All posters will need to be collected at the end of the event and removed from site; any posters left at the end of the event will be disposed of.
ECP Poster Award
The Early Career Professional Poster Award recognises the research and fresh ideas that the next generation of scientists bring to drug discovery.
Posters are judged on relevance, innovation, impact, and presentation quality, with the winner receiving:
- £250 (which you can keep, donate to your lab, or give to charity).
- A prestigious glass trophy.
- Industry exposure & networking opportunities.
We define an ECP as an undergrad, postgrad (including PhD), or someone early in their career.
If you’re interested in applying for this award, please register for this conference and follow the instructions in your confirmation email.
Travel bursary for poster presenters
A limited number of £100 travel bursaries are available to support delegates attending the upcoming Cell & Gene Therapy Conference.
These bursaries are intended to help offset travel and/or accommodation costs for those presenting a poster at the event.
The application deadline is 1st of March 2026. We will notify applicants of the outcome by 2nd of March.
APPLY FOR THE POSTER PRESENTER TRAVEL BURSARY HERE
ELIGIBILITY
- You must have already registered to attend Cell & Gene Therapy 2026.
- Applicants must have submitted a poster abstract.
- Awards of up to £100 will be allocated based on ELRIG’s assessment of the most economical mode of transport and a reasonable standard of accommodation.
ALLOCATION PROCESS
Spaces are limited and bursaries will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to review. Applicants must already be registered for the conference at the time of application. Awards will be based on reasonable travel and accommodation costs, and supporting receipts may be requested.
Terms and Conditions
- Travel bursaries are paid in pounds sterling to UK based bank accounts only.
- Applicants may be asked to provide scans of receipts relating to attendance of the meeting.
- Funds will be paid in advance by bank transfer.
- If you do not attend or are unable to attend the event, repayment of the grant to ELRIG will be due.
- Details of applicants will be retained by ELRIG for a period of year seven years for the purpose of administering the grant. See our data protection notice www.elrig.org
Venue & Accommodation
Hinxton Hall Conference Centre
Wellcome Genome Campus
Hinxton
CB10 1RQ
Please note: if you are speaking at this event the ELRIG team will contact you directly regarding accommodation.
Please use code ELRIG2026 book a room onsite
Book your accommodation with ELRIG’s Registration & Accommodation Partner MICE Concierge Ltd.
ELRIG is only able to provide suggestions on how delegates may travel to or places they may stay at, to attend its events. However, ELRIG cannot recommend nor endorse any of the travel choices nor hotels that attendees make and is not liable for any of the services that its delegates procure.
Resources
Social Media
Download our useful social media images to share that you’ll be attending this conference with your network.
Sponsorship Opportunites
We have several sponsorship opportunities available to exhibitors that can provide a wide range of new and exciting benefits for your organisation. We are also happy to discuss a tailored package to suit your budget.
Or visit our interactive floorplan to view available exhibitor spaces and book your booth at this conference.
Justification letter
We’ve created a simple email template to help you get support from your organisation to attend this free event.
FAQs
Are ELRIG events really FREE to attend?
We are a not-for-profit organisation hosting events for the drug discovery community. We believe that access to high quality science should be accessible to all. Find out more here.
We’re grateful for the support from our exhibitors who help us cover the costs of our events from sponsorship and stand sales. If you come to our events, please take the time to visit our exhibition and meet our exhibitors.
Or if you’re interested in exhibiting at an event, check out our sponsorship page.
How do I change / cancel my registration?
If your circumstances change and you can no longer attend, please cancel your ticket. Your confirmation email includes a link to the cancellation site.
Delegates: What do I need to bring with me?
Please save your ticket to your smart device or print a copy. Upon arrival at the venue visit the ELRIG registration and scan the QR Code. Your badge will be automatically printed. If you forget or lose your QR Code you can enter your email address to print your badge.
Refreshments will be provided, please bring your own reusable cups to help us reduce plastic waste at our events.
Can I register on arrival?
ELRIG events are often sold out and we are unable to cater to drop-ins. If you haven’t pre-registered we may be unable to let you in.
Partners & Sponsors
Your posts
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