Cytotherapy Podcast

Cytotherapy, the official journal of the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT), publishes novel research, groundbreaking results, and critical reviews that advance the translation of cell and gene therapies. Leveraging ISCT’s extensive network across the Academic, Industry, and Regulatory Pillars, host Dr. Patrick Hanley, offers listeners exclusive, behind-the-scenes conversations with leading clinicians, regulators, researchers, technologists, and industry partners - exploring their work in Cytotherapy and how they are driving these therapies from bench to bedside. 

 PODCAST GUESTS

Are we in the golden age of cell and gene therapy? How did Cytotherapy turn around its submission turnaround time to become a leader in the sector? What can we expect from the Journal in upcoming years?

In this episode of the Cytotherapy Podcast, host Patrick Hanley, PhD is joined by Cytotherapy Editor-in-Chief Edwin M, Horwitz, MD, PhD as he explains how The Golden Age of Cell and Gene Therapy Special Issue was developed, and takes us behind the scenes to show how the Journal is changing to continue to serve ISCT members and educate the CGT sector.

   
   Edwin M. Horwitz, MD, PhD
  Cytotherapy Editor-In-Chief
  United States 


Dr. Ed Horwitz is an accomplished researcher, physician, and professor with a remarkable career spanning over 30 years in cell therapy. He holds the esteemed position of Marcus Professor of Cellular Therapy and is Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. He also serves as the Co-Director of the Marcus Center for Pediatric Advanced Cellular Therapies, the Director of Transplantation Biology and Therapeutics in the Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center, as well as an Attending Physician at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Dr. Horwitz has notable editorial expertise with previous experience as an Associate Editor for Cytotherapy (2007-2016) and Associate Editor of Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (2005-2017).
 
Dr. Horwitz has an extensive history of engagement with ISCT. Over 26 years, he has held roles including ISCT President (2010-2012) and founding chairman of the MSC Committee. These roles have uniquely positioned him to further the vision and mission of the journal and elevate Cytotherapy's reputation as a premier platform for disseminating groundbreaking research globally.

What should we be most excited for in the CAR T space? Where in Africa might we see CAR Ts implemented successfully? What's the role of serendipity in a successful career?
CAR-T pioneer Bruce Levine joins host Patrick Hanley, PhD on the inaugural Cytotherapy Podcast episode to discuss key developments in the CAR T field and share some insights into how Early Stage Professionals can build their careers.


   Bruce Levine, PhD
  University of Pennsylvania
  United States


Dr. Bruce Levine, Barbara and Edward Netter Professor in Cancer Gene Therapy, is the Founding Director of the Clinical Cell and Vaccine Production Facility (CVPF) in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. He received a B.A. (Biology) from Penn and a Ph.D. in Immunology and Infectious Diseases from Johns Hopkins. First-in-human adoptive immunotherapy trials include the first use of a lentiviral vector, the first infusions of gene edited cells, and the first use of lentivirally-modified cells to treat cancer. Dr. Levine is also co-inventor of the first FDA approved gene therapy (Kymriah), chimeric antigen receptor T cells for leukemia and lymphoma, licensed to Novartis. Notably, Dr. Levine is featured as a co-inventor on 33 issued US patents, and co-author of >200 manuscripts and book chapters with a Google Scholar citation h-index of 115. Moreover, he is a Co-Founder of Tmunity Therapeutics and Capstan Therapeutics, both spinouts of the University of Pennsylvania.
 
Dr. Levine is a recipient of the William Osler Patient Oriented Research Award, the Wallace H. Coulter Award for Healthcare Innovation, the National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match ONE Forum Dennis Confer Innovate Award, the American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy Jerry Mendell Award for Translational Science, the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy Career Achievement Award in Cell and Gene Therapy, the Richard N. Merkin Prize in Biomedical Technology, and is a Past-President of the ISCT. He has written for Scientific American and Wired and is dedicated to training the next generation of scientists, public outreach, and expanding global and equitable access to advanced therapies.
 PODCAST HOST

Patrick J. Hanley, PhD
Cytotherapy Commissioning Editor
Children's National Hospital
United States

Dr. Hanley is the Chief and Director of the Cellular Therapy Program and an associate professor of pediatrics at Children’s National Hospital and the George Washington University, respectively. He oversees processing for standard of care stem cell transplantation as well as the development, manufacture, quality, and testing of novel cell and gene therapies. Over the past 19 years he has helped to translate more than 600 products on over 25 cell therapy protocols – ranging from mesenchymal stromal cells to cord blood virus-specific T cells and tumor-associated antigen specific T cells – into the clinic.

In 2020, Dr. Hanley was elected VP-North America for the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy (ISCT) where he also served on the board of directors, co-founded and acted as the inaugural co-chair of the Early Stage Professionals committee which focuses on workforce development, and is the commissioning editor of the society’s journal, Cytotherapy. Representing ISCT, he also devotes his time working on the Regenerative Medicine Forum of the National Academies, where he co-leads the workforce working group. Additionally, Hanley is on the board of directors of the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) and is a FACT representative at the Cell Therapy Liaison Meeting, presenting as a thought leader in a forum with the FDA. Lastly, Dr. Hanley also functions an advisor for a number of cell and gene therapy biotech companies. In his free time, he enjoys cycling, playing soccer, cooking, travelling and engaging with his fellow scientists and Bills fans on social media.