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Cell Therapy Innovation Symposium 2026

  • When

    14. Oct
    10:00 AM - 06:30 PM

  • Where

    Kaare Norum Auditorium, Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park

  • Organizer

    Thermo Fisher Scientific, Oslo Cancer Cluster and ATMP Norway
Register for the ecosystem event here
Promotional banner for the Cell Therapy Innovation Symposium 2026. The image shows a bright laboratory environment with two researchers in white lab coats and blue gloves working at a biosafety cabinet surrounded by laboratory equipment, pipettes, bottles, and containers. Large blue text across the top reads “Cell Therapy Innovation Symposium 2026.” The background features laboratory workstations, large windows, and scientific instruments, highlighting a cell therapy and biotechnology research setting. At the bottom are the event partner logos: Oslo Cancer Cluster, ATMP Norway, and Thermo Fisher Scientific. The overall visual emphasizes innovation, collaboration, and advanced cell therapy research.

Welcome to a day dedicated to cell therapy innovation at Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park on 14 October 2026, including an Ecosystem Meeting and a Scientific Symposium.

Ecosystem event

The day opens with a Cell Therapy Ecosystem Event, co-hosted by Oslo Cancer Cluster and ATMP Norway from 10:00–12:00.

This interactive, forward-looking meeting brings together Norwegian ATMP innovators with key Nordic and European peers, complementing and setting the scene for the Scientific Symposium that follows. Rather than status updates, the session is designed to generate new ideas: surfacing emerging best practice from the different milieus represented and using it to spark concrete thinking on partnerships and collaborative models for Nordic and European ATMP innovation, with a shared focus on starting with the end in mind and building quality in by design.

The format combines short spotlight presentations (5–10 min) from distinguished Nordic/European experts with panel discussion connecting these perspectives to the Norwegian, Nordic and European ATMP ecosystem, followed by an open floor for questions and exchange.

Register here for the Ecosystem Event

AGENDA:

10:00–10:04 Welcome

Jutta Heix, OCC & Anna Pasetto, ATMP Norway

10:05–10:14 The T2Evolve Story: counteracting fragmentation and work towards sustainable multistakeholder collaboration & a call to action

Carmen Sanges, T2Evolve

10:15–10:21 University Hospitals and Universities are regional innovation hubs: How do we secure that innovations reach the patient?

Knut Steffensen, Director, Karolinska ATMP Center

10:22–10:28 ATMP Denmark & the Danish Model (final title TBC)

Jette Østergaard Rathe, Director ATMP Denmark → Region of Southern Denmark from Oct. 2026

10:29–10:35 The ATMP model of Lund

Sara Nolbrant, LU-ATMP

10:35–10:41 The ATMP Roadmap: Thinking Forward, Working Backwards

Christian Andersson, Director Sahlgrenska ATMP Center

10:42–10:48 From Local Ideas to European Impact: Join GeneNovate® and Connect to Germany’s GCT, Biotech & MedTech Ecosystem

Elke Luger, Head of the National Network Office Gene and Cell Therapies, BIH Berlin and Genovate

10:49–10:55 From lab to patients - experience from a Norwegian biotech

Emilie Gauthy, CTO, Zelluna Immunotherapy

10:56–11:00 A Nordic Advanced Therapy Readiness Pulse: 3 live questions for the audience

Carmen Sanges, Executive Board Member & EU Projects Lead, University Hospital Würzburg & T2EVOLVE Association

11:00–11:25 Panel 1: "Building Each Other's Excellence: Towards a Connected European Research and Innovation Community"

  • Moderator: Anna Pasetto, ATMP Norway
  • Knut Steffensen
  • Christian Andersson
  • Sara Nolbrant
  • Jette Østergaard Rathe
  • Elke Luger

11:25–11:50 Panel 2: “Start with the End in Mind: Choosing the Right Path for the Right Product and Patients”

  • Moderator: Manuel Schweikle, Thermo Fisher Scientific
  • Anna Pasetto
  • Jochen Büchner
  • Emilie Gauthy
  • Carmen Sanges

11:50 –11:55 Wrap-up and outlook

Jutta Heix & Anna Pasetto

11:55–12:00 Lunch gathering announcement: The CGT Circle

Nikola Ambler, The CGT Circle

Scientific symposium

The ecosystem event will be followed by a Scientific Symposium, hosted by Thermo Fisher Scientific from 12:00–17:00. The symposium will feature international experts from academia and industry.

Register here for the Scientific Symposium

Scientific program

  • Translating TCRs into the clinic
    Johanna Olweus, PhD, MD, Head of the Department of Cancer Immunology, Oslo University Hospital, Norway
  • Challenges and Opportunities: Advancing Cell Therapy Through iPSC Models
    Elena Matsa, PhD, Principal Investigator, iPSC Cell Therapy Research and Bioprocess Development, UCC–NIBRT, Ireland
  • Flexible and Automated Production of Cell & Gene therapies using Modular Minifactories
    Andrea Gaißler, PhD, Research Associate, Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering & Automation IPA, Germany
  • Cellular Therapy for Solid Tumours
    John Haanen, PhD, MD, Director of the Center for Cellular Therapy at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Netherlands
  • Beyond the Vial: BMS Cell Therapy — From Discovery to Patient Access
    Nora Lieske, PhD, Senior Medical Advisor, Hematology/CAR T, Bristol Myers Squibb, Norway

Reception and networking

The day will conclude with a reception and networking session at John Ugelstads Hus from 17:00–18:30.

The core program will be complemented by additional activities, incl. a workshop hosted by Thermo Fisher Scientific on 15 October.

Registration

Please note there are two separate registrations for the ecosystem event (10:00-12:00) and the scientific symposium (12:00-18:30) on this day.