The Conference will showcase cutting-edge advances in stem cell production, differentiation, and disease modeling applications across multiple therapeutic areas.
Conference Summary
Day 1, Thursday 5th February
Time: 16.30 - 18.30
Venue: Wellcome Genome Conference Centre, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1RQ
The opening session will kick off immediately after the WORD+ event with a keynote lecture and a industry & academia panel discussion considering biotechnological application of organoid and advanced stem cell technologies.
Speakers:
- Majjlinda Lako Professor of Stem Cell Science, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University
- Lyle Armstrong Professor of Cellular Reprogramming, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University
- Rick Livesey CEO, Talisman Therapeutics & Gen2 Neuroscience. Honorary Professor, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, Adjunct Professor, School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin
The afternoon will finish with a networking drinks reception at the Wellcome Genome Conference Centre.
Day 2, Friday 6th February
Time: 9.00 - 15.00
Venue: The Cambridge Building, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, CB22 3AT
The conference's second day will emphasize practical applications of stem cell technologies in neuroscience and oncology research. The programme features presentations from key industry stakeholders and will close with a second interactive panel discussion.
Speakers:
- Fiona Ducotterd, Professor of Neuroscience. Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, University College London. Chief Scientific Officer of the Alzheimer's Research UK UCL Drug Discovery Institute (UDDI)
- Fiona Menzies, Associate Vice President at Eli Lilly and Company
- Davide Danovi, Co-founder of Migration Biotherapeutics Ltd, Visiting Senior Lecturer at King's College London and the University of Cambridge
- Marzena Kurzawa-Akanbi, Lecturer in Regenerative Medicine, Newcastle University
- Bilada Bilican, Senior Director of Applied Stem Cell Sciences, Centre for Genomics Research, AstraZeneca
- Peter Rugg-Gunn, Group Leader, Epigenetics Programme, The Babraham Institute
- Maria Christophorou, Tenure-track Group Leader, Epigenetics Programme, The Babraham Institute
- Matteo Martufi, Associate Director and Group leader of the GSK UK Stem Cell group, GSK
- Stefan Schoenfelder, Senior Staff Scientist, Epigenetics Programme, The Babraham Institute
- Mark Kotter, Founder of bit.bio, Meatable, clock.bio, Research Professor, University of Cambridge, Team Lead in Neuroprotection & Neurodegeneration, NIHR Brain Injury MedTech Co-operative.
Further information and to register: FISCI2026.eventbrite.co.uk
