Julie Allickson, PhD

• Michael S. and Mary Sue Shannon Director of Mayo Clinic’s Center for Regenerative Medicine

• Otto Bremer Trust Director, Biomanufacturing and Product Development, Center for Regenerative Medicine

• Vice chair of Cord Blood Association Quality Standards Committee and Member of the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy & American Association of Blood Banks

Dr. Allickson joins Mayo Clinic from Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine, where she served as the chief manufacturing development center officer.  Dr. Allickson has 30 years of experience in clinical translation of cellular therapies and regenerative medicine products including business management and board directorship experience. Prior to the Institute, Dr. Allickson was the Vice President of Research and Development and Laboratory Operations for Cryo-Cell International Inc.

Dr. Allickson was part of the team to perform the first Bone Marrow Transplant at the University of Miami in 1990 and at Miami Children’s Hospital Bone Marrow Transplant Program. She has a Doctorate in Health Sciences- Clinical Immunology along with a Master’s Degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences. She is one of the founding members of the International Society of Cellular Therapy and a member of the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB).  Dr. Allickson is on the Board of Directors for AABB and IWEUS Capital along with Regenerative Medicine Outcomes Foundation as a scientific advisor, Editorial board of CELLR4, Vice Chair for Cord Blood Association Quality Committee, Technical Advisory Board for Tissue Engineered Products under ICCBBA, grant reviewer for state funded initiatives such as CIRM and serves on the ISCT Commercialization Committee.

Prof. Dr. Ivan Martin

• Head of Tissue Engineering Research Group, University Hospital Basel (UHB)

• Chair of Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel

Prof. Dr. Ivan Martin studied Biomedical Engineering at the University of Genova where he obtained his PhD in 1996. Between 1996 and 1999 he was a postdoctoral associate at Harvard/MIT. He joined the Department of Biomedicine (DBM) at the University Hospital of Basel in 1999 as leader of the Tissue Engineering Research Group, in close coordination with the surgical units. In 2007 he was appointed Professor for Tissue Engineering at the University of Basel and from 2021 he is Director of the DBM. From 2004 to 2009 he was the first president of the European section of the Tissue Engineering Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS), and later Chair of the TERMIS Strategic Alliance Committee. In 2018 he was elected as member of the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences. He is currently Chair of the ‘Mesenchymal stromal cell committee’ and member of the ‘Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Committee’ of the International Society for Cellular and Gene Therapy (ISCT). He is part of the editorial boards of 6 international journals. His group includes scientists from the biological, engineering and clinical fields, dedicated to develop solid scientific basis for innovative translational strategies in regenerative surgery. In this field he is author of more than 300 peer-reviewed papers on international journals (H-index of 100), inventor on 12 patent applications and recipient of grants from the main funding bodies, including the prestigious European Research Council. The developed science and technology have been translated into different clinical trials for cell-based cartilage and bone repair, and into the founding of a spin-out company for the commercialization of bioreactors for 3D cell culture (Cellec Biotek AG).

Martina Schuessler-Lenz, M.D.

• Federal Agency for vaccines and Biomedicines, Langen, Germany

• Ex-Chair, EMA Committee for Advanced Therapies (CAT)

• Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, department haematology, cell-and gene therapy

Dr. Martina Schuessler-Lenz graduated from medical school at Mainz University Hospital, Germany. She worked as clinician-scientist in Berlin, New York and Barcelona and completed her fellowship in Internal Medicine, Hematology/Medical Oncology at the Mainz University Hospital (Professor Ch. Huber). She joined the pharmaceutical industry in 1992 and was responsible for several clinical drug development projects of anticancer agents.

Since 2005 she is working as M.D. at the Paul-Ehrlich Institute in the Department Haematology, Cell and Gene Therapy, where she reviews Advanced Therapies in clinical trials and marketing authorizations, and provides advice to ATMP development and life cycle management. She is committed to facilitate the development of Advanced Therapies and has a specific focus in providing guidance to academic developers of ATMPs.

Dr Martina Schüßler-Lenz has served as the elected Chair of the Committee for Advanced Therapies (CAT) of the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) since her appointment by the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut in February 2017. In accordance with the requirements of the European Commission, her mandate ended in February 2023 after two terms.