Dr. Martin Rabel

Affiliation: Cytiva

Background: Martin Rabel, Ph.D., leads Cytiva’s BioPharma Services in EMEA, with a focus on RNA‑LNP technologies and CDMO solutions. He supports nucleic acid therapy development through Cytiva’s lipid nanoparticle platform and integrated development, analytical, and manufacturing services. With a background in Pharmacy and Nanomedicine, he drives innovation across the biopharma landscape while delivering scientific and commercial excellence.

hVIVO

hVIVO is a full-service early phase CRO offering end-to-end drug development services from preclinical consultancy through to Phase III clinical trials, including world leading end-to-end human challenge trials services. With decades of experience in rapidly delivering data for our global client base, our team brings together strategic insight and operational expertise to deliver a variety of clinical study types across multiple locations.

To support rapid study start-up and reliable delivery, our dedicated recruitment teams in Germany and the UK provide direct access to both healthy volunteers and patient populations. This is complemented by our integrated drug development consultancy as well as our infectious disease and immunology laboratories and biobanking services.

Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen GmbH

Saxony Trade & Invest Corporation (Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen GmbH, WFS) is a state-owned economic development agency of the Free State of Saxony whose mission is to strengthen the region’s business and research environment. With more than 30 years of experience, the organization seeks to promote Saxony’s economy and support its stakeholders.

WFS acts on behalf of the state government, with its supervisory board chaired by the Saxony State Minister for Economic Affairs, Labor, Energy and Climate Protection.

The agency works in three specialist domains:

Foreign Trade & Fairs: supporting Saxon companies in connecting with international partners—customers, suppliers, or investors.
Investor Services: assisting both domestic and foreign firms in establishing operations in Saxony or expanding existing ones.
Industry, Innovation & Marketing: helping entrepreneurs and researchers focused on future technologies to find partners, develop projects, and access resources; also responsible for globally promoting Saxony as a business location.

WFS offers a full suite of services: facilitating market entry, helping with company foundations or expansions, fostering networks between business and research, enabling cross-regional cooperation, and marketing the Saxony location internationally.

While based in Dresden, its remit extends across the entire state and beyond, aiming to support both local projects and international investment. The organization positions itself as a partner for companies, researchers, and investors with ideas, and offers tailored assistance for projects of all sizes.

Visit their website here.

https://business-saxony.com/en

Ion Tcacencu

Ion Tcacencu, MD, PhD holds a doctorate from Karolinska Institutet in regenerative medicine and brings over 17 years of academic expertise in cell and tissue engineering. After transitioning into industry to lead quality and manufacturing at a cell therapy startup, he joined hVIVO as a CMC consultant. He supports academic ATMP developers with regulatory strategy, CMC development, market landscape analysis, and GMP-ready programmes — as well as technical due diligence for investors.

Twist Bioscience

At Twist Bioscience, they work in service of customers who are changing the world for the better. In fields such as medicine, agriculture and industrial chemicals, by using their synthetic DNA tools, their customers are developing ways to better lives and improve the sustainability of the planet. The faster their customers succeed, the better for all of us, and Twist Bioscience is uniquely positioned to help accelerate their efforts.

Their innovative silicon-based DNA Synthesis Platform provides precision at a scale that is otherwise unavailable to their customers. Their platform technologies overcome inefficiencies and enable cost-effective, rapid, precise, high-throughput synthesis, sequencing and therapeutics discovery, providing both the quality and quantity of the tools they need to most rapidly realize the opportunity ahead. For more information about their products and services, please visit www.twistbioscience.com.

The future of CGT Leiden

On April 24, therapy developers from across the Cell and Gene Therapy space will meet in Leiden to share tools, cases, and hard-won lessons. Instead of lecture-like sessions, you can expect sharp discussions, hands-on workshops, and practical insights to help you develop better therapies, faster.

Whether you’re a biotech founder, platform innovator, investor, or clinician, this is your chance to connect, learn, and move the field forward, together.

In CGT, success isn’t just about innovation.
It’s about building the right company around it.
What to expect:

Case studies from real CGT projects, with lessons you can apply
Breakouts for biotech, manufacturing, regulatory, and clinical tracks
Workshops designed to build practical skills, not just spark ideas
A partnering setting that encourages honest conversations and new partnerships
A full-day program, all in one location, minutes from Leiden Central

You can check out their website here.

Qiagen

QIAGEN is the leading global provider of Sample to Insight solutions to transform biological materials into valuable molecular insights. Their mission is to make improvements in life possible by enabling their customers to achieve outstanding success and breakthroughs in life sciences research, applied testing, pharma and molecular diagnostics. Further information can be found here.

SaxoCell Welcomes Global Research Collaboration Between Seamless Therapeutics and Eli Lilly to Develop Novel Gene Therapies for Hearing Loss

The cell and gene therapy cluster SaxoCell congratulates its industry partner Seamless Therapeutics on the announcement of a strategic global research collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company to develop programmable recombinase-based gene therapies for genetically caused hearing loss.

The collaboration aims to advance a novel generation of precise gene-editing approaches. It combines Seamless Therapeutics’ proprietary recombinase platform with Lilly’s extensive development and translational expertise in genetic hearing disorders. The goal is to specifically correct disease-causing mutations and create new therapeutic options for patients who currently have limited treatment possibilities.

“The cooperation between Seamless Therapeutics and Eli Lilly is a strong signal of our cluster’s international visibility and innovative strength,” says SaxoCell spokesperson Frank Buchholz. “It impressively highlights the potential within the technologies and companies of our network – from excellent basic research to global clinical development.”
Seamless Therapeutics develops programmable, highly specific recombinases that enable precise DNA insertions, exchanges, or deletions independently of cellular repair mechanisms. The platform opens new perspectives for disease-modifying therapies for genetic disorders. Under the agreement, Seamless will program specific recombinases for defined target genes, while Lilly will assume responsibility for further preclinical and clinical development as well as worldwide commercialization.

For SaxoCell, this partnership is further evidence of the successful development of a high-performance innovation ecosystem in the field of cell and gene therapy. The cluster brings together leading research institutions, clinics, and industry partners with the goal of translating scientific breakthroughs into clinical applications more rapidly.

“We are proud to have such a visionary company as Seamless Therapeutics in our consortium,” Buchholz continues. “The conclusion of this international collaboration demonstrates that cutting-edge research and entrepreneurial excellence from our cluster can set global standards.”

SaxoCell will closely follow the further development of these promising therapeutic approaches and views the collaboration as an important signal of the region’s attractiveness in the international competition for innovation in gene medicine.

SaxoCell begrüßt globale Forschungskooperation zwischen Seamless Therapeutics und Eli Lilly zur Entwicklung neuartiger Gentherapien gegen Hörverlust

Das Zell- und Gentherapie-Cluster SaxoCell gratuliert seinem Industriepartner Seamless Therapeutics zur Bekanntgabe einer strategischen globalen Forschungskooperation mit Eli Lilly and Company zur Entwicklung programmierbarer Rekombinase-basierter Gentherapien gegen genetisch bedingten Hörverlust.

Die Zusammenarbeit zielt darauf ab, eine neuartige Generation präziser Geneditierungsansätze voranzubringen. Dabei wird die proprietäre Rekombinase-Plattform von Seamless Therapeutics mit der umfassenden Entwicklungs- und Translationsexpertise von Lilly im Bereich genetischer Hörstörungen kombiniert. Ziel ist es, krankheitsverursachende Mutationen gezielt zu korrigieren und neue therapeutische Optionen für Patientinnen und Patienten mit bislang begrenzten Behandlungsmöglichkeiten zu schaffen.

„Die Kooperation zwischen Seamless Therapeutics und Eli Lilly ist ein starkes Signal für die internationale Sichtbarkeit und Innovationskraft unseres Clusters“, sagt SaxoCell-Sprecher Frank Buchholz. „Sie unterstreicht eindrucksvoll, welches Potenzial in den Technologien und Unternehmen unseres Netzwerks steckt – von exzellenter Grundlagenforschung bis hin zur globalen klinischen Entwicklung.“

Seamless Therapeutics entwickelt programmierbare, hochspezifische Rekombinasen, die präzise DNA-Insertionen, -Austausche oder -Entfernungen unabhängig von zellulären Reparaturmechanismen ermöglichen. Die Plattform eröffnet neue Perspektiven für krankheitsmodifizierende Therapien bei genetischen Erkrankungen. Im Rahmen der Vereinbarung wird Seamless spezifische Rekombinasen für definierte Zielgene programmieren, während Lilly die weitere präklinische und klinische Entwicklung sowie die weltweite Kommerzialisierung übernimmt.

Für SaxoCell ist diese Partnerschaft ein weiterer Beleg für die erfolgreiche Entwicklung eines leistungsfähigen Innovationsökosystems im Bereich Zell- und Gentherapie. Das Cluster vereint führende Forschungseinrichtungen, Kliniken und Industriepartner mit dem Ziel, wissenschaftliche Durchbrüche schneller in klinische Anwendungen zu überführen. „Wir sind stolz, mit Seamless Therapeutics ein so visionäres Unternehmen in unserem Konsortium zu haben“, so Buchholz weiter. „Der Abschluss dieser internationalen Kooperation zeigt, dass Spitzenforschung und unternehmerische Exzellenz aus unserem Cluster globale Maßstäbe setzen können.“

SaxoCell wird die weitere Entwicklung dieser vielversprechenden Therapieansätze mit großem Interesse begleiten und sieht in der Zusammenarbeit ein wichtiges Signal für die Attraktivität des Standorts im internationalen Wettbewerb um Innovationen in der Genmedizin.

Dr Jing Gong

Affiliation:

Sino Biological Europe GmbH

Background: Dr. Jing Gong provides technical assistance for their recombinant protein and antibody products, as well as support CRO services of recombinant protein production and antibody development for their customers. Before joining Sino, Dr. Gong obtained his PhD degree in the neurodegenerative disease research field in 2019, in Germany.

FamiCord AG

FamiCord is Europe’s first and leading stem cell bank, trusted for decades and recognized for its strong clinical track record. We specialize in preserving perinatal cells and tissues and provide families across many countries with high‑quality, secure, and future‑oriented solutions. In Germany, Vita 34 in Leipzig has been FamiCord’s established market presence for 29 years. In addition to private customer services, FamiCord offers comprehensive services for business partners: We support third‑party companies with reliable and secure processing, testing, and long‑term storage of umbilical cord blood, cord tissue, and placenta tissue. With an extensive partner network across Europe, Asia, and Africa, we offer strong international coverage. We also provide specialized services for biotech companies and clinics and collaborate with academic institutions to advance regenerative medicine and biotechnology. Here Bramble Bio – a FamiCord company, supports pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, hospitals, and academic institutions in developing and manufacturing innovative cell therapies. Services include process development for efficient and safe production workflows and cGMP‑compliant manufacturing to meet the highest clinical quality and safety standards.

Visit FamiCord’s website here.

Visit Vita 34’s website here.

You can view FamiCord’s image film below or by clicking here.

Regina Demlova

Affiliation:

Centre of Excellence CREATIC (Central European Advanced Therapy and Immunotherapy Centre)
Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic

Background: Dr. Regina Demlová (MD, PhD) is a clinical pharmacologist specializing in oncology and personalized therapies including ATMPs. She is an Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic, where she also serves as Head of the Department of Pharmacology. For over a decade, she has been a leading figure in the development of academic clinical research in the Czech Republic, having established and currently leading the national clinical research infrastructure CZECRIN and the Centre of Excellence CREATIC, dedicated to the research, development, GMP production, clinical trials, and regulatory aspects of advanced cell and gene therapies.

Sino Biological – Driving Discovery, Delivering Life-Changing Biotech Innovations

About Sino Biological

Sino Biological is a global leader in producing high-quality recombinant proteins, antibodies, and cDNA clones for life sciences, biotech, and pharmaceutical industries. With 15+ years of experience, we provide integrated solutions from research and development to full-scale manufacturing to accelerate scientific discovery and drug development.

Our Mission

Advance life science research and improve human health by delivering superior research reagents and contract research organization (CRO) services.

Core Competencies

– Recombinant Protein & Antibody Production: Custom research reagents supporting academic, biotech, and pharma innovation.

– Pre-Clinical Production & CRO: Services supporting hundreds of monoclonal antibody drug candidates.

– Bioprocess Center (USA): GMP-compliant facility specializing in low endotoxin production, high purity proteins, protein interaction analysis, tag removal, buffer screening, and glycosylation studies.

Innovation & Technology

Cutting-edge R&D platforms combined with scalable manufacturing ensure high-throughput, efficient production. Quality control includes biochemical, enzymatic, cellular, molecular, virological, and immunological assays.

Strategic Acquisition

In 2024, acquired SignalChem Biotech Inc., expanding our enzyme portfolio with the world’s largest active kinase catalog and enhanced enzyme assay development services.

Our People & Facilities

– 900+ staff, including 230+ with advanced degrees

– 279,800 sq ft lab/office space

– 75,000 sq ft GMP manufacturing facility

– Global presence: Beijing HQ, subsidiaries in the US, Europe, Japan, and a worldwide distributor network

Clients

Serving academic institutions, biotech startups, and leading pharmaceutical companies worldwide.

Website: www.sinobiological.com

Sino Biological – Driving Discovery, Delivering Life-Changing Biotech Innovations

Check out Sino Biological’s image film by watching the video below or by clicking here

Call for Abstracts

Registration for the Pitch and Poster Session is now open. The Pitch Session is designed for start-ups and spin-offs, ideally in the pre-seed or seed phase, while the Poster Session is intended for R&D teams presenting innovative projects in the field of Cell and Gene Therapy. Applications will be evaluated based on the maturity of the developed technology, its innovative character, and its transfer and translation potential. Participants in the Pitch Session will have the opportunity to present their technology and receive feedback from both investors and the general audience, and a dedicated Poster Session will take place during the event. Prizes will be awarded to the top contributions: first place in the poster session will receive a surprise gift, and first place in the pitch session will win a ticket to BioVaria 2027 in Munich. Many thanks to the sponsor, BioVaria 2027. The deadline for registration is March 31. Please click the link to be directed to the registration page.

BioVaria

BioVaria targets technology scouts, business developers and investors highlighting commercially attractive licensing opportunities and promising
start‑ups from across Europe. This unique event brings together Europe‘s leading tech transfer professionals, innovators from academia and start-ups with investors and representatives of
the global biotech and pharma industry.

• Scientists, technology transfer professionals, investors and industry scouts
• European technology transfer organizations presenting commercially
attractive licensable technologies and partnership opportunities
• Startup Pitch & Partner featuring some of Europe’s most promising
start‑ups
• Face-to-face discussions with investors and inventors.

BioVaria is Europe’s leading event for innovation in the life sciences. Organized by Ascenion and other European technology transfer companies, it brings together potential licensees and investors from the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries with scientists, founders and technology transfer experts from all over Europe. On April 27 & 28, 2026, first-class research institutions, universities and university hospitals will present around 70 selected, licensable life science technologies. This year again, projects in early stages of
development will also be presented, including projects from Ascenion’s Life Science Digital Hub, which is funded by GO-Bio initial.

The Startup Pitch & Partner programme at BioVaria has been a special highlight for years: start-ups selected by a jury are given the opportunity to present their projects to international and regional investors and win prize money. Interested start-ups can apply for Startup Pitch & Partner until February 15, 2026.
Register now for BioVaria 2026!

More information at www.biovaria.org

Innovation Award 2026

Innovation Award 2026 of the BioRegions in Germany
Inventive spirit wanted. APPLY NOW!
Supporting innovative inventions

The Working Group of the BioRegions in Germany is the central network of regional initiatives promoting the economic use of modern biotechnology in Germany. Each year, it awards the Innovation Award of the BioRegions in Germany. This year again, the Working Group honors application-oriented ideas with strong implementation potential and presents them at the German Biotechnology Days.

What is being awarded?

The Innovation Award honors innovative ideas that have been patented or submitted for patent application.
The focus is on application-oriented ideas with strong implementation potential and high market opportunities.
The goal is to support outstanding innovations that can make a relevant contribution to the economy and society.

Who can apply?

Scientists from universities and non-university research institutions
Legal entities under public law such as universities, universities of applied sciences, or patent exploitation agencies
Founders of companies that have not yet generated significant revenue and have not transferred substantial company shares to external investors

What is offered?

Invitation of six finalists to the German Biotechnology Days on April 21 and 22, 2026, in Leipzig
Presentation to an international professional audience, the BioRegions network, financiers, and the trade press
Three prizes, each endowed with €2,000
An audience award worth €2,000

Apply now!

Applications are open until February 24, 2026.

Click here to apply.

Innovationspreis 2026 der BioRegionen in Deutschland

Innovationspreis 2026 der BioRegionen in Deutschland
Erfindergeist gesucht. JETZT BEWERBEN!
Förderung innovativer Erfindungen

Der Arbeitskreis der BioRegionen in Deutschland ist das zentrale Netzwerk der regionalen Initiiven zur Förderung der wirtschaftlichen Nutzung moderner Biotechnologien in Deutschland. Er vergibt jährlich den Innovationspreis der BioRegionen in Deutschland. Auch in diesem Jahr prämiert der Arbeitskreis anwendungsorientierte Ideen mit starkem Umsetzungspotenzial und macht diese bei den Deutschen Biotechnologietagen sichtbar.

Was wird ausgezeichnet?
Der Innovationspreis prämiert innovative Ideen, die patentiert sind oder zur Patentierung angemeldet wurden.
Gesucht werden anwendungsorientierte Ideen mit starkem Umsetzungspotenzial und hohen Marktchancen.
Ziel ist es, herausragende Innovationen zu unterstützen, die einen relevanten Beitrag zu Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft leisten können.

Wer kann sich bewerben?

Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler aus Universitäten und außeruniversitären Einrichtungen
Juristische Personen des öffentlichen Rechts wie Universitäten, Fachhochschulen oder Patentverwertungsagenturen
Gründerinnen und Gründer von Unternehmen, die noch keinen relevanten Umsatz erwirtschaftet und keine wesentlichen Unternehmensanteile an externe Kapitalgeber abgegeben haben

Was wird geboten?

Einladung von sechs Finalistinnen und Finalisten zu den Deutschen Biotechnologietagen am 21. und 22. April 2026 in Leipzig
Präsentation vor einem internationalen Fachpublikum, dem BioRegionen-Netzwerk, Finanziers und der Fachpresse
Drei Preise, jeweils dotiert mit 2.000 €
Ein Publikumspreis im Wert von 2.000 €

Jetzt bewerben!
Bewerbungen sind bis 24. Februar 2026 möglich.

Klicken Sie hier zu bewerben.

LeapUp

LeapUp GmbH (formerly biosaxony Management GmbH) empowers founders, startups, and SMEs in the life sciences to take significant steps towards innovation, market entry, commercialization, and growth.

Their mission is to support scientists, companies and startups in the field of life sciences to transform their innovative ideas into scalable business models. Through their projects and world-class services, they help to bridge the gap between idea and realization.

Their portfolio includes acceleration and development services for life science projects, regulatory support, training programs, and events through our in-house academy, as well as the provision of state-of-the-art co-working labs in Leipzig. They are actively expanding their international presence and service, including investor relations and funding opportunities.

Their focus areas include diagnostics, cell and gene therapy, radiopharmacy, smart medical devices, robotics and AI, digital health, and phage therapy.

Click here to visit their website.

Kathrin Schumann

Affiliation:

University of Konstanz

Job Position:

Professor for Immunology

Background: Kathrin Schumann studied biochemistry at the University of Tübingen and obtained her PhD at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried. During her postdoc at the University of California, San Francisco, she developed CRISPR technologies for the engineering of primary human T cells. In 2018, she was appointed as Rudolf Mößbauer Tenure Track Assistant Professor of “Engineering Immune Cells for Therapy” at TUM School of Medicine. In 2025, she took up the position of Chair of Immunology at the University of Konstanz.

Tomasz Baran

Affiliation:

FamiCord AG

Background: Tomasz Baran is Chief Medical Officer of FamiCord – the largest cord blood bank in Europe and 3rd largest worldwide. He joined cord blood banking activity in 2010, prior to that he has been holding various position in pharmaceutical industry. In his current role Tomasz is responsible for medical communication on stem cell banking and use in therapies. He presented this topic on several international events – including Cord Blood Connect (USA), Perinatal Stem Cell Conference (USA) and Advanced Therapies (UK). Tomasz is also involved in development of cell&gene therapies manufacturing activity of FamiCord. Tomasz Baran serves ad Board of Directors member at Cord Blood Association (currently incorporated into AABB).

Mike Karl

Affiliation:

TUD Dresden University of Technology, CRTD – Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden
Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen e.V. (DZNE) Dresden
Professor, Retinal Stem Cell Research and Neurogenesis

Background: Prof. Dr. med. Mike O. Karl is a group leader at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and professor at the Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden (CRTD), TU Dresden. His research focuses on human retina degeneration and therapy, with a particular emphasis on photoreceptor neurodegeneration, glia biology, and human stem cell–derived cell and organoid technologies as disease and therapy‐validation models. He has made key contributions to understanding cellular mechanisms of retinal degeneration and to the development of human-based translational model systems for age-related macular degeneration and inherited retinal diseases. His work has been recognized by multiple awards in ophthalmology and regenerative medicine, and he actively bridges fundamental discovery with translational and therapeutic innovation.

Ernst Wagner

Affiliation:

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) München

Background: Ernst Wagner is Chair of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department Pharmacy, LMU Munich (since 2001) and member of Munich Center of Nanoscience (CeNS). He was Director Cancer Vaccines, Boehringer Ingelheim 1992-2001 (world-wide first polymer-based gene therapy in 1994), Group Leader at IMP Vienna and the Vienna University Biocenter (1987-1995), postdoc at ETH Zurich (1985-1987), PhD in chemistry (1985, TU Vienna). He is Academician of the European Academy of Sciences, member of College of Fellows of Controlled Release Society (CRS), Honorary Professor at Sichuan U and at Jinan U. He authored ≥ 529 publications, with > 56 000 citations, h-index 119 (GS).

Erfolg gefeiert: CAR FINDER gewinnt bei der Leipziger Gründungsnacht

Wir freuen uns, Sandy Tretbar (Fraunhofer IZI), Projektleiterin von SB-TRACT innerhalb von SaxoCell, zum Gewinn des „Idee“-Preises bei der 10. Leipziger Gründungsnacht mit ihrem innovativen Spin-off-Projekt CAR FINDER zu gratulieren.

Mit einem überzeugenden Pitch und einem visionären Konzept zur schnellen Bewertung von CAR-T-Zellkandidaten konnte Sandy gemeinsam mit ihrem Team die Jury begeistern und sich ein Preisgeld in Höhe von 5.000 € sichern.

CAR FINDER bietet eine Plattform zur raschen Identifizierung und Charakterisierung vielversprechender CAR-Kandidaten für nächste-Generation-Zelltherapieprodukte – und beschleunigt damit deren Entwicklung durch eine umfassende in-vitro-Analyse von CAR-Expression, Signalgebung und CAR-T-Zell-Funktionalität.

Wir freuen uns sehr, dass Sandys wissenschaftliche Exzellenz und ihr unternehmerischer Elan auf diese Weise gewürdigt werden, und blicken gespannt auf die nächsten Schritte in der Entwicklung von CAR FINDER.

Herzlichen Glückwunsch an Sandy und das gesamte CAR FINDER-Team sowie an Fraunhofer AHEAD und alle, die diese vielversprechende Innovation unterstützen. SaxoCell ist stolz darauf, solch inspirierende Talente in unserer Community zu haben!

Celebrating Success: CAR FINDER Wins at the Leipzig Founders Night

We are pleased to congratulate Sandy Tretbar (Fraunhofer IZI), project lead of SB-TRACT within SaxoCell, on winning the “Idea” award at the 10th Leipziger Gründungsnacht with her innovative spin-off project CAR FINDER.

With a strong pitch and a visionary approach to rapid CAR T-cell screening, Sandy and her team impressed the jury and received a prize of €5,000.

CAR FINDER offers a platform for the fast identification and characterization of lead CAR candidates for next-generation cell therapy products — accelerating development through comprehensive in-vitro analysis of CAR expression, signaling, and CAR T-cell functionality.

We are delighted to see Sandy’s entrepreneurial drive and scientific excellence being recognized and are excited to follow the next steps in the CAR FINDER journey.

Warm congratulations to Sandy and the entire CAR FINDER team, as well as to Fraunhofer AHEAD and everyone supporting this highly promising innovation. SaxoCell is proud to have such inspiring talent in our community!

High Attendance at the SaxoCell Patient Day as Part of the UKL Health Forum

Of course — here is a polished English translationLeipzig, 15 November 2025 – During the Cancer Information Day hosted by Leipzig University Hospital, the SaxoCell Cluster presented its own Patient Day and attracted great interest. Numerous visitors took the opportunity to learn more at the SaxoCell booth about new therapy approaches developed in Saxony, which are already benefiting patients with blood cancer today.

Serving as key points of contact, Nicole Modler and Stefanie Binder from SaxoCellutions – the coordination hub of SaxoCell – engaged in many in-depth conversations, answered questions, and provided insights into current developments in cell and gene therapy. The strong engagement from attendees highlighted how essential clear and accessible information about modern treatment options is.

An emotional highlight of the day was a reading by author and former UKL cancer patient Stefan Schwarz from his book “Bis ins Mark” (“To the Core”). With humor, honesty, and heartfelt sincerity, he shared his experiences during treatment – a contribution that moved and encouraged the audience in equal measure.

Scientifically, the event was enriched by two impressive lectures from Leipzig University Hospital: Prof. Ulrich Hacker gave an easy-to-understand overview of personalized cancer medicine, while PD Dr. Vladan Vucinic presented the latest advances in innovative cell therapies as well as current progress within the SaxoCell Cluster.

The consistently well-attended sessions and lively discussions demonstrated both the high demand for information and the trust patients place in advanced therapeutic approaches.

SaxoCell extends its thanks to the University Cancer Center Leipzig (UCCL) and the event management team of UKL for their excellent organization and collaborative partnership in making this valuable Patient Day possible.

Großer Andrang beim SaxoCell-Patiententag im Rahmen des UKL-Gesundheitsforums

Leipzig, 15. November 2025 – Beim Informationstag Krebs des Universitätsklinikums Leipzig präsentierte sich der SaxoCell-Cluster mit einem eigenen Patiententag und stieß auf großes Interesse. Zahlreiche Besucherinnen und Besucher nutzten die Gelegenheit, sich am SaxoCell-Stand über neue, in Sachsen entwickelte Therapieansätze zu informieren, die insbesondere Patientinnen und Patienten mit Blutkrebserkrankungen bereits heute zugutekommen.

Als Ansprechpartnerinnen standen Nicole Modler und Stefanie Binder von SaxoCellutions, der Koordinationsschnittstelle von SaxoCell bereit. Sie führten viele intensive Gespräche, beantworteten Fragen und gaben Einblicke in aktuelle Entwicklungen der Zell- und Gentherapie. Das große Interesse der Gäste zeigte, wie wichtig verständliche Informationen über moderne Behandlungsoptionen sind.

Ein emotionaler Höhepunkt des Tages war die Lesung des Autors und ehemaligen UKL-Krebspatienten Stefan Schwarz aus seinem Buch „Bis ins Mark“. Mit Humor, Ehrlichkeit und spürbarer Nähe schilderte er seine Erfahrungen während der Behandlung – ein Beitrag, der das Publikum gleichermaßen berührte und stärkte.

Fachlich wurde die Veranstaltung durch zwei eindrucksvolle Vorträge aus dem Universitätsklinikums Leipzig ergänzt, in denen Prof. Ulrich Hacker einen verständlichen Überblick zur personalisierten Krebsmedizin gab und PD Dr. Vladan Vucinic die neuesten Entwicklungen innovativer Zelltherapien sowie aktuelle Fortschritte im SaxoCell-Cluster präsentierte.

Die durchgehend gut gefüllten Räume und die lebhaften Diskussionen verdeutlichten das hohe Informationsbedürfnis sowie das Vertrauen der Patientinnen und Patienten in moderne Therapieansätze.

SaxoCell dankt dem Universitären Krebszentrum Leipzig (UCCL) und dem Veranstaltungsmanagement des UKL für die hervorragende Organisation und die partnerschaftliche Zusammenarbeit bei diesem wertvollen Patiententag.

Autumn School 2025 – Drei Tage voller Innovation, Austausch und Technologietransfer

Vom 20. bis 22. Oktober 2025 fand die Autumn School auf dem wunderschönen Mediencampus Villa Ida in Leipzig statt. Forschende und Innovator:innen der TU Dresden und des Fraunhofer-Instituts für Zelltherapie und Immunologie (IZI) kamen hier zusammen, um sich drei Tage lang intensiv mit Technologietransfer, Kommerzialisierung, Geschäftsmodellentwicklung, IP-Strategie, Pitch-Training und Finanzierung zu beschäftigen.

Sechs interdisziplinäre Teams – Ribolution, NK4Therapy, Elia Cell, Green Pharming, NeuroNK und CAR-Finder – arbeiteten engagiert daran, ihre Geschäftsideen zu verfeinern, Kommerzialisierungsstrategien zu entwickeln und sich auf ihre Abschlusspräsentationen vorzubereiten.

Im Laufe des Programms profitierten die Teilnehmenden von inspirierenden Sessions und praxisnahen Impulsen. Nadine Schmieder-Galfe eröffnete die Veranstaltung mit Einblicken in den Technologietransfer; Stefanie Wieneke führte die Teams durch das Business Model Canvas; und Anett Karl, Hans-Georg Wagner sowie Radoslav Ivanov teilten ihr Fachwissen zu geistigem Eigentum und IP-Schutz.

Ein dynamisches Pitch-Training unter der Leitung von Konrad Sell half den Teilnehmenden, ihre Präsentationsfähigkeiten für die Abschlussrunde zu schärfen. Die Expert:innenjury – bestehend aus Marion Jung, Pierre Tangermann und Christian John – gab allen Teams wertvolles Feedback. Zudem bot Silvio Weber von Miltenyi Biotec spannende Einblicke aus der Industrie und berichtete aus der Praxis des Technologietransfers in den Lebenswissenschaften.

Ein herzlicher Dank gilt den Hauptorganisator:innen Nadine Schmieder-Galfe und Alexander Funkner für ihr Engagement und ihre großartige Arbeit, die diese inspirierende Veranstaltung möglich gemacht haben.

Diese drei Tage waren geprägt von Lernen, Austausch und unternehmerischem Geist – ein hervorragendes Beispiel dafür, wie Zusammenarbeit zwischen Wissenschaft und Wirtschaft Innovation vorantreibt.

Autumn School 2025 – Three Days of Innovation, Exchange, and Tech Transfer

Autumn School 2025 – Three Days of Innovation, Exchange, and Tech Transfer

From October 20–22, 2025, the Autumn School took place at the beautiful Villa Ida Media Campus in Leipzig, bringing together researchers and innovators from TU Dresden and the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI). Over three days, participants focused on technology transfer, commercialization, business modeling, IP strategy, pitch training, and financing.

Six interdisciplinary teams – Ribolution, NK4Therapy, Elia Cell, Green Pharming, NeuroNK, and CAR-Finder – worked intensively on refining their business ideas, developing commercialization strategies, and preparing for their final pitches.

Throughout the program, participants benefited from inspiring sessions and practical input. Nadine Schmieder-Galfe opened the event with insights into technology transfer; Stefanie Wieneke guided the teams through the Business Model Canvas; and Anett Karl, Hans-Georg Wagner, and Radoslav Ivanov shared their expertise on intellectual property and IP protection.

A dynamic pitch training session led by Konrad Sell helped participants sharpen their presentation skills ahead of the final pitch session. The expert jury – Marion Jung, Pierre Tangermann, and Christian John – provided valuable feedback to all teams. The program also welcomed industry insights from Silvio Weber of Miltenyi Biotec, who offered real-world perspectives on tech transfer in the life sciences.

A heartfelt thank-you goes to the main organizers, Nadine Schmieder-Galfe and Alexander Funkner, for their dedication and effort in making this inspiring event possible.

These three days were filled with learning, exchange, and entrepreneurial spirit – a great example of how collaboration between science and business can drive innovation forward.

Martin Murphy

Affiliation:

Chairman – Investment Committee, Legal & General UK Universities Ventures LP
Director – Synairgen Limited
Chairman – Commercial Advisory Board British Heart Foundation CureHeart
Collaboration Executive Chairman Rosa Biosciences

Background: Until 2023, Martin was Founder, CEO and Chair of Syncona Investment Management Limited. He co-founded Syncona alongside the Wellcome Trust in 2012. He has been involved in the foundation of multiple biotech companies and has over 25 years experience in the European and US venture capital markets. He now has a portfolio of activities across the healthcare space, advising Funds and Operating Companies. Before Syncona, he was a Partner at MVM Life Science Partners LLP. Martin has also held roles with 3i plc and McKinsey. He has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge.

Lukas Bunse

Affiliation: German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg

Background: Lukas Bunse studied medicine at Heidelberg University and at University College London. As part of his medical dissertation, he developed peptide vaccines against gliomas. During his doctoral studies in the context of an MD/PhD program at Heidelberg University, he conducted research at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg and at Harvard Medical School on cellular antitumor responses, autoimmunity in the central nervous system, and oncometabolites. Since 2019, he has led the Cell Therapy team within the Clinical Cooperation Unit for Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumor Immunology at the DKFZ in Heidelberg.

Lorenz Mayr

Affiliation: BioMedTech Consulting GmbH

Background: Lorenz Mayr is an internationally experienced executive in the biopharma and life sciences sector, most recently serving as CEO of Vector BioPharma AG in Basel. Previously, he held senior leadership positions at GE Healthcare, AstraZeneca, Novartis, and Bayer, and he serves on several supervisory boards and scientific advisory boards. Since March 2024, he has been a Non-Executive Director at FundaMental Pharma GmbH, a Heidelberg-based company developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, he is Senior Healthcare Advisor at EQT Investments, advising companies and institutions in the life sciences field.

Ralf Huss

Affiliation: Managing director of BioM in Martinsried/Munich

Background: Until the end of 2022, Prof. Dr. Ralf Huss was founding Director of the Institute of Digital Medicine (IDM) and Prof. of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics at University Hospital Augsburg, Germany. Previously he spent many years in pharmaceutical and diagnostic industry, founded some biotech enterprises and authored more than 180 papers on cancer and stem cell research as well as the use on AI in digital medicine.

SaxoCell meets curATime

Two days full of exchange, inspiration, and new perspectives: In Mainz, we had the great opportunity to get to know the curATime Cluster for Future better – and to learn from each other.

A special focus was on the synergies in Artificial Intelligence, highlighted in four expert talks:
· from curATime: Vincent Ten Cate, PhD & Markus Junker
· from SaxoCell: Kristin Reiche & Moritz Middeke

In addition, both clusters presented themselves – represented by Ulrike Köhl (SaxoCell) and Johnny Kim (curATime) – and we had inspiring discussions on cluster management, industry involvement, and education.

A real highlight was the tour of the TRON laboratories, giving us valuable insights into the local research environment.

Many thanks to our hosts in Mainz for the warm welcome and wonderful hospitality – and a special thank you to the two organizers Tina B., Luisa Brückner and Cathleen Meerheim who made this meeting possible!

We look forward to the next steps and to continuing our close collaboration between our clusters.

GeneNovate Closing Event

Exciting day at the GeneNovate Final Event in Berlin at the Akademie der Künste!

We’re proud to support four outstanding and innovative cell & gene therapy and medtech teams from Dresden and Leipzig: Golden Rods, PureVision Therapeutics, EliaCell, and Interlace Therapeutics.

It was a pleasure to hear their inspiring pitches and witness the impact of groundbreaking science in action.

Veeeery proud of our fantastic EliaCell team! Great pitch, Angela Jacobi, PhD Pia Prater Sethuraman Subramanian and Abhinav Soni. Well deserved prize🏆!

Big thanks to Netzwerkbüro GCT Germany for organizing this fantastic event and to biosaxony e. V. for their continued support in driving biotech innovation in the region.

SaxoCell trifft curATime

Zwei Tage voller Austausch, Inspiration und neuer Perspektiven: In Mainz hatten wir die großartige Gelegenheit, das curATime Cluster for Future besser kennenzulernen – und voneinander zu lernen.

Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt lag auf den Synergien im Bereich Künstliche Intelligenz, die in vier spannenden Fachvorträgen hervorgehoben wurden:
· von curATime: Vincent Ten Cate, PhD & Markus Junker
· von SaxoCell: Kristin Reiche & Moritz Middeke

Darüber hinaus stellten sich beide Cluster vor – vertreten durch Ulrike Köhl (SaxoCell) und Johnny Kim (curATime) – und wir führten inspirierende Gespräche zu den Themen Clustermanagement, Industrieeinbindung und Ausbildung.

Ein echtes Highlight war die Führung durch die TRON-Labore, die uns wertvolle Einblicke in das lokale Forschungsumfeld ermöglichte.

Herzlichen Dank an unsere Gastgeber in Mainz für den warmen Empfang und die wunderbare Gastfreundschaft – und ein besonderes Dankeschön an die Organisatorinnen Tina B., Luisa Brückner und Cathleen Meerheim, die dieses Treffen möglich gemacht haben!

Wir freuen uns auf die nächsten Schritte und auf die Fortsetzung unserer engen Zusammenarbeit zwischen den Clustern.

GeneNovate Abschlussevent

Spannender Tag beim GeneNovate Abschlussevent in Berlin an der Akademie der Künste!

Wir sind stolz darauf, vier herausragende und innovative Teams aus den Bereichen Zell- & Gentherapie sowie Medtech aus Dresden und Leipzig zu unterstützen: Golden Rods, PureVision Therapeutics, EliaCell und Interlace Therapeutics.

Es war eine Freude, ihre inspirierenden Pitches zu hören und die Wirkung bahnbrechender Wissenschaft live mitzuerleben.

Wir sind seeehr stolz auf unser fantastisches EliaCell-Team! Großartiger Pitch, Angela Jacobi, PhD, Pia Prater, Sethuraman Subramanian und Abhinav Soni. Der Preis ist absolut verdient 🏆!

Ein großes Dankeschön an das Netzwerkbüro GCT Germany für die hervorragende Organisation dieses tollen Events und an biosaxony e. V. für die kontinuierliche Unterstützung bei der Förderung von Biotech-Innovationen in der Region.

Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen GmbH

Saxony Trade & Invest Corporation (Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen GmbH, WFS) is a state-owned economic development agency of the Free State of Saxony whose mission is to strengthen the region’s business and research environment. With more than 30 years of experience, the organization seeks to promote Saxony’s economy and support its stakeholders.

WFS acts on behalf of the state government, with its supervisory board chaired by the Saxony State Minister for Economic Affairs, Labor, Energy and Climate Protection.

The agency works in three specialist domains:

Foreign Trade & Fairs: supporting Saxon companies in connecting with international partners—customers, suppliers, or investors.
Investor Services: assisting both domestic and foreign firms in establishing operations in Saxony or expanding existing ones.
Industry, Innovation & Marketing: helping entrepreneurs and researchers focused on future technologies to find partners, develop projects, and access resources; also responsible for globally promoting Saxony as a business location.

WFS offers a full suite of services: facilitating market entry, helping with company foundations or expansions, fostering networks between business and research, enabling cross-regional cooperation, and marketing the Saxony location internationally.

While based in Dresden, its remit extends across the entire state and beyond, aiming to support both local projects and international investment. The organization positions itself as a partner for companies, researchers, and investors with ideas, and offers tailored assistance for projects of all sizes.

Click here to visit their website.

PROXIDRUGS

As part of Germany’s Clusters4Future initiative, PROXIDRUGS is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space since October 2021. The cluster focuses on developing new treatments for diseases with high unmet medical needs by utilizing the new concept of targeted protein degradation. Proximity-inducing drugs can trigger the degradation of disease-relevant proteins in a highly specific manner by directing them towards the cellular recycling system. That will open up new therapeutic options in a broad spectrum of diseases. It is assumed that 80% of proteins that are so far deemed as undruggable may be targeted by this strategy.

PROXIDRUGS aims at improving this novel class of drugs in multiple ways: the strategy comprises the identification of suitable functional subunits for molecule engineering; the directed optimization of pharmacological properties; and the transfer to clinical phases. In line with this, the cluster interlinks currently 22 partners from academia and industry, covering the entire value chain from basic to translational research.

Click here to visit their website.

The National Network Office GCT

The National Network Office GCT Germany was established as part of the National Strategy for Gene and Cell-Based Therapies (GCT). The office is based at the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) and operates independently in accordance with the mandate of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Our mission is to build a national GCT community through independent information and networking, ensuring the inclusion of all stakeholder groups. Our stakeholders include representatives from science, industry, politics, and society, as well as authorities, foundations, and patient organizations.

We are consolidating and sharing knowledge: The GCT-Atlas serves as the central information platform and matchmaking hub, providing easy access to clinics, research networks and more. With GeneNovate, the first national entrepreneurship program in GCT, we provide the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, supporting researchers and physicians. Our growing community-based media portfolio includes the GCT newsletter, our LinkedIn channel and the upcoming media library.

Click here to visit their website.

biosaxony

biosaxony e.V. is the association of the biotechnology, medical technology and health economy sector in the region of Saxony. The members represent the various companies, research institutes and lobbyists working in biotechnology, medtech and the related areas of engineering and material sciences in Saxony. The cluster unites the different sectors of biotechnology and medical technology, identifies the needs of its members, and represents their interests at home and abroad.

biosaxony’s responsibilities include initiating projects between industry and research, pinpointing services and know-how, harnessing synergies, and highlighting regional expertise. Other elements of our cluster work include developing new ideas and strategies as well promoting sustainable technology transfer. The association’s office is in Dresden.

Click here to visit their website.

BioM

Bio^M has been the network organization of the biotechnology industry in Munich and Bavaria for over 25 years and operates as a non-profit organization on behalf of the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs. Bio^M fosters a distinctive ecosystem in medical biotechnology, serving as a catalyst for innovation, growth and value creation. It interconnects stakeholders across Bavaria and identifies significant and sustainable trends.

In addition to providing tailored guidance for founders, we support selected Bavarian start-up teams from the life sciences and healthtech sectors with our incubator MAxL (Munich Accelerator Life Sciences & Medicine). MAxL offers high-end infrastructure, a structured incubation and coaching program as well as access to the extensive Bio^M network.

Moreover, Bio^M has been coordinating the m⁴ Award pre-seed competition in the field of biomedicine since 2011, which is funded by the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs with a total of 2.5 million euros. To date, Bio^M has supported more than 250 start-ups. Besides organizing prominent events and network meetings, BioM offers a diverse range of training courses specifically tailored to meet the needs of stakeholders within the Bavarian Biotech Community.

Click here to visit their website.

bioRN Life Science Cluster

BioRN is the science and industry innovation cluster in the Rhine-Neckar region around Heidelberg, one of Germany’s strongest biotech and life science hubs. It is a non-profit network fostering health innovations and serving its members by creating a rich translational ecosystem as well as promoting, representing and connecting the regional innovation stakeholders.

The bioRN Life Science Cluster establishes initiatives to bridge the regional innovation stakeholders and to nurture and extend connections between members. It also fosters connections to other regions of innovation worldwide and stands for the promotion and visibility of the life science region at the national and international level.

The cluster acts as a neutral player, supporting cross-organizational programs and initiatives that advance the life science region as a whole. At the interface between academia and industry, bioRN provides translation support, especially by leveraging the unique combination of global pharma and leading academic institutions in the region.

Click here to visit their website.

Ulrike Weihrauch

Affiliation: Department of Medical Bioinformatics, Fraunhofer IZI

Background: Ulrike Weirauch studied Molecular Life Science at the University of Lübeck and earned her PhD in the research group of Prof. Achim Aigner at the Biochemical-Pharmacological Center of Philipps University Marburg in the field of cancer research. She worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Independent Department of Clinical Pharmacology at the Rudolf Boehm Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Leipzig University. Since 2021, she has been working as a scientist and science manager in Dr. Kristin Reiche’s group at the Department of Medical Bioinformatics at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, focusing on projects at the intersection of molecular precision medicine and bioinformatics.

Rebekka Wehner

Affiliation:

Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TUD Dresden University of Technology
National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), NCT/UCC Dresden, a partnership between DKFZ, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TUD Dresden University of Technology, and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR)
German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany

Background:

Rebekka Wehner graduated in biology, did her Ph.D. and habilitation on dendritic cells. In the Institute of Immunology, medical faculty, TU Dresden, her research focuses on human immune cells like dendritic cells, monocytes/macrophages, natural killer cells, and T cells in the context of anti-tumor immune responses and therapies. Since 2016, she coordinates the NCT/UCC Immune Monitoring Unit Dresden, which offers an accompanying immune monitoring program during clinical studies. She supports the characterization of immune cells in blood, bone marrow, and tissues of tumor patients using multiplex flow cytometry and fluorescence-based immunohistochemistry.

Dr. Christoph Conrad

Affiliation: Berlin Institute of Health at Charité , Regulatory Support Unit

Background: Dr. Christoph Conrad worked for many years on vaccine evaluation at the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI) and later headed the Office for Scientific and Regulatory Advice (OSRA), an infrastructure of the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF). He also gained international and governmental experience at the WHO in Geneva, the BMBF (now BMFTR), and the Federal Chancellery. Since July 2022, he has been Head of Staff Office Regulatory Affairs at the BIH and, since June 2024, also leads the newly established Regulatory Support Unit.

Dr. Verena Lütschg

Affiliation: Founder & CEO at About Tomorrow Consulting

Background: Dr. Verena Lütschg is a 5-star speaker and an expert on technology and digital transformation. With a PhD in molecular biology and many years of experience as a management consultant, she uniquely combines science and future technologies with practical approaches. In her talks, she explores how disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, or genome editing are transforming not only industries but also society. As a keynote speaker, she captivates audiences with precise analyses and visionary approaches that help companies actively shape technological change. Those who book Verena Lütschg as a guest speaker gain valuable insights for driving innovation and looking toward the future.

Prof. Dr. Marcela Maus

Affiliation: Krantz Family Center for Center Research; Paula O’Keefe Endowed Chair in Cancer Research; Massachusetts General Hospital

Job position: Director, Cellular Immunotherapy, Massachusetts General Hospital; Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate Director, Gene and Cell Therapy Institute, Mass-General-Brigham; Attending Physician, Hematopoietic Cell Transplant & Cell Therapy Program; Associate Member, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

Background: Dr. Marcela Maus is the Paula J. O’Keeffe Endowed Chair at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Director of the Cellular Immunotherapy Program, and Professor at Harvard Medical School, where she leads a laboratory focused on advancing CAR T cell therapies for cancer. Trained at MIT, the University of Pennsylvania, and Memorial Sloan Kettering, she has made pioneering contributions to the development of CAR T cells, including research on treatment resistance and therapy-related toxicities. Alongside her scientific and clinical work, she mentors the next generation of researchers and enjoys family life with her husband, three children, and pets, as well as hobbies like gardening and skiing.

Prof. Fabian Müller

Affiliation: University Hospital of Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Dept. Of Internal Medicine 5 – Hematology & Oncology.

Background: Prof. Müller obtained his MD in Freiburg, Germany and started his clinical education in Hamburg. With a focus on targeting malignant B cells from his early research career he did a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Ira Pastan, at the NCI on resistance to CD22-targeted therapy in ALL and aggressive lymphoma. After his post-doc he continued the work on B cell targeting in Erlangen, Germany using first antibody directed therapies and then CAR T cells with a focus on translational concepts including tumor microenvironment and functional aspects of a patient’s immune system. As head of the CAR T cell unit, he pioneers CAR T cell therapies in novel indications including solid tumors and autoimmune diseases.

Prof. Dr. Dimitros Mougiakakos

Affiliation: University Hospital for Hematology, Oncology and Cell Therapy, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg

Background: Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Mougiakakos is Director of the Department of Hematology, Oncology and Cell Therapy at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. He studied medicine in Hannover and trained in hematology and oncology in Freiburg, Regensburg, and Erlangen, with a research fellowship at the Karolinska Institute. He played a key role in the first clinical applications of CAR-T cell therapy for autoimmune diseases.

Andreas Traube

Affiliation: Fraunhofer IPA

Background: Studied Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Production Technology. Passionate about the interaction between bioworkflows and automation. He leads laboratory automation and bioproduction at Fraunhofer IPA. Serial founder (Dispendix, Nanolockin, Liquimetrix).

Long Night of Science 2025 – Thank You!

On June 20, SaxoCell participated in the Long Night of Science (LNDW) at two locations: in Leipzig at Fraunhofer IZI and in Dresden at CRTD.
Both venues drew great interest – our booths were consistently well attended by curious guests of all ages who wanted to learn more about innovative therapies from the Saxon cell and gene therapy cluster.

Through hands-on stations, interactive models, and educational games, we presented complex topics like CAR immune cell therapies and gene therapies in an accessible way.
A particular highlight was our cell quiz, where visitors could discover which immune cell best matches their personality – from the T-helper cell to the natural killer cell or the macrophage.

A special moment of the evening was the panel discussion with the Hannah Arendt Institute for Research on Totalitarianism, titled:

“Innovation and Doubt: How Science Moves Society”

Why does medical progress sometimes trigger skepticism?
Experts in medicine, ethics, and social sciences discussed opportunities, concerns, and the role of trust in new technologies.

The discussion was broadcast live to Leipzig and can be rewatched here: [YouTube link]

A sincere thank you to all collaborators, organizers, and of course to our many visitors.
We look back on an inspiring and insightful evening.

Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften 2025 – Wir sagen Danke!

Am 20. Juni war SaxoCell bei der Langen Nacht der Wissenschaften (LNDW) gleich doppelt vertreten: in Leipzig am Fraunhofer IZI und in Dresden am CRTD.
An beiden Standorten war das Interesse groß – unsere Stände wurden durchgehend sehr gut besucht von neugierigen Gästen jeden Alters, die sich für innovative Therapieformen aus dem sächsischen Zell- und Gentherapie-Cluster interessierten.

Mit Mitmach-Stationen, Modellen zum Anfassen und interaktiven Spielen haben wir komplexe Inhalte wie CAR-Immunzelltherapien und Gentherapien anschaulich vermittelt.
Besonders beliebt war unser Zell-Quiz, bei dem die Besucherinnen und Besucher herausfinden konnten, welche Immunzelle ihnen am ähnlichsten ist – von der T-Helferzelle über die natürliche Killerzelle bis hin zum Makrophagen.

Ein besonderes Highlight war die Podiumsdiskussion mit dem Hannah-Arendt-Institut für Totalitarismusforschung zum Thema:

„Innovation und Vorbehalt: Wie Wissenschaft die Gesellschaft bewegt“

Warum ruft medizinischer Fortschritt oft auch Skepsis hervor?
Expertinnen und Experten aus Medizin, Ethik und Sozialwissenschaften diskutierten über Chancen, Ängste und das Vertrauen in neue Technologien.

Die Diskussion wurde live nach Leipzig übertragen und ist hier erneut abrufbar: [YouTube-Link]

Ein herzliches Dankeschön an alle Beteiligten, Organisatorinnen und Organisatoren – und natürlich an unsere zahlreichen Besucherinnen und Besucher!
Wir blicken zurück auf einen inspirierenden und erkenntnisreichen Abend.

Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften 2025 – Wir sagen Danke!

Am 20. Juni war SaxoCell bei der Langen Nacht der Wissenschaften (LNDW) gleich doppelt vertreten: in Leipzig am Fraunhofer IZI und in Dresden am CRTD.
An beiden Standorten war das Interesse groß – unsere Stände wurden durchgehend sehr gut besucht von neugierigen Gästen jeden Alters, die sich für innovative Therapieformen aus dem sächsischen Zell- und Gentherapie-Cluster interessierten.

Mit Mitmach-Stationen, Modellen zum Anfassen und interaktiven Spielen haben wir komplexe Inhalte wie CAR-Immunzelltherapien und Gentherapien anschaulich vermittelt.
Besonders beliebt war unser Zell-Quiz, bei dem die Besucherinnen und Besucher herausfinden konnten, welche Immunzelle ihnen am ähnlichsten ist – von der T-Helferzelle über die natürliche Killerzelle bis hin zum Makrophagen.

Ein besonderes Highlight war die Podiumsdiskussion mit dem Hannah-Arendt-Institut für Totalitarismusforschung zum Thema:

„Innovation und Vorbehalt: Wie Wissenschaft die Gesellschaft bewegt“

Warum ruft medizinischer Fortschritt oft auch Skepsis hervor?
Expertinnen und Experten aus Medizin, Ethik und Sozialwissenschaften diskutierten über Chancen, Ängste und das Vertrauen in neue Technologien.

Die Diskussion wurde live nach Leipzig übertragen und ist hier erneut abrufbar: [YouTube-Link]

Ein herzliches Dankeschön an alle Beteiligten, Organisatorinnen und Organisatoren – und natürlich an unsere zahlreichen Besucherinnen und Besucher!
Wir blicken zurück auf einen inspirierenden und erkenntnisreichen Abend.

LSX Leaders | London 2025 – SaxoCell auf dem internationalen Parkett der Life Sciences

Unser Transfervertreter Alexander Funkner war vom 28. bis 30. April 2025 für SaxoCell auf dem LSX Leaders Forum in London vertreten – einem der wichtigsten europäischen Treffpunkte für Innovation, Investitionen und Partnerschaften im Bereich der Life Sciences.

Unter dem Motto „Accelerating European Life Sciences“ kamen Entscheider:innen, Investor:innen und führende Köpfe der Branche zusammen, um aktuelle Trends, Herausforderungen und Zukunftsperspektiven zu diskutieren.

Für SaxoCell bot die Konferenz wertvolle Einblicke in:

Die strategische Entwicklung innovativer Zell- und Gentherapien
Erfolgreiche Transfermodelle für Forschung und Start-ups
Neue Impulse für internationale Partnerschaften und Investitionen

Ein besonderes Highlight war der CEO Forum Day am 28. April, der einen exklusiven Rahmen für den direkten Austausch mit hochkarätigen Führungspersönlichkeiten bot – eine ideale Plattform, um SaxoCells Vision einer nachhaltigen Transferkultur weiter zu stärken.

Neben spannenden Panels und Keynotes gab es auch freudige Wiedersehen: Alexander traf alte Bekannte von der Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen, leap:up und Apollo Health Ventures – ein schönes Zeichen dafür, wie stark und vernetzt das Life-Sciences-Ökosystem aus Sachsen international vertreten ist.

Vielen Dank an die Organisator:innen und alle Gesprächspartner:innen für den inspirierenden Austausch. Wir freuen uns auf die nächsten Schritte und neue Verbindungen.

LSX Leaders | London 2025 – SaxoCell auf dem internationalen Parkett der Life Sciences

Unser Transfervertreter Alexander Funkner war vom 28. bis 30. April 2025 für SaxoCell auf dem LSX Leaders Forum in London vertreten – einem der wichtigsten europäischen Treffpunkte für Innovation, Investitionen und Partnerschaften im Bereich der Life Sciences.

Unter dem Motto „Accelerating European Life Sciences“ kamen Entscheider:innen, Investor:innen und führende Köpfe der Branche zusammen, um aktuelle Trends, Herausforderungen und Zukunftsperspektiven zu diskutieren.

Für SaxoCell bot die Konferenz wertvolle Einblicke in:

Die strategische Entwicklung innovativer Zell- und Gentherapien
Erfolgreiche Transfermodelle für Forschung und Start-ups
Neue Impulse für internationale Partnerschaften und Investitionen

Ein besonderes Highlight war der CEO Forum Day am 28. April, der einen exklusiven Rahmen für den direkten Austausch mit hochkarätigen Führungspersönlichkeiten bot – eine ideale Plattform, um SaxoCells Vision einer nachhaltigen Transferkultur weiter zu stärken.

Neben spannenden Panels und Keynotes gab es auch freudige Wiedersehen: Alexander traf alte Bekannte von der Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen, leap:up und Apollo Health Ventures – ein schönes Zeichen dafür, wie stark und vernetzt das Life-Sciences-Ökosystem aus Sachsen international vertreten ist.

Vielen Dank an die Organisator:innen und alle Gesprächspartner:innen für den inspirierenden Austausch. Wir freuen uns auf die nächsten Schritte und neue Verbindungen.

SaxoCell Fuck-Up Night

Mut, Scheitern und echte Geschichten: 2. SaxoCell Fuck-Up Night im Cosmo Wissenschaftsforum

Am 30. April veranstaltete SaxoCell gemeinsam mit dem Cluster4Future SEMECO die zweite SaxoCell Fuck-Up Night im Cosmo Wissenschaftsforum in Dresden – und das mit großem Erfolg.

Drei mutige Redner standen auf der Bühne: die Startup-Gründer Jens Geißler von DIA42 und Jan Moritz Middeke von Cancilico sowie der Hardware-Entwickler Alexander Gürbig von ConnCons. Sie teilten das, worüber sonst selten gesprochen wird: harte Lektionen, unerwartete Wendungen und die „weniger glanzvollen“ Seiten des Unternehmertums.

Ihre Geschichten waren ehrlich, ungeschönt und inspirierend – manchmal lustig, manchmal schmerzhaft, aber immer authentisch. Und vor allem: sie haben echte Gespräche ausgelöst und wertvolle Impulse gegeben.

Mit neugierigen Fragen, lebendigem Austausch und wohlverdienten Snacks und Drinks haben wir einmal mehr gezeigt: Scheitern ist nicht das Gegenteil von Erfolg – es ist ein Teil davon.

Lasst uns weiter lernen, mutig scheitern und gemeinsam starke Innovationsökosysteme gestalten.

SaxoCell auf dem Swiss Biotech Day 2024: Biotech-Innovation aus Sachsen in Basel präsentiert

Wir haben uns sehr gefreut, in diesem Jahr am Swiss Biotech Day in Basel teilzunehmen – eine der führenden Biotechnologie-Konferenzen Europas!

Unsere Kollegin Stephanie Wieneke vertrat SaxoCell am Gemeinschaftsstand des Freistaats Sachsen und präsentierte die Innovationskraft unserer Region. Die Veranstaltung bot eine hervorragende Gelegenheit, sich mit Fachkolleginnen und -kollegen aus der Biotech-Branche zu vernetzen, neue Kooperationen zu knüpfen und SaxoCells Vision für die Zukunft der Zell- und Gentherapie vorzustellen.

Wir sind stolz, die Zukunft der Biotechnologie aus dem Herzen Sachsens mitzugestalten.

Long Night of Science 2025 – Thank You!

On June 20, SaxoCell participated in the Long Night of Science (LNDW) at two locations: in Leipzig at Fraunhofer IZI and in Dresden at CRTD.
Both venues drew great interest – our booths were consistently well attended by curious guests of all ages who wanted to learn more about innovative therapies from the Saxon cell and gene therapy cluster.

Through hands-on stations, interactive models, and educational games, we presented complex topics like CAR immune cell therapies and gene therapies in an accessible way.
A particular highlight was our cell quiz, where visitors could discover which immune cell best matches their personality – from the T-helper cell to the natural killer cell or the macrophage.

A special moment of the evening was the panel discussion with the Hannah Arendt Institute for Research on Totalitarianism, titled:

“Innovation and Doubt: How Science Moves Society”

Why does medical progress sometimes trigger skepticism?
Experts in medicine, ethics, and social sciences discussed opportunities, concerns, and the role of trust in new technologies.

The discussion was broadcast live to Leipzig and can be rewatched here: [YouTube link]

A sincere thank you to all collaborators, organizers, and of course to our many visitors.
We look back on an inspiring and insightful evening.

LSX Leaders | London 2025 – SaxoCell at the Forefront of Life Sciences Innovation

LSX Leaders | London 2025 – SaxoCell at the Forefront of Life Sciences Innovation

Our transfer representative, Alexander Funkner, represented SaxoCell at the LSX Leaders Forum in London from April 28–30, 2025—one of Europe’s premier platforms for innovation, investment, and collaboration in the life sciences sector.

Under the motto “Accelerating European Life Sciences,” the forum brought together decision-makers, investors, and industry pioneers to explore emerging trends, pressing challenges, and the future of health innovation.

For SaxoCell, the conference provided valuable insights into:

Strategic development of advanced cell and gene therapies
Effective transfer models for research and start-ups
New impulses for international partnerships and investments

A special highlight was the CEO Forum Day on April 28, which offered an exclusive environment for high-level exchange—an ideal platform to advance SaxoCell’s vision for a sustainable innovation and transfer culture.

Alongside compelling panels and keynotes, the forum also offered a chance for joyful reunions: Alexander reconnected with familiar faces from Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen, leap up, and Apollo Health Ventures—a strong testament to Saxony’s dynamic presence and growing influence in the international life sciences arena.

SaxoCell Fuck-Up Night

Courage, Failure, and Real Talk: 2nd SaxoCell Fuck-Up Night at Cosmo Wissenschaftsforum

On April 30th, SaxoCell, in collaboration with Cluster4Future SEMECO, proudly hosted the second edition of the SaxoCell Fuck-Up Night at the Cosmo Wissenschaftsforum in Dresden.

The evening featured three courageous speakers: startup founders Jens Geißler from DIA42 and Jan Moritz Middeke from Cancilico, as well as hardware developer Alexander Gürbig from ConnCons. They took to the stage to share what is often left unsaid: the hard lessons, the unexpected setbacks, and the “not-so-glorious” moments of building a business.

Their stories were raw, honest, and inspiring – at times humorous, at times painful – but always authentic. Most importantly, they sparked real conversations and delivered valuable insights for everyone in attendance.

With curious questions, engaging discussions, and well-earned snacks and drinks, the night proved once again: failure isn’t the opposite of success – it’s part of the journey.

Let’s continue learning, failing forward, and shaping resilient innovation ecosystems together.

SaxoCell at Swiss Biotech Day 2025: Showcasing Saxony’s Biotech Innovation in Basel

We were thrilled to be part of this year’s Swiss Biotech Day in Basel – one of Europe’s leading biotechnology conferences!

Representing SaxoCell, our colleague Stephanie Wieneke joined the event as part of the Saxony joint booth, highlighting the strength and innovation emerging from our region. It was a great opportunity to connect with fellow biotech professionals, explore new collaborations, and present SaxoCell’s vision for the future of cell and gene therapy.

We’re proud to contribute to shaping the future of biotech from the heart of Saxony.