Arpan Desai PhD is the CEO of CamGene, he has over a decade of experience leading project and platform initiatives in the RNA therapeutics space. He has a track record of creating innovative delivery approaches and progressing LNP-based projects from discovery into the clinic across multiple therapeutic areas. He was previously founding managing director of NanoVation UK for 2 years. Key achievements: >£2M of innovate UK grants, £100k of fee for service contracts, established a portfolio of 15 collaborations and 9 people. Prior to that he served as a director at AstraZeneca, where he was been involved in leading mRNA-based projects and platform activities encompassing gene editing, vaccines, and protein replacement approaches. This has included playing key roles in collaborations with Moderna, Ionis, VaxEquity and Regulus. He established and led a global matrix team of RNA delivery scientists with the mission of creating new delivery technologies for mRNA. He established key infrastructure for the design and optimization of LNPs. Moreover, several key advances in LNP platform science were obtained, such as the development of a proteomic based screening method for in vivo LNP assessment, evaluation of higher throughput methods for LNP optimisation and evaluation of almost 100 external technologies. His work on understanding how LNPs interact with different tumour cells facilitated the selection of preclinical models to assess LNP performance. This ultimately resulted in AZs first LNP based mRNA project progressing to the clinic (MEDI1191 partnered with Moderna Therapeutics).

Conor has over 19 years experience in the research, development and manufacture of complex Biologics, with a particular focus on Bioconjugates. He has worked in roles of increasing responsibility across the academia, biotech, big-pharma and CDMO sectors.

He currently leads R&D activities across a global network of development and manufacturing facilities for Piramal Pharma Solutions. Prior to joining Piramal held senior positions within AstraZeneca, leading ADC Analytical Sciences, and serving on the ADC pipeline leadership team. Previously he worked as a Research Fellow in bioconjugation at Oxford University, and has over 20 peer-reviewed scientific publications.

Conor holds qualifications in:

• Strategy & Innovation (Post-graduate Diploma, Oxford University)
• Organic Chemistry (Ph.D., University of Bristol, UK)
• Chemistry (B.Sc. (Hons), University College Cork, Ireland)

Janet Glassford is an Expert Quality Assessor at the MHRA with a special interest in ATMPs. Her role includes the assessment of ATMP marketing authorisations, early access assessments, innovation licensing pathway applications and the provision of scientific advice, and support to the innovation office. Since joining the Agency in 2010, she has assessed a wide range of biological products, including numerous ATMPs (encompassing gene therapies, somatic cell therapy medicinal products and tissue engineered products). She has also contributed to various regulatory/scientific guidelines.

Prior to becoming a regulator, she gained more than 18 years laboratory-based research experience. Her research interests and publications centred on the cell biology of haematological malignancies. During this time she acquired substantial hands-on experience of a wide variety of molecular and cell biological techniques relevant to ATMPs.

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