Taking Stock of Where Cell Therapy Manufacturing Stands

May 13, 2026 by Vicky Chow

Staying grounded, thoughtful at Advanced Therapies UK

Why does the Advanced Therapies Congress event matter to the European cell and gene therapy community? That could be a hard question to answer, but in my first time attending the event, the answer seemed apparent in how grounded the event felt. It wasn’t about hype or big promises — it was about taking stock, sharing honestly, and having thoughtful conversations about where the industry is right now.

Setting the tone
One of the highlights for me was the panel on Advancing Cell Therapy Manufacturing: Embracing AI, Automation and Digitalization. Aldevron’s Ran Tsalik, Business Development Manager for the UK and Ireland, joined a panel of peers for a refreshingly practical conversation centered on real challenges teams are facing—and how progress often comes from small, achievable steps. Things like digitizing paper based processes may not sound exciting, but they clearly resonate because they’re the changes that enable scale. The fact that the discussion sparked so many follow up conversations afterwards made it clear the topic it had landed where it should.

Meaningful conversations from the start
But that discussion about digitizing was only the first of many discussions with other attendees, with many genuinely valuable exchanges, including some strong conversations with existing and potential partners. These felt intentional and well matched, which made the experience even more rewarding.

This was accentuated through the networking hour at “Gene and Tonic,” another pleasant surprise in how the event was structured. The approach offered a relaxed and informal atmosphere where conversations flowed naturally, making it easy to move quickly beyond introductions and into real conversations about shared challenges, priorities, and opportunities.

Listening and learning on day two
As the event went on, we had the chance to spend more time talking with academics and therapy developers, which provided valuable insights into the industry’s current state. These conversations helped ground broader themes for the day to day realities development teams are navigating — from resourcing and timelines, to technology decisions and long term planning. There was space to listen, ask questions, and sense check assumptions, which is always a valuable and valid conversation.

The Takeaway
Advanced Therapies delivered where it mattered, thoughtful dialogue, practical insight, and meaningful connection. It felt like the right kind of forum for an industry taking a moment to pause, reflect, and recalibrate. I came away better informed, more connected, and with plenty to think about — the kind of experience that makes an event worth returning to.

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