
Pluripotent Stem Cell Technology Platform Leader at the Max Delbrück Center
Full Professor, Medical Oncology, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia
Associate Professor at the Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology at the Kemijski Inštitut
PhD candidate at the Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology, Kemijski Inštitut
Senior Scientific Programme Manager, Scientific Lead for Advanced Therapies at EATRIS
Head of Phenotyping Module and Deputy Director at the Czech Centre for Phenogenomics
Associate Professor and PI at Center for Translational Immunology of UMC Utrecht
Research Associate at the Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology at the Kemijski Inštitut
| Start | End | Name, Afiliation | Title of presentation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 | Registration Opens | ||
| 08:30 | 08:40 | Introduction | |
| Session 1 | ATMP production and translation | ||
| 08:40 | 09:15 | Zsolt Sebestyen, UMC Utrecht | Biomimetic strategies to guide rational immune receptor-based drug development |
| 09:15 | 09:35 | Luka Fajs, Bio-ReCell | Closed-System Non-Magnetic Cell Separation and Activation Approaches for T Cell Manufacturing |
| 09:35 | 09:55 | Lenka Sučková, Masaryk University | From Clinical Trial to Patient Access: Practical Lessons from the First Czech Hospital Exemption for an Academic ATMP |
| 09:55 | 10:15 | Matija Povh, Sartorious BIA Separations | Improved Development of LNP Formulation for Organ Targeting using Chromatographic Tools |
| 10:15 | 10:45 | Break and Poster Session downstairs | Sponsored Presentation Omega ThermoFisher |
| Session 2 | From in vivo models to treatments | ||
| 10:45 | 11:20 | Jan Prochazka, CCP-IMG | Integrated Phenotyping: From Disease Mechanisms to Therapeutic Endpoints |
| 11:20 | 11:40 | Tomaz Martini , Inst. of Biomed. Sciences, UM | Novel-Modality Therapeutic Opportunities in Hyperlipidemia Based on the Discovery of the Sexually Dimorphic Hepatic Cycle of Very-Low-Density Lipoproteins |
| 11:40 | 12:00 | Giulia Bortolussi , ICGEB Trieste | HepCycle-Track Quantifies Hepatocyte Proliferation to Define Therapeutic Timing as a Precision Parameter for Gene Therapy and Genome Editing |
| 12:00 | 12:20 | Špela Malenšek, Kemijski Inštitut | Immunoengineering genetically encoded chimeric PCSK9 vaccine against hypercholesterolemia. |
| 12:20 | 14:00 | Lunch Break and Poster Session downstairs | Sponsored Presentation Sartorius |
| Session 3 | Advances in gene, cell and tissue therapies | ||
| 14:00 | 14:35 | Massimo Dominici, Univ. Modena & Reggio Emilia | Engineering Cells to Defeat Refractory Solid Tumors: From MSC-Based Therapeutics to CAR-Driven Immunotherapy |
| 14:35 | 14:55 | Aleksandar Janev, Institute of Cell Biology, UL | Human Amniotic Membrane Preparations Exert a Tumour-Selective Anti-Cancer Effect in Bladder Cancer Across 2D, 3D, and Patient-Derived Models |
| 14:55 | 15:15 | Petra Susjan Leite, Kemijski Inštitut | Making One Copy Count — RNA-Based Therapeutic Strategies in CTNNB1 Haploinsufficiency |
| 15:15 | 15:35 | Duško Lainšček , Kemijski Inštitut | Decoupling reactogenicity from efficacy enables safer mRNA vaccines, AAV gene delivery, and in vivo base editing |
| 15:35 | 16:05 | Coffee Break and Poster Session downstairs | Sponsored Presentation Miltenyi Biotec, Labormed |
| Session 4 | Cellular models for mechanistic and safety studies | ||
| 16:05 | 16:40 | Sebastian Diecke, Max Delbrück Center | Pluripotent Stem Cells, Automation, Disease Modeling and beyond |
| 16:40 | 17:00 | Nina Krako Jakovljevic , UCCS | Altered Mitochondrial Respiratory Function and Morphology of Palmitate Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells: Model of Hepatic Insulin Resistance and Lipotoxcity |
| 17:00 | 17:20 | Bernarda Majc , National Institute of Biology | Overcoming glioblastoma resistance: enhancing standard and nk cell therapies through tgf-β pathway inhibition |
| 17:20 | 17:40 | David Morrow, EATRIS | From Innovation to Access: How Effective European Collaboration Can Transform the ATMP Landscape |
| 17:40 | End of the conference |
The CTGCT Day 2025 is an event open to the whole ecosystem of biotechnology and development of gene and cell therapies. This year registration will be free but the spaces are limited. Priority will be given to those who have submitted a contribution to the event.
Grand Hotel Union Eurostars, will be the venue where we will celebrate the CTGCT Day 2026
Miklošičeva cesta 1, 1000 Ljubljana
A limited number of rooms are available in uHotel Eurostarts, right next to the venue
Shuttle:
The easiest way to travel to Ljubljana from the airports above is to take a shuttle service like GoOpti transport. Reservation for transfer can be made directly to your hotel. Prices are lower if the shuttle is booked well in advance (1-2 months).
Bus or train:
Travel by bus to Ljubljana is possible. Once in Ljubljana, public transportation is available to move around the city. You can travel by train from most European countries via connection to Ljubljana (Slovenia).





