Michel Sadelain, MD, PhD, Director, Center for Cell Engineering; Stephen and Barbara Friedman Chair, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, USA

Dr. Sadelain's research focuses on human cell engineering and cell therapy to treat cancer and hereditary blood disorders. His group was the first to publish dramatic molecular remissions in patients with chemo refractory acute lymphoblastic leukaemia following treatment with CD19 CART cells.

Malcolm Brenner, MD, PhD, Founding Director, Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, USA

Dr. Brenner has earned widespread recognition for his scientific achievements and leadership in the field of stem cell transplantation through the therapeutic use of T cell immunologic approaches and genetic engineering strategies, including the ASGCT Outstanding Achievement Award, Human Gene Therapy's Pioneer Award and the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy Outstanding Achievement award. For his contributions to the field, Dr. Brenner has been elected a member of the American Association of Medicine.

Stanley Riddell, MD, Director, Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; Professor, Department of Medicine at the University of Washington, USA

Dr. Stan Riddell is a world leader in developing immunotherapies, which harness the power of the immune system to fight cancers and dangerous infections. His research focuses on detailing the complex biology of immune cells called T cells and pioneering therapies that use genetically reprogrammed T cells to specifically recognize and destroy diseased cells. His team’s breakthroughs are helping researchers make progress for patients that need better therapies.

Luigi Naldini, MD, PhD, Director, San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy; Head, Gene Transfer Technologies and New Gene Therapy Strategies Unit; Full professor, Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Italy

Dr. Luigi Naldini has pioneered the development and applications of lentiviral vectors for gene transfer, which have become one of the most widely used tool in biomedical research and, upon recently entering clinical testing, are providing a long sought hope of cure for several currently untreatable and otherwise deadly human diseases.

Hans Stauss, MD, PhD, Director Institute of Immunity and Transplantation; Co-Director Division of Infection and Immunity University College London; Head Clinical Immunology Royal Free London, NHS Foundation Trust, UK

The main focus of his work is the analysis of antigen-specific T lymphocyte responses to tumours and the development of immunotherapy approaches for the treatment of cancer and chronic infection. In order to facilitate the development of immunotherapy, he led the development of the new UCL Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, which will focus on new vaccines, and on innovative cell and gene therapy approaches for the treatment of viral infection, cancer and other diseases.