GRUPPETTO

Thursday, June 4, 2026
Jewelbox Space
MaRS Discovery District, Toronto, ON, Canada

Canada's cell and gene therapy ecosystem is poised for remarkable growth. Backed by a world-class research community, evolving infrastructure, and expanding manufacturing capabilities, the opportunity ahead is immense. At a time when resources are constrained and priorities are shifting, it is more important than ever for all of us—from discovery to translation to the clinic, to remain focused, collaborative, and united in our shared mission: advancing therapies that make a meaningful difference for patients.

We are teaming up to host a purposeful, high energy event in downtown Toronto, bringing together entrepreneurial academic faculty and scientists, and ecosystem leaders, to collaboratively envision concrete actions. Join us for a new kind of symposium:

• Focused scientific talks delivering cutting-edge insights
• Engaging sessions on funding and regulatory landscapes
• A dynamic, social environment designed to spark meaningful conversations, foster new collaborations, and connect you with leaders shaping the future of cell and gene therapy in Canada

In collaboration with:

Agenda

9:00 – 9:25 AM	Arrival morning coffee
9:25 – 9:30 AM	Opening remarks and housekeeping rules
9:30 – 9:45 AM	Building a national ecosystem and strategy for Canada's biodefense, resilience, and health security Patrycja Thompson, PhD Director of Strategy & Operations, The Canadian Hub for Health Intelligence & Innovation in Infectious Diseases (HI3), University of Toronto
9:50 – 10:15 AM	An overview of recent progress in targeted cell-based therapies and trends for future iPSC-based treatments for immune regeneration Juan Carlos Zúñiga-Pflücker, PhD Professor, Dept. of Immunology, University of Toronto Senior Scientist, Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute Co-founder, ProTGen Inc.
10:20 – 10:45 AM	Commercial considerations for early-stage ventures Glenn MacLean, PhD Senior Director, Technology and Venture Development, CCRM
10:45 – 11:15 AM	Coffee break
11:15 – 11:40 AM	Process Development to Clinical Manufacturing: Designing Translation-Ready Therapies Chesarahmia Bouhs, PhD Scientific Associate, Centre for Cell Manufacturing, Ci2i, Tumor Immunotherapy Program Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network
11:45 – 12:10 PM	Vendor presentation: Sony, Cytiva, Biolegend
12:10 – 1:00 PM	Lunch & coffee
1:00 – 1:25 PM	What Investors Miss in Cell Therapy: Why CMC Still Decides the Outcome Arnaud Deladeriere, PhD President & Principal Consultant, Cell & Gene Consulting Inc.
1:30 – 1:55 PM	iPSC-derived therapy: Living pain neurons that absorb joint pain non-addictively Daniel Saragnese CEO, Co-Founder, SereNeuro Therapeutics
1:55 – 2:20 PM	Coffee break
2:20 – 2:45 PM	Biomanufacturing in regenerative medicine Janet Rothberg, PhD Senior Director, Process and Analytical Development, CCRM
2:50 – 3:15 PM	Scaling early-stage biotechs: Going further-faster with the BioLabs innovation platform Allison Brown, PhD Site Head, BioLabs, Toronto
3:20 – 3:30 PM	Wrap-up and closing
3:30 – 4:00 PM	Networking

• No registration fee
• Come to learn, connect, and build relationships that strengthen our collective impact.
• Enjoy coffee, lunch, and a closing happy hour
• Please note participation will be confirmed by the organizing team upon registration.