EXPERT Workshop Registration
Unlocking the Potential of mRNA within a Collaborative European Ecosystem
YOUR ROADMAP TO EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIPS
As part of the Pre-Conference mRNA Technology & Innovation Day at the 4th mRNA-Based Therapeutics Summit Europe, we are delighted to host a complimentary Workshop.
The EU is actively building an ecosystem to support the development and commercialisation of RNA therapeutics through various initiatives, funding opportunities, public-private collaborations, infrastructure support and expert networks. Health biotechnology or biopharmaceutical R&I is supported substantially by the EU R&I Framework Programmes, with over 1,250 Horizon 2020 and nearly 600 Horizon Europe projects to date. In March 2024, the European Commission reaffirmed the importance of biotechnology in strengthening the EU’s competitiveness and strategic autonomy and proposed a series of targeted actions to boost biotechnology and biomanufacturing across the EU.
Workshop Leaders
- Raymond Schiffelers, Professor of Nanomedicine, UMC Utrecht:
“Lessons Learnt from the EXPERT Project: mRNA Therapeutics Before, During, and After COVID-19”Professor Dr Raymond Schiffelers studied Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences at Leiden University and earned his PhD at Erasmus University Rotterdam, focusing on liposomal targeting of antimicrobial agents. He pursued postdoctoral research at Utrecht University on tumour vasculature-targeting liposomes and later expanded his work in the USA on polymer-based siRNA delivery. Upon returning to Utrecht, he became an associate professor and co-invented OncoCort®, a nanomedicine that entered clinical trials in 2015. Currently, he specialises in extracellular vesicles for drug delivery systems and diagnostic applications at UMC Utrecht.
A founding member of the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV), Professor Schiffelers also serves as Associate Editor of Journal of Extracellular Vesicles and Editor for International Journal of Pharmaceutics and Journal of Controlled Release. He founded the extracellular vesicle-based company EXCYTEX and advises several start-ups. He has coordinated EU-funded projects, including EXPERT, focusing on mRNA-based therapeutics, and B-SMART, targeting neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
- Florence Lambolez, Director Pharmacology, etherna:
“Tangible EXPERT Outcomes: Proprietary mRNA Lipid Nanoparticle Formulations for Use in Oncology”Dr Florence Lambolez is an expert in mucosal T cell development and immune-oncology, with over 20 years of experience in immunology and 7 years in the life sciences industry. She earned her PhD in Immunology from Descartes Paris V University, France, and completed postdoctoral training in mucosal immunology at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology, USA.
Before joining etherna, Dr Lambolez led the in vitro Pharmacology team at iTeos Therapeutics and served as Instructor and Principal Investigator at the La Jolla Institute. She holds several patents and has published extensively in her field, contributing to advancements in immunotherapy and drug development.
- Iraida Loinaz, Deputy Director, CIDETEC Nanomedicine:
“Technical Challenges in Technology Transfer from Laboratory to Pilot Scale of Non-viral Vectors”Dr Iraida Loinaz holds a degree in Chemistry and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of the Basque Country. She is currently deputy director of CIDETEC Nanomedicine and collaborates as an associate researcher at IIS Biodonostia. She has focused her career on the synthesis and characterisation of biomaterials, with special attention to the development of drug delivery systems, hydrogels, and bioactive surfaces.
Dr Loinaz is the inventor of 8 patents, has 47 scientific articles and has coordinated 3 EU-funded projects (PneumoNP, NanoPilot, and TBMED). In recent years, she has focused on innovation processes at CIDETEC and has been actively involved in the creation of two start-up companies.
- Dr Sanja Šale, EURICE GmbH:
“EU Initiatives Supporting Health Biotech Innovations”Dr Sanja Šale earned her M.D. degree from University of Zagreb and a Ph.D. degree from the Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, Croatia. As a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School and at Stanford University School of Medicine, Sanja conducted basic and translational research studies, focusing on cell signalling, cancer research, and precision medicine.
While living and working in Silicon Valley, Sanja Šale became interested in start-up ecosystems and tech transfer. After returning to Europe, she developed and co-directed the first public biotech incubator in Croatia where she managed several strategic programmes fostering the growth of innovation ecosystem in life sciences. In addition, in her role as a Board Member and CSO/CTO, Sanja established a contract research laboratory where she managed complex collaborative projects.
As a Health Innovation Lead at EURICE GmbH, Dr Šale manages an R&I portfolio with funding acquisitions of EUR 500 million. In addition, she provides strategic guidance in identifying funding opportunities, proposal preparation, and project implementation in various HEU funding schemes (TRL 1-8). She also advises and mentors students and researchers in IP management and “lab-to-market” strategies in life sciences.
Date: Tuesday, 28th January 2025, 4:45 pm – 6:45 pm (CET)
Venue: Conference venue (Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel and Conference Center)
To join the event, please fill out the registration information below. Attendance is free of charge.