Kathryn Golden is an accomplished CMC executive with a track record of shepherding complex drug candidates from discovery stage to pivotal trials. Kathryn's expertise includes integrated process development, phase-appropriate quality and regulatory coordination, and management of contract manufacturing organisations.

She has been an early employee at six biotechnology start-ups, including Q32 Bio and Codiak BioSciences. Kathryn is particularly passionate about increasing access to transformative therapies, as evidenced in her current role as SVP, Technical Operations and Cell Manufacturing at bit.bio and her co-founding of Sunflower Therapeutics, a start-up utilising yeast manufacturing technologies to provide biologics at point-of-care to underserved populations.

She received her S.B. in Chemical Engineering and M. Eng. in Bioengineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and holds an M.B.A. from the Sloan School of Management at MIT.

Michael is a Partner specialising in life sciences investments. Before joining CIC he was a Principal in the Healthcare Practice Area at The Boston Consulting Group. Michael has experience in advising multinational businesses across North America, Europe, India, and Japan.

Prior to BCG, Michael was an Investment Analyst at Oxford Capital Partners. Michael was also co-founder of an early-stage biotechnology company focused on developing small molecule drugs that target protein-protein interactions implicated in disease.

Michael earned his DPhil in Zoology in the field of neurobiology from the University of Oxford. He manages CIC's investments in Bicycle Therapeutics (NASDAQ: BCYC), Congenica, Epitopea, Storm Therapeutics and Start Codon. He is also a co-founder of Innovate Cambridge, a locally driven initiative developing an ambitious and inclusive innovation strategy for Greater Cambridge, with the goal of ensuring it remains the leading innovation ecosystem in Europe.

Simon Waddington is Professor of Gene Therapy at University College London. Over the past two decades he has worked on treatments for muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, haemophilia and thalassemia; more recently he and his team have concentrated on therapies for several severe and often fatal genetic diseases which affect young children. He has co-authored more than one hundred and seventy publications and has been principal investigator or co-applicant on grant awards totalling more than fifteen million pounds.

With Professors Ahad Rahim, Manju Kurian and Paul Gissen he has founded a clinical-stage gene therapy company, Bloomsbury Genetic Therapies and is co-inventor of eight patents. He holds an honorary chair at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa.

Jesús has an extensive career in the biopharmaceutical industry both in therapeutic development and CDMO / CRO organisations, with a particularly strong focus on the design and development of transformative cell & gene therapies.

After completing his PhD at the Autonomous University in Madrid, Jesús spent many years in academia as a scientist, including research positions at CBM-CSIC in Madrid and later at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the UK, where he studied the molecular mechanisms of amyloidosis and other degenerative disorders. He then made his transition to the industry as an entrepreneur, having founded two drug discovery start-ups to develop disease-modifying treatments for metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders (Zyentia, Zapaloid).

Jesús has held senior and executive positions in several global organisations dedicated to the development and manufacture of biological therapies (Lonza, Rentschler Biopharma, Horizon Discovery-Revvity), and championed the adoption of novel technologies and development strategies with innovators and regulatory agencies. He has held executive and board member roles in biotherapeutic start-ups and acted as a mentor and coach for new entrepreneurs. Jesús is a jury member at the European Innovation Council’s start-up Accelerator Programme, dedicated to nurturing innovative businesses with the potential to generate a positive societal impact.

Above all, Jesús is a leukaemia survivor, having been diagnosed with ALL in 2022, and undergone diverse treatments for this condition. He actively supports various charities and is passionate about promoting patient equity and engagement in the design and development of effective treatments. He is keen to engage with bold minds to explore vehicles that help realise his vision: Ensuring patients have access to cell & gene therapies that bring about significant improvements in quality of life which are meaningful to patients and their families.