Cell Therapy Leadership Training Program

Cell Therapy Leadership Training Program

The ISCT Cell Therapy Leadership Training Program, established by the ISCT Board of Directors, is a premier initiative designed to develop the next generation of leaders in Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT). To advance this mission, ISCT is offering full-tuition scholarships to 15 scholars for the prestigious 2025 program, led by world-renowned CGT experts.

This fully funded program delivers an intensive, high-impact training experience, combining expert-led lectures, dynamic discussions, personalized mentoring, and exclusive networking sessions with global CGT thought leaders. Scholars will gain cutting-edge knowledge across critical areas such as preclinical development, IND development, study design, cell manufacturing, QA, regulatory affairs, funding, and commercialization. 

By the program's conclusion, scholars will have gained crucial insights, received strategic guidance, and built key professional connections, positioning them to lead innovation and shape the future of the CGT landscape. 

In-person training
5-day training
October 27–31, 2025

Hosted at The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA

The 2025 scholarship application period has now passed.

COURSE TOPICS
  • Clinical Trial Design & Conduct
  • Pre-Clinical Development
  • Study Design, Conduct and Analysis
  • IND Development
  • Manufacturing Best Practices
  • Release Testing Procedures
  • Quality Systems & Regulatory
  • Correlatives Studies
  • Team Science & Research Ethics
  • Routes to Commercialization
  • Funding Sources
  • Career Development
INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN THE SECTOR?

Become a Cell Therapy Leadership Training Program sponsor and help provide full tuition scholarships for the next generation of clinical translational experts in cell and gene therapy.


WHY SUPPORT THE CLINICAL CELL THERAPY LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM?
  • Showcase your organization as a solution provider in the CGT product development pipeline.
  • Network and create lasting relationships with current and future leaders in CGT.
  • Increase visibility and maximize brand awareness with a relevant and targeted audience.
  • Demonstrate Corporate Social Responsibility by participating in a critical program that addresses the workforce development crisis.

View Sponsor Prospectus

Thank you to our 2023 sponsors below, whose support has made it possible to provide 15 full-tuition scholarships to develop the next generation of CGT leaders, helping bridge the workforce development gap in the sector.

DESIGNED FOR:

Fellow-in-training or Junior Faculty members working in BMT and CGT fields with an active translational research project in cell, gene or tissue therapy readied for translation to the clinic.

 
CAPACITY:

The program is limited to 15 scholars, ensuring an intimate and immersive learning experience with personalized attention from mentors and faculty. 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

To qualify for this program, applicants must: 

  • Maintain an active membership with ISCT.
  • Hold a Fellow-in-Training or Junior Faculty position.
  • Scientists from the industry are welcome to apply, with preference given to candidates: 
    • Who are within 10 years of completing their terminal degree (e.g., PhD, MD, or equivalent).
    • Actively involved in the research, development, or clinical application of cellular therapies. 

Note: Applicants who were not selected in previous cycles are strongly encouraged to reapply for the current course. 

ACCREDITED BY:

10 CMLE Hours

UPON COMPLETION, YOU WILL RECEIVE:
  • 10 CMLE Credits
  • Certificate of Completion: Official recognition from ISCT validating your successful participation in the program
COURSE DIRECTOR


Bruce Levine, PhD
Barbara and Edward Netter Professor
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA, United States

 PLANNING FACULTY 

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PAST 2023 ISCT–ASTCT SELECTED SCHOLARS

OmniaBio/CCRM Scholar

Almudena Navarro-Bailon, Dr.

Hospital Universitario de Salamanca
Salamanca, Spain

Legend Biotech Scholar

Chaiyong Koaykul, PhD

Chulalongkorn University
Bangkok, Thailand

C-Safe Scholar

Charlotte Graham, MBChB, PhD

NHSBT and King's College Hospital
London, United Kingdom

Avectas Scholar

Chiara Guarona, MS

Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia
Pavia, Italy

Cryoport Scholar

Elizabeth Sweeney, PhD

George Washington University
Washington, DC, USA

Jennifer Tsai, MD, PhD

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York City, NY, USA

Lucy Cain, MBBS, MIPH, FRACP

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Australia

Kite, a Gilead Company Scholar

Mara Tihaya, MD, MSc

LUMC
Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

Maria Angela Aznar Gomez, PhD

University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA, USA

Mark Leick, MD

Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School
Boston, MA, USA

Nils Engel, MD

University of Pennsylvania - Center for Cellular Immunotherapies (CCI)
Philadelphia, PA, USA

Noa Holtzman, MD

National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD, USA

Sara Silbert, MD, MHSc

Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH
Bethesda, MD, USA

Ugur "Ugi" Uslu, MD

University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA, USA

BMS Scholar

William Temple, MD

UCSF
San Francisco, CA, USA

CELL THERAPY TRAINING COURSE ARCHIVE


CTTC 2019 Philadelphia, PA, USA

CTTC 2017 Seattle, WA, USA

CTTC 2015 Houston, TX, USA

Visit Archive of Past Courses & Scholars

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