Australia & New Zealand's Preeminent Biologics Conference

Felicia Pradera is the Director of Moderna’s Regional Research Centre and Strategic Alliances in Melbourne, where she leads their research-and-development collaboration strategy across the life-science ecosystem in Australia and the Indo-Pacific and represents Moderna on national innovation platforms.

With more than 20 years’ experience in cutting-edge research, collaboration, policy and product development, she has advised national and international governments in medical countermeasure (MCM) development, health security and pandemic response, most significantly briefing the United States National Security Council on emerging bio-threats in 2018. At the Defence Science and Technology Group she led MCM product development and served for five years as Australia’s National Lead; and Science and Technology Lead to the Quadrilateral Medical Countermeasures Consortium, chairing it from 2023 to 2024. Concurrently, she was the Head of Health Security Systems Australia at DMTC Limited, a division that evolved from the national MCM program she established in 2015 whilst on secondment from DSTG. During the COVID-19 response she was a member of the Prime Minister’s Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group, the whole-of-government Interdepartmental Committee, and the Science and Technology Representative to the Defence Committee.

Felicia holds a doctorate in Biotechnology from the Technical University of Berlin, a Master of Intellectual Property Law from Monash University and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from Murdoch University and the University of Melbourne respectively. She is a non-executive director of M:MBio Pty Ltd and ThirtyFiveBio Pty Ltd, sits on national advisory bodies for health security, and has received awards for research collaboration and outstanding service to Defence science.

Alisha Smith is currently Clinical Operations Director at Dimerix where she oversees a Phase III study in a rare kidney disease running in over 200 sites in 21 countries.  Alisha has 20 years' experience in clinical development covering Phase I – IV in therapeutic area including cardiovascular, dermatology, endocrinology, immunology, infectious disease, neurology, pulmonary, rare and renal disease.   Prior to Dimerix Alisha held positions of increasing responsibility with Phosphagenics, CSL, Acrux and IQVIA.  Alisha received degrees in Applied Science / Commerce from Deakin University.

Bryce Davies has worked almost exclusively in Early Phase Oncology for the past 15 years.  He currently leads Early Phase Oncology and Innovative Therapies strategy at IQVIA.  In this role he supports Biotech and Biopharma companies in developing and implementing strategies to efficiently move treatments from lab to clinic.  In Bryce’s previous role he oversaw the transition of 9 compounds into First In Human studies and was the filing lead in a successful US FDA NDA filing.

Mohammed is a co-founder and the Chief Scientific Officer of Gamma Vaccines Pty Ltd. He holds a PhD in Immunology from the Australian National University and leads the vaccine Research Group at The University of Adelaide. Mohammed has an international profile in the use of gamma-irradiation to inactivate viruses and bacteria for vaccine purposes and served as a technical expert with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). He is a co-inventor and a leading author on many publications related to the development of gamma-irradiated vaccines, including gamma-Flu. He was a Chief Investigator on ARC-linkage grant and the NHMRC Development grant that supported the development of gamma-irradiated pneumococcal vaccine. Mohammed is also a co-founder and currently the Director of Immunology of GPN Vaccines Ltd.

Hem Reddy is an expert in Bioprocess with over 22 years of bio-pharmaceutical industry experience from Sanofi, Life technologies, GE Lifesciences etc.  Currently Mr. Hem is Director of APAC Business Development at Pfanstiehl, the world’s leading manufacturer of low endotoxin, high purity GMP parenteral grade carbohydrate-based excipients, providing commercial and technical support to customer base in the territory.

Micheal Schafferius is currently the Application Specialist for Separation Technologies at Sartorius Australia and serves as the APAC Filter Integrity Champion. He has been with Sartorius for 13 years and brings over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical sectors. Micheal’s expertise encompasses Filtration, Single-Use Technologies, Quality Assurance, Validation, and Sterile Manufacturing, gained through roles with both local and international companies. He is a recognized subject matter expert in Pre-Use Post-Sterilization Integrity Testing of filters and frequently presents on this topic at regional conferences.

Micheal concluded his term as President of the Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) Australia chapter in 2024 and continues to contribute as an active core committee member.

Paul is a clinical pharmacologist,  pain management physician  and pharmaceutical physician whose career has spanned the pharmaceutical industry and academic medicine. He has been Principal Investigator in close to 800 clinical pharmacology early phase studies, and was also a Professor of Clinical Pharmacology and Director of Innovation at the University of Adelaide. Since retirement from the University and clinical practice, he continues as a pharmaceutical physician with Chief Medical Officer and Medical Advisor roles especially in the startup sector. He is Chief Medical Officer of GPN vaccines

Dr Priyanka Agarwal is the Director of Research and Operations at TheiaNova Limited, a New Zealand–based start-up company focused on providing safe, effective and accessible therapeutic solutions for management of eye diseases. She has extensive experience spanning academic research and pharmaceutical product development, with a strong focus on translational science, formulation development and commercialization, and bench-to-bedside translation of innovative therapies.

Glenn has worked on biologic treatments and diagnostics for more than 13 years in the USA biotech industry and 18 years in the Australian biotech  industry.

Part of his  work in Australia, at Neuclone, involved supervision of 2 successful Biosimilar  Phase 1 clinical trials

As the Senior Manager, Development at ACAMI, La Trobe University, Renee is focused on accelerating the development of medicines from bench to beside by developing bespoke AI solutions across the medical research lifecycle.

Renee was previously the Senior Scientific and Policy Advisor at mRNA Victoria, part of the Victorian State Government where she drove policy and strategic investment programs aimed at fostering Victoria’s RNA ecosystem. Prior to working for Victorian Government, Renee worked in consulting at KPMG and EY, where she helped companies from biotech and pharma sectors to access the R&D Tax Incentive program and competitive strategic grant funding. Renee has a PhD in medical carbohydrate chemistry and biochemistry from Griffith University.

Omar Dabash, PhD is Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Oncoparse, where the next generation of oncology liquid biopsy diagnostics are being built.  Omar’s broader work spans multi-omics and applied AI in health systems, with a focus on building “decision-grade” data loops that connect biology, analytics, and real-world execution.

Dr. Milica Ng is a strategic leader at the intersection of AI, bioinformatics, and biotechnology, most recently serving as Senior Director and Head of Biomedical Data Science in R&D at CSL. She has built enterprise-scale capabilities in bioinformatics, image analytics, systems modeling, data management, and artificial intelligence. With experience across four continents and multiple industries, Dr. Ng brings a uniquely cross-disciplinary perspective. She is a strong advocate for ethical, inclusive innovation, a GAICD graduate, and an active contributor to the biotech ecosystem through board observerships, mentoring, and speaking at major ANZ and global academic & industry forums.

Andrew is the Founder and CEO of Loxegen which is developing a nanoparticle delivery system, primarily for pDNA. Andrew has more than a decade of experience in gene therapy, 25+ years' experience in law, finance and economics, including 10 years as a Partner of a leading corporate law firm. He has raised substantial capital across several projects. He is well connected in the cystic fibrosis community and is the parent of a child with cystic fibrosis.

Antiksha Joshi is a quality management professional with a deep passion for helping life science organisations implement proactive quality systems that increase regulatory compliance and improve productivity. Having worked for over 25yrs with different types of life science organisations, especially small to mid-sized, she has firsthand experience in the challenges of remaining compliant and efficient in a dynamic ecosystem. It is this experience that she brings to her consulting work - supporting companies build systems, procedures & controls that ensure continued compliance and smoother business operations.

She has helped biotech startups, manufacturing organisations and clinical trial organisations design and implement quality systems customised to their operations & compliance requirements.

Antiksha holds a Master’s in Microbiology as well as a Diploma in Counselling.

Title of the session: From Concept to Capacity: Navigating the Intersection of Innovation, Investment, and Sustainable Growth - The GPN Story

Dr Rathjen is a highly experienced and respected leader in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries within Australia and internationally, and has achieved in excess of $800 million in deals including partnerships with Merck & Co., J&J, Abbott (AbbVie), Celgene, Nycomed (Takeda) and Merck KGaA. An immunologist by training, Dr Rathjen has extensive R&D experience in the areas of infection and immunity, inflammation, oncology, and neuroscience, covering multiple treatment modalities.

As well as heading up Carina Biotech, Dr Rathjen is currently a member of the Australian Medical Research Future Fund Advisory Board, the Million Minds Mental Health Research Mission Expert Panel, the Stem Cell Therapies Mission Expert Panel and the Federal Government’s Biomedical Translation Fund Committee.

‍

Gavin Currie has led Biosceptre since October 2012, steering the company from research-led roots to a development-focused biopharmaceutical organisation accelerating lead products through the clinic. Previously General Manager of a global biotech-focused private investment fund, he served on multiple company boards. A Certified Practising Accountant with a Master of Business and Technology (UNSW), Gavin brings strong commercial acumen and extensive cross-border experience across Australia, New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and the UAE.

Dr Gisela Mautner has more than 20 years of extensive leadership experience in global pharmaceutical organisations, including operational, medical and scientific advisory roles across multiple therapeutic areas. During her career she held senior positions at global pharmaceutical companies like MSD (Merck), Bayer and Amgen in Germany as well as Australia.

She holds a Doctor of Medicine degree and a PhD from Germany, a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Harvard University, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Northwestern University of Chicago.

She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), a Health Industry Hub STEM Champion Award winner, as well as the first-ever recipient of the Brooker Prize Impact Award.

Gisela was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Noxopharm in 2022.

‍

Greg joined INOVIQ in September 2021 as Chief Scientific Officer. He is widely recognised for his pioneering work in biotechnology and precision diagnostics. With a career spanning more than three decades, Greg has contributed to advancing oncology, perinatology, and exosome-based research, and has published more than 300 peer-reviewed articles. He has held senior academic appointments at leading institutions, including the University of Queensland and Monash University, and co-founded several clinical research centres and diagnostic companies. At INOVIQ, Greg drives the development of innovative solutions from concept to clinical use, shaping new standards in medical science and patient care. His commitment to research excellence and mentorship continues to inspire innovation within the company and the broader life sciences community.

Dr Airey is Chief Medical Officer at Cynata and a senior biopharmaceutical executive with extensive global experience in drug development and commercialization. A physician by training, she has played key roles in advancing novel biologics and other pharmaceutical products from early research through to global market approval. Her expertise spans clinical trial design and execution across multiple phases, therapeutic areas, and geographies. Before joining Cynata in 2021, Dr Airey was Director of Translational Development at CSL Limited. Her earlier career includes a range of medical leadership roles in biotech, pharmaceutical, and clinical research organizations, contributing to the successful approval of multiple pharmaceutical and biologic products.

Prof Torresi (Qualifications: MBBS, B.Med.Sci, PhD microbiology, FRACP) has over 25 years of experience as a molecular virologist and infectious disease physician. He heads a virology research laboratory with research including work on SARS-CoV-2 and hepatitis C immunology and vaccine development, hepatitis B and C virology and pathogenesis, viral hepatitis induced liver cancer, dengue vaccines and influenza.

He has 190 publications including original papers, reviews, book chapters, books and 10 patents including 4 provisional and two PCT patents related to his vaccine platform. His works have 10968 citations and he has a h-Index of 54.

Successful grants for the past 10 years: In the past 10 years Professor Torresi has received research funding totalling $16.6 million ($9.5 million last 5 years) for basic research in SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, hepatitis B and C, dengue, novel vaccine platforms for enveloped viruses and clinical research in Travel Medicine through numerous funding bodies (NHMRC, MRFF, ARC, Australia-India Research Foundation, Australian Centre for Hepatitis and HIV Virology) and industry.

Current research focus: Prof Torresi’s current focus is on the development of virus like particle vaccines for complex enveloped RNA viruses using the AdaptiVax platform developed in his laboratory and progressing these vaccines to clinical trials and commercial manufacturing.

Julie Monk is a clinical development professional at RAGE Biotech, working on the translation of RNA-based therapeutics into early-phase clinical trials. Her current focus is on advancing antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) programs into first-in-human studies, with a particular interest in the challenges of demonstrating target engagement and pharmacological relevance. Julie collaborates closely with cross-functional teams on trial design, biomarker strategies, and regulatory planning, and brings a practical perspective on the opportunities and hurdles in developing next-generation RNA therapies across Australia and New Zealand.

Translational research expertise as a Head Scientific Officer (HSO) and Head of Laboratory Operations at Magellan Stem Cells P/L with over 20 years of experience in stem cell research, cellular therapy, clinical trial management, molecular virology, and biotechnology innovations. Proven expertise in leading high-impact R&D projects, strategic oversight of clinical trials, and translating cutting-edge research into commercialized therapies. Adept at liaising with regulatory bodies, driving GMP-compliant processes, and spearheading scientific innovation to enhance patient outcomes. Strong leadership in fostering cross-functional teams, securing funding, and advancing intellectual property (IP) portfolios to position company at the forefront of biotechnology.

Leab brings 13 years of global regulatory sciences experience across Australia and New Zealand, North America, Asia, and Latin America, developing CMC strategies and delivering regulatory dossiers for biological medicines and chemical entities, including vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and human intravenous immunoglobulins. Leab also has 10 years of R&D experience in pharmaceutical formulation and process development, GMP manufacture, and technology transfer, alongside a long-standing part-time background as a hospital and community pharmacist.

Ms Chong has over 27 years of oncology experience in Phase I – III of clinical program development, including leadership role involvement in four marketed oncology products.  She was previously at Genentech, Inc., in San Francisco before joining Imugene in 2015 in Sydney, Australia to develop immunotherapies in solid tumours and cellular therapy in hematology oncology.

Following completion of her PhD in Immunology at the University of Melbourne, Lisa entered the pharmaceutical industry holding a range of senior medical, research and commercial positions covering various geographies. In 2010, as Vice President of the Adult Vaccine Portfolio, she led GSK’s Vaccines H1N1 pandemic response and negotiated the first industry agreement signed with the WHO under the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework.  

Lisa also holds an MBA from the Melbourne Business School and an MSc in Health Policy, Programming and Financing from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and in 2021 joined CEPI to contribute expertise in tackling COVID-19 with a focus on Africa.  This was a natural progression from her experience gained as a Vice President in the Global Health team at GSK, where she led the access medicines commercial development and the award winning cross-sector GSK-Save the Children Partnership.

Through working with South Africa’s Aspen Pharmacare developing their biopharmaceuticals portfolio, in January 2024, Lisa was elected to the Board of the African Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative where she has been the architect of the initiative’s industry policy papers, the basis of negotiations with GAVI – The Global Alliance, the African Union and its instruments and members, and other key multilateral and international stakeholders.  Earlier this year Lisa joined the Cummings Centre for Pandemic Interventions as their inaugural Director – Business Development.  

Dr Michael Baker is the CEO & Managing Director of Arovella Therapeutics (ASX: ALA), a pre-clinical stage company developing personalised therapies for oncology, including cell therapies. He has a deep background in scientific research, drug development and venture investing in the life sciences sector.

At Arovella, Michael manages teams in Australia, America and research collaborations in the UK. Michael has led the strategy development at Arovella, including licensing technologies from world-class universities and research institutes, initiating and managing pre-clinical studies, capital raising and business development.

Previously, Michael had a distinguished career as a research scientist, where his research led to numerous high-impact research publications. He previously led early-stage biotechnology research programs, guiding them toward clinical trials. He also leveraged his skills in scientific research and drug development to uncover emerging and commercially viable technologies for investment.

Dr Zdanska is a senior clinical leader with extensive experience in clinical trials, including drug development of novel treatments with different modes of delivery, cancer genomics, first-in-human trials, genetically modified organisms, health services management, and laboratory operations. She has in depth experience with intratumoral therapies and application of oncolytic immunotherapies in clinical settings. She trained in the Czech Republic, USA and Cambodia graduating from the First Faculty of Medicine at Charles University, Prague. Dr Zdanska spent several years in a clinical research leadership role working with advanced cancer patients at the Kinghorn Cancer Centre in Sydney, Australia and has been awarded Global Talent visa for her work in cancer clinical trials. Dr Zdanska is a PhD candidate with her qualitative research focused on “Patient experiences of prolonged living with cancer during early phase trial treatment.

With over 30 years of industrial experience in the pharmaceutical sector, Olivier leads Global Clinical Manufacturing for Sanofi's mRNA Center of Excellence. In this role, he oversees the manufacturing of all mRNA clinical materials from drug substance to lipid nanoparticles (LNP), managing operations across France, the US, and Australia. Olivier brings extensive expertise in bioprocessing. He started his career managing large-scale fermentation, extraction and purification operations producing antibiotics. He then moved to vaccine and became Production Director at the new Neuville sur Saone site. He led there the implementation of new cell and viral culture manufacturing facilities which was FDA approved. Afterwards he was several years Industrial Product Leader in charge of the Industrial strategy for the launch of a new vaccine. He had to lead coordination and transversal cooperation between sites to provide markets with doses of vaccine in right Quality and Quantity.

Olivier has also various project management experiences and as Transformation Leader he accompanied industrial teams to implement Autonomous Productive Unit to improve efficiency based on Lean mindset.

When not working Olivier enjoys playing guitar in a band, running, cycling, and hikking in challenging terrains worldwide.

As Chief Executive Officer of mRNA Victoria since January 2024, and previously Chief Investment Officer from March 2022, Phoebe Dunn brings over two decades of public sector expertise to establishing Victoria as a leading mRNA biotechnology hub.

With extensive experience across public, private, and community sectors, Phoebe specialises in strategic coordination between government, research institutions, and industry to drive policy outcomes and economic impact.

Her background in designing and delivering major policy reforms and commercial projects directly equips her to lead the growth of the mRNA ecosystem in Victoria, from research and development to translation and commercialisation. She is passionate about advancing medical innovation to improve global health outcomes.

Rachel is a Facility Manager at the BASE mRNA Facility located at the Translational Research Institute and the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology at The University of Queensland. She leads operations and strategic initiatives supporting one of Australia’s largest preclinical mRNA facilities. With over a decade of experience across industry and academia, she has delivered high-value projects, managed cross-functional teams, and R&D programs toward clinical translation. Rachel holds a PhD in Biochemistry, and her expertise bridges scientific innovation, operational excellence, and translational impact in advanced therapeutics and biomanufacturing.

Dr. Dunn has more than 20 years of experience in the fields of immunology, haematology, translational medicine and drug development. She was involved in the discovery of KappaMab, the company’s lead therapeutic antibody that targets a novel antigen called kappa myeloma antigen (KMA) found on the surface of malignant plasma cells but not on normal plasma cells. KappaMab has been used in three clinical trials, and its clinical development is ongoing. She was involved in the design, preclinical and upcoming clinical development of the chimeric antigen receptor that targets KMA (KMA.CAR T-cell).

She was a lead scientist in the discovery of the monoclonal antibody, LambdaMab, that targets lambda myeloma antigen (LMA) on malignant but not normal plasma cells. The chimeric antigen receptor that targets LMA (LMA.CAR T-cell) is in preclinical development.

Silvio Tiziani is a pivotal figure in the establishment of CCRM Australia, having successfully secured funding from prestigious entities such as Monash University, MTP Connect, CSIRO, Cell Therapies Pty Ltd, and The Victorian Government. His role is integral to the organisation's success, particularly in leading the strategic alliance with the Centre of Commercialisation of Regenerative Medicine (CCRM) and serving as the Director of the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute's external engagement, strategic planning and communications.

Silvio brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to CCRM Australia, leveraging his extensive networks within industry, international organizations, and the state and federal government. His background encompasses a diverse range of private and public organisations, with a strong emphasis on laboratory-based institutions in the academic, health, and healthcare sectors.

Tim Oldham PhD is CEO and Managing Director of AdAlta Ltd, whose “East to West” cellular immunotherapy strategy is seeking to make innovation in China CAR-T cell therapy available to western patients via Australia. He has more than 20 years experience in biopharmaceutical development, manufacturing and commercialisation, including more than 10 years cell and gene therapy experience gained in business development, strategic marketing and regional leadership roles at Mayne Pharma’s Europe, Middle East and Africa unit, as President APAC for Hospira and CEO of Cell Therapies Pty Ltd prior to his role at AdAlta Ltd.

Dr. Walid Azar is the Chief Scientific Officer at Cartherics Pty Ltd, leading the development of gene-edited, iPSC-derived CAR-NK cell therapies for solid tumours and endometriosis.

He holds a PhD in cancer biology and completed postdoctoral training at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, where he led an NHMRC-funded program on IL-6 signalling in ovarian clear cell cancer using CRISPR/Cas9. He later joined CSL R&D, supporting recombinant protein and gene-therapy programs and progressing a novel program into development.

Since joining Cartherics in 2020, Dr. Azar has provided scientific and strategic leadership across the R&D portfolio, overseeing multidisciplinary teams and driving collaborations, grant funding, and IP strategy to advance next-generation immunotherapies.

Professor Tam Nguyen has over 25 years of experience spanning clinical trials, health and medical research and research innovation sector including tertiary teaching hospitals, medical research institutes and universities across Australia.

Prof Nguyen is the Director of Research & Innovation at Monash Health - Victoria's largest public health service providing safe and high quality healthcare to 25% of Melbourne's population across the entire lifespan. He is responsible for research strategy, research development, research ethics and governance, funding & grants, innovation and partnership.

Prof Nguyen works closely with Federal, State departments and peak bodies to promote Australia as the destination to conduct clinical trials. He is active with a number peak bodies including AusBiotech, ARCS, Australasian Research Management Society, Society of Clinical Research Sites (SCRS). He is the immediate past chair of the SCRS ANZ and currently on the board of ARCS Australia.

Prof Nguyen lectures “Research Development and Translation” as part of the Master of Clinical Research at the University of Melbourne. He also a guest lecturer with various Australian and international universities and hospitals, including Dresden University (Germany), Zhengzhou University (China), Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital and First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University (China).

Shaun McColl who is currently Chief Scientific Officer at Carina Biotech, has expertise in T cell differentiation and chemokine receptor-mediated T cell migration.  Work in his laboratory has been instrumental in the initiation of Carina Biotech’s first-in-human CAR-T cell clinical trial in advanced colorectal cancer and continues to support this clinical trial.

He has a joint appointment as an Adjunct Professor of Immunology at Adelaide University where his previous research was centred around understanding the biology of various members of the chemokine gene superfamily, in particular, their role solid tumour growth and metastasis.

Over his academic career, he has attracted more than $25 million in grant funding, has published over 150 original research articles, including in journals such as Nature, Nature Immunology, Nature Communications and Science Immunology, has over 16,500 citations and has an H-index of 74.

Dr Michelle Ferrari‑Cestari, PhD, is the Co‑founder and Managing Director of JM Clinical. She holds a PhD in Immunology from The University of Queensland and has authored multiple high‑impact publications with research focused on macrophage biology, inflammation, and metabolic disease. Her career spans academia, clinical research, and industry, where she leads the translation of scientific discovery into better diagnosis, treatments, and care through innovative clinical trials solutions.

Ciaran O’Keeffe is Regional Sales Director for MasterControl’s Asia Pacific Headquarters in Singapore, where he has spent over eight years helping life sciences organizations accelerate their digital transformation. In this role, he has partnered with more than 100 biopharmaceutical and medical device companies to successfully implement MasterControl’s industry-leading Quality, Manufacturing and Asset Management solutions.

With over a decade of experience delivering enterprise software across highly regulated industries in the Asia Pacific region, Ciaran brings a combination of commercial insight and hands-on implementation expertise. His approach helps organizations not only identify the right technology, but also ensure its seamless adoption to drive measurable business impact.

Ciaran holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Commerce and Chinese Language from University College Dublin, Ireland, and is passionate about bridging innovation with operational excellence in the life sciences sector.

A/Prof. Seth Cheetham is Director of the National Biologics Facility Australia’s leading academic mRNA manufacture and research site. . Seth is also a group leader and Australian Research Council fellow at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology at the University of Queensland. He leads a research program of 17 researchers that aims to progress new classes of targeted mRNA biotherapeutics to the clinic. He has authored more than 30 publications, in some of the most influential molecular biology journals and has attracted > $26M in funding. He was recently awarded a $3.3M grant to establish Australia’s first centre for personalised mRNA cancer vaccines. He is a recipient of the Genetics Society of Australasia’s Alan Wilton Prize for most outstanding early career genetics researcher.

Paul is an established pharmaceutical/biotech CEO with over 25 years in pharmaceutical product development, operations, and business development. He holds postgraduate qualifications in Biomedical and Business studies. Paul is the current CEO of RNA Australia and has led senior roles at Pfizer and IDT Australia. Paul is recognised for driving innovation to successful commercialisation, building strong stakeholder relationships, and delivering long-term growth.

Marc joined RNA Australia as the Executive Director, Strategic Programs in September 2025 bringing the knowledge and experience from a long and varied career in pharmaceuticals.

Most recently he spent over 8 years with AstraZeneca leading global programs impacting all facets of the company. With experience in validation, learning & development, quality assurance & quality systems, facility design & construction, quality control, regulatory and small & large molecule manufacture, Marc has had his finger on the pulse of the industry for more than 25 years.

He comes to his new role looking to enable RNA Australia, our partners and stakeholders to nurture, grow and develop the RNA ecosystem so it can flourish and sustain through the challenges of the future.

Rob has had over 30 years of experience in the Therapeutic Industry and Healthcare, Robert brings a wealth of expertise in Quality, Customer Satisfaction, and Regulatory Compliance.

Nick Bliesner (Head of Operations at Magellan Stem Cells) Nick has held senior leadership roles across the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors, bringing extensive experience in global operations, quality, and supply chain management. At Medical Developments International, Nick led production and international supply chain operations, servicing customers across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. More recently, as Head of Operations at Universal Biosensors, Nick oversaw Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Engineering, and Clinical functions across Australia and key global markets.

His experience scaling complex and highly regulated manufacturing environments, combined with a Bachelor of Business (Global Logistics & Transport) and a Master of Business (Supply Chain Management), forms a solid foundation for driving success in the cell and gene therapy sector.

Combining strong technical expertise with commercial acumen, Nick is well-positioned to support the translation of advanced therapies from development through to clinical and commercial manufacturing.

Dr Madeline Cao is the Head of Manufacturing Development at Cartherics, bringing over 15 years of expertise in stem cell biology and immune cell therapy. She earned her PhD from the University of Melbourne (2010–2014) and completed postdoctoral training at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) between 2014 and 2019.

Dr Cao joined Cartherics in 2019 and has played a key role in the development of the company’s lead product, CTH-401. Since 2021, she has focused on advancing cell therapy manufacturing, leading 3D bioreactor differentiation concept development, first-in-human (FIH) manufacturing scale-up, and technology transfer of the method of manufacture into a GMP facility.

In today’s presentation, Dr Cao will share Cartherics’ journey in allogeneic cell therapy manufacturing, with a focus on process development, scale-up, technology transfer and cleanroom GMP manufacturing, highlighting key lessons learned along the way.