Harsha Agarwal, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Gator Bio

Speaker Bio:

Harsha Agarwal specializes in assay development and generating new applications for BLI technology. She has expertise in both in-vivo and in-vitro assay development for drug screening. Harsha is proficient in various biophysical characterization methods such as SPR, microscopy, and chromatography. These techniques allow her to analyze and understand the physical properties of biomolecules and cells, contributing to the advancement of our understanding in biomedical research and biotechnological applications

Talk title:

Accurate and Easy AAV Titer and Empty/Full Ratio Determination in Upstream and Downstream Samples

Talk abstract:

The Biolayer interferometry (BLI) is a label free method primarily employed in the study of receptor / ligand interaction and has vast application in developing biotherapeutic monoclonal antibodies. Gator Bio has adapted the technology and developed novel solutions for some of the critical quality attributes of AAV products used in gene therapy and has an ongoing research program to expand the solutions. Gator Bio is the only solutions provider in the market that offers assays for genome titer, capsid titer, and empty-full ratio on a single automated platform without relying on additional techniques (e.g., ELISA, qPCR, ddPCR, AUC, and TEM) to obtain data on different AAV critical quality attributes (CQA).

Yinpeng Zhan, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

ImmuneBridge

Speaker Bio:

Yinpeng currently works at ImmuneBridge as a senior scientist in the PD team. Collaborating with highly motivated and talented colleagues, he is dedicated to establishing a novel, flexible, consistent, and abundant cellular source for advancing cancer immunotherapies.

Yinpeng embarked on his professional journey in the industry as a scientist with Sorrento Therapeutics. In this role, he co-led projects aimed at establishing the platform for iPSC-derived cancer immunotherapies. Simultaneously, he actively contributed to the process development of CLD (cell line development for therapeutic antibody production) and provided support for the CMC activities pertaining to the company's pipeline.

Talk title:

Process development for “Off-the-Shelf” Natural Killer Cell differentiation and expansion from cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem cells 

Talk abstract:

At ImmuneBridge, we are developing a platform to address two of the biggest obstacles hindering the widespread adoption of allogeneic cell therapy: "donor variability" and the "scalable manufacturing process." Our approach aims to standardize and streamline cell production, making therapies more consistent and accessible.

In the presentation, I will briefly introduce the concept of our platform and explain how it can revolutionize the field. I will also present a novel suspension differentiation process that we have developed to generate Natural Killer (NK) cells from expanded hematopoietic stem cells (xHSCs). Additionally, I will discuss the potential applications of our technology in both clinical and research settings, highlighting its ability to meet the growing demand for effective and affordable cell therapies.