In September of this year, in Beijing. As one of the most influential business leaders in the global gene therapy field, Ms. Sheila Mikhail will attend the 2026 CSGCT Annual Meeting She is a key figure in driving AAV gene therapy from the laboratory to industrial-scale production, and an outstanding representative of rare disease philanthropy and women's leadership. During her visit to China, she will co-host a "Women's Leadership Private Salon" during the conference, and, as the co-founder of the Jude & Sheila Innovation Award, join global peers in honoring researchers who have made outstanding innovative contributions to the gene and cell therapy field.

01
Reshaping the Industry Landscape — Creating the M&A Legends of AskBio and Bamboo

Ms. Sheila Mikhail is a biopharma leader and serial entrepreneur with nearly 25 years of experience. Her most renowned achievement in the industry is co-founding AskBio (Asklepios BioPharmaceutical) and serving as its Chief Executive Officer. Under her leadership, AskBio established a leading gene therapy R&D pipeline layout and an AAV manufacturing platform, and was acquired by Bayer for $4 billion** in 2020, marking a landmark deal of the year. Prior to this, she successfully founded **Bamboo Therapeutics** and sold the company to Pfizer for **$827 million in 2016. In addition, Chatham Therapeutics (sold to Baxter in 2014) and Viralgen (sold to Bayer in 2021), which she co-founded, have both become landmark commercial exits in the gene therapy industry. These successful cases not only validated the commercial value of gene therapy but also drove the development of AAV GMP manufacturing systems and industrialization standards in the global CGT industry.

02
Pioneering Frontier Technologies — Dedicated to Neurodegenerative Diseases and Supply Chain Innovation

After completing a series of successful industrial endeavors, Ms. Mikhail currently serves as the CEO and co-founder of M34 Therapeutics, focusing on developing molecular therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. At the same time, she keenly identified the pain points in key supply chain areas such as global biological product storage and transportation, and co-founded Jurata Thin Film, Inc., dedicated to reducing cold-chain dependency. This technological innovation is expected to significantly reduce the transportation and storage costs of gene medicines, enhancing treatment accessibility globally, especially in resource-limited areas, demonstrating her deep insight into industry bottlenecks and strategic vision.

03
Fulfilling Industry Responsibilities — Promoting Treatment Accessibility for Rare Diseases

Ms. Mikhail has always been committed to addressing unmet clinical needs. In 2017, she co-founded the Columbus Children's Foundation, focusing on accelerating the R&D and translation of gene therapies for ultra-rare diseases. To date, the foundation has helped more than 50 children with ultra-rare diseases gain access to treatment opportunities, filling the gap outside of commercial pipelines. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to the industry and society, she was awarded the 2022 Ernst & Young (EY) U.S. Entrepreneur Of The Year National Award.

04
CSGCT Special Event — Innovation Award and Women's Leadership

The long-term close collaboration between Ms. Sheila Mikhail and Professor Jude Samulski in both research and industry is a crucial part of the history of modern gene therapy development. This year's CSGCT Annual Conference has specially established the "Jude & Sheila Innovation Award" to recognize the pioneering contributions made jointly by this partnership in the field of AAV gene therapy, and to inspire the next generation of researchers.

As one of the key agendas of the conference, Ms. Mikhail will co-host a "Women's Leadership Private Salon" during the CSGCT meeting. Based on her extensive entrepreneurial and management experience, she will engage in in-depth discussions with attendees on the business logic, team building, and industry trends in the deep tech field. She will share her insights on how to build core competitiveness in the global biopharma competition, especially her profound insights into corporate business exit strategies.

We warmly welcome researchers, clinical experts, and corporate representatives to actively register for the conference and submit your Abstracts to compete for the Jude & Sheila Innovation Award!

Abstract Submission Website: https://www.csgct.com.cn

September 19–20, 2026, the CSGCT Annual Conference will be held in Beijing. As an international exchange platform for the global cell and gene therapy field, this year's conference will gather global regulatory experts, clinical researchers, innovative enterprises, and industry partners.

Limited-Time Free Tickets for the CSGCT Annual Meeting— Scan the QR Code to Claim Now

For business partnerships and conference inquiries regarding the CSGCT Conference, please contact:

Ms. Li, CSGCT Alliance Secretariat
Email: join@csgct.com.cn
Phone/WeChat: 18600921680

About CSGCT

The Purpose and Orientation of CSGCT and Congress

• Promoting the application of CGT technology in China aims to alleviate patient suffering and save lives through effective treatment.

• To become a platform for scientists, physicians, patient organizations, regulatory agencies, enterprises, and investors in China's cell and gene therapy (CGT) sector to gather and collaborate.

• Promote the brand value of China's CGT industry, accelerate deep global integration, and advance access to innovative therapies.

  
  

Vision of the CSGCT Coalition and Congress

• Promoting Innovation and Translation: Focusing on the cell and gene therapy (CGT) sector, we bridge the entire chain from basic research and technology development to clinical trials and industrial commercialization, accelerating the integration of China's CGT products, technologies, and services into the global market.

• Build synergy ecology: By integrating domestic and foreign research resources, clinical institutions, enterprises and capital, we can build a multidimensional synergy platform of "politics, production, schools, research, medical - financial" to promote solutions to common industry challenges (such as financing needs, regulatory communication, supply chain stability, international cooperation, etc.).