The European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy is a non-profit organisation for educational and scientific purposes. The aim of ESGCT is to promote fundamental and clinical research in gene therapy, cell therapy, and genetic vaccines by facilitating education, the exchange of information and technology and by serving as a professional adviser to stakeholder communities and regulatory bodies in Europe.
History
ESGCT was founded in January 1992 as the European Working Group on Human Gene Transfer and Therapy. The Society was renamed the European Society of Gene Therapy in 1998. In 2007, the Society's name was changed again to ESGCT to better reflect that the fields of gene and cell therapy can not be readily separated from one another. In 2017 ESGCT celebrated its 25th anniversary at the Annual Congress in Berlin.
Mission
ESGCT seeks to support scientists and clinicians working in the fields of gene and cell therapy and to promote awareness and understanding of gene and cell therapy and the vast amount of related research in Europe. For the past25 years, the society has seen many developments in gene and cell therapy. The development of new and improved delivery vectors and advances in genome engineering have opened up new possibilities, while the knowledge gained through clinical trials and long-term follow up of patients has contributed not only to the fields of gene and cell therapy, but also to the wider medical and life sciences. With these developments, more potential applications of gene and cell therapy and more elegant and life-changing treatments than ever before are within our grasp. With these possibilities come challenges both for the field and the wider society as treatments need to make the transition from lab bench to patient bedside and ethical questions need to be answered. Through its activities, ESGCT seeks to stimulate further exchange of scientific knowledge and expertise, promote collaboration between and within clinics, academic research and the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. Furthermore, ESGCT is committed to the training and support of young investigators entering the field and to facilitating an informed dialogue between the scientific community, policy makers and society as a whole.
Activities
ESGCT organises an Annual Congress, which brings together scientists working in the fields of gene and cell therapy from throughout Europe and beyond. The Congress is typically held in October or November in a major European city. The Congress is a platform for highlighting the latest research and techniques through the scientific sessions, which include keynote lectures, invited speakers, selected speakers, poster sessions and exhibitions. Furthermore, the Congress is an opportunity to develop relationships and collaborations. The public day, where key concepts in gene and cell therapy along with the latest research are presented in the local language to a general audience, is an integral part of the Congress. The Congress may be organised solely by ESGCT, but is often organised in collaboration with a national society for gene and cell therapy in Europe, for example the German Society for Gene Therapy DG-GT in 2017, or with closely related scientific societies, such as the International Society for Stem Cell Research in 2016. Since 2016, ESGCT also organises an annual Spring School. This meeting is aimed at students and young investigators who are new to the field of gene and cell therapy. The Spring School aims to provide an intensive training course and the opportunity to interact with current and future leaders in the field. Recently, ESGCT has started initiatives to engage its members and the wider community, including patients and members of the public. These initiatives include a heatmap that shows the location and details of gene and cell therapy research in Europe, blogs written by the society's members and news items accessible to non-specialists available on the .
Board and Presidents
The Board of ESGCT consists of 10 eminent scientists working in the fields of gene and/or cell therapy. Furthermore, one or two graduate students may be co-opted, non-voting, members of the Board. The presidency of ESGCT normally runs for 2 years. Presidents are elected at the Annual General Meeting that takes place at the Annual Congress. The following people have been elected President of the Society
The Annual Congress of the ESGCT take place in a different location in Europe every year to reflect the international character of the society. Since the first congress in 1993, Congresses have taken place in
