Join us for our webinar “Treating Blindness with Stem Cell Therapies” with our expert panelists

Laura Koivusalo is a Doctor of Science and Technology in Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering. Her commitment to translating scientific findings into clinical applications led her to co-found StemSight, where she leads the development of off-the-shelf cell therapies for corneal regeneration. StemSight’s approach combines iPS-derived cells with functional biomaterials to support tissue regeneration, enhance therapeutic safety, and simplify cell delivery.

Professor Anders Kvanta is an ophthalmologist and vitreoretinal surgeon specializing in complex retinal diseases. He integrates deep clinical expertise and translational research, particularly focusing on hESC-derived retinal cells to improve sustainable treatment options for patients with advanced retinal conditions.

Dr. Fredrik Lanner is an expert in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine and holds a PhD in cell and molecular biology. His research at Karolinska Institutet focuses on early human embryonic development and the development and use of GMP-compliant embryonic stem cells (ESCs) for therapeutic applications, primarily targeting conditions like diabetes and age-related macular degeneration.

Dr. Stijn Heessen has a PhD in cell and tumor biology and 15 years of experience in global business development in the pharmaceutical sector. As the COO in the Alder Therapeutics team, he oversees business development, regulatory strategy, clinical planning, and market access of their PSC therapy pipelines, with a clear focus on developing photoreceptor cells for treating retinitis pigmentosa.

Dr. Kristian Tryggvason, with a PhD in Cell and molecular biology, combines scientific expertise with business leadership across cell therapy, drug development, and cell culture reagents. As CEO of Alder Therapeutics, he leads the development of functional pluripotent cell therapies with a special focus on the commercial end product.

Dr. Susanna Teppo holds a PhD in Pediatrics and Molecular cell biology. She combines her expertise in biomedicine and education with a passion for supporting researchers in advancing credible cell culture discoveries.