Part 4: Gene and Cell Therapies | October 3rd, 2025
This session explored the clinical translation of gene and cell therapies. Presenters from Inteligex Inc. and the Mayo Clinic discussed the critical role of collaboration between clinical and scientific teams in developing therapies like autologous neuron replacement and regenerative stem cell treatments for SCI.
Presenters:
Michael G. Fehlings MD PhD FRCSC FACS FRSC FCAHS
Dr. Fehlings is a Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Toronto and a Consulting Neurosurgeon at Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network. Dr. Fehlings holds the Robert Campeau Family Foundation / Dr. C.H. Tator Chair in Brain and Spinal Cord Research at UHN, is Co-Director of the University of Toronto Spine Program, is a Senior Scientist at the Krembil Brain Institute and is Editor-in-Chief of Spinal Cord. He combines an active clinical practice in complex spinal surgery with a translationally oriented research program focused on discovering novel treatments to improve functional outcomes following spinal cord injury (SCI). Dr. Fehlings is currently focused on developing bioengineered human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural progenitor cells that target unique injury characteristics within the injured spinal cord. His research in this area has led to numerous high-impact publications demonstrating promising functional recovery in preclinical SCI models. Dr. Fehlings is the Founder and President of Inteligex Inc., a biotechnology start-up company tasked with the clinical translation and commercialization of this exciting technology. Based on over two decades of research, Inteligex’s stem cell platform can be personalized to target both acute and chronic SCI, as well as a number of other conditions that impact the central nervous system. Dr. Fehlings has received numerous prestigious recognitions, including appointment to the Royal Society of Canada and, most recently, the King Charles III Coronation Medal in acknowledgment of his major contributions to medicine and science.
Kassandra Poffenberger
Kassandra Poffenberger is an Advanced Biomanufacturing Engineer II at Mayo Clinic’s Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics. In this role, she conducts hands-on training for new manufacturing staff and supports the development and organization of didactic materials for Mayo Clinic’s Cell Therapy Fellowship. The Center for Regenerative Biotherapeutics aims to accelerate the clinical translation of innovative biotherapeutics into early-phase trials. The Cell Therapy Fellowship is designed to prepare the next generation of leaders in cell therapy by providing experience in quality systems, Investigational New Drug (IND) development, clinical laboratory management, and current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) requirements.
