Research Summary
Dr Qasim Rafiq is an Associate Professor at University College London in Cell and Gene Therapy Bioprocess Engineering. He is a multidisciplinary engineer working at the life science, engineering and commercial interfaces with a research focus on the bioprocessing, automation and biomanufacture of cell and gene-based therapies. Product applications include stem cells (mesenchymal, haematopoietic and pluripotent), extracellular vesicles and gene-modified T-cells. He has specific interest in addressing the large-scale manufacturing challenges and enhancing process and product understanding to enable successful translation from the laboratory to the clinic.

Qasim currently leads a research portfolio of >£5M as Principal Investigator and >£20M as Co-Investigator and leads the Cell and Gene Therapy Bioprocess Engineering group at UCL which includes 4 post-doctoral researchers and 11 PhD students. He has collaborated with >25 industrial and clinical partners and has an extensive track record of clinical and commercial delivery.

He is Programme Director of a new MSc programme at UCL in “Manufacture and Commercialisation of Stem Cell and Gene Therapies” and is actively involved in national and international training programmes to deliver the scientific, technology and business leaders that will drive the industry forward.

Prior to joining UCL, he was an Assistant Professor at Aston University where he established the Bioprocess Engineering Group. He completed his PhD in Regenerative Medicine Bioprocessing at Loughborough University (UK) in collaboration with Lonza, a leading biotechnology contract manufacturing organisation, where he was the first to demonstrate the litre-scale production of hMSCs on microcarriers in stirred-tank bioreactors.

He has won awards for his research and public engagement activities and in 2020 was recognised as one of the top 20 influential and inspirational individuals in Advanced Medicine by The Medicine Maker listed amongst Nobel Laureates, multi-national CEOs and leading scientists.