The 31st Annual Meeting of Japan Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (JSGCT2025)
PRESIDENT
OKADA Takashi, MD, PhD, DipWSET
Professor,
Division of Molecular and Medical Genetics,
Center for Gene & Cell Therapy,
The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo

We are delighted to announce that the 31st Annual Meeting of the Japan Society of Gene and Cell Therapy (JSGCT2025) will take place at the Hotel Gajoen Tokyo in Tokyo from Wednesday, July 23 to Friday, July 25, 2025. The theme of this year's meeting is "International Contribution and the Dawn of a New Era."

Gene therapy has gained significant attention due to its unique mechanism of action and clinical effectiveness based on molecular pathology. The marketing of gene therapy products for cancer and genetic diseases is rapidly increasing, with an increase in approvals particularly in Japan, Europe, and the United States. As a result, there is a need to develop efficient manufacturing processes for gene therapy vectors and implement strict quality control standards to enhance safety. This is crucial to maximize the therapeutic benefits for patients. In the field of cell therapy, the development of various therapies utilizing somatic stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, and CAR-T cells is progressing, offering promise for the treatment of different diseases.

However, with the growing experience in this field, issues such as stagnation in product development in Japan and a shortage of research personnel have become evident. To address these challenges, it is important to utilize real-world information and develop world-class foundational technologies that reflect current needs.

Therefore, we believe it is crucial to promote the international expansion and licensing of domestic technologies, alongside active participation in tripartite information exchange among Japan, the United States, and Europe, as well as international cooperation among regulatory authorities. In recent years, the number of industry participants in the conference has increased, establishing it as a platform for collaboration among industry, government, and academia. To actively communicate Japan's exceptional research and future potential to society, we would like to extend invitations to representatives from the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy and regulatory authorities to attend this conference.

We genuinely hope that this academic meeting will serve as a vibrant platform for insightful discussions on future prospects and prove meaningful to all attendees.