Marc Turner is Professor of Cellular Therapy at the University of Edinburgh and Medical Director at the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service. He qualified in Medicine from the University of Manchester in 1982 and trained in General Medicine and Haematology. He obtained his PhD in human haematopoietic stem cell biology from the University of Edinburgh in 1995 and an MBA in Life Sciences from the Open University in 2007. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London, of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, of the Royal College of Pathologists and of the Higher Education Academy. His research interests include the risk of transmission of prion diseases by blood, tissues and cells and the translation of advanced therapy medicinal products to clinical practice. He has held 35 research grants and has over 150 publications. He is currently a Non-Executive Director of Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, Chair of the Global Alliance on iPSC Therapies and of the European Blood Alliance Tissues, Cells and Advanced Therapies Working Group. He is a former member of the UK Advisory Group on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) and has provided international adviser on the risks and management of variant CJD transmission. He is one of two physicians appointed by the European Commission as Members of the European Medicines Agency Committee on Advanced Therapies (CAT) and is also a Member of the Commission on Human Medicines Clinical Trials, Biologicals and Vaccines Expert Advisory Group. He is co-Director of the Northern Alliance Advanced Therapy Treatment Centre covering Scotland and the North of England.