Strategies for Building Tech Talent in the Biopharma Industry (Part 4)

As rapidly evolving technologies continue to reshape the global industrial landscape, ensuring the availability of specialized talent is becoming a central concern for both companies and educational institutions, especially in the biopharmaceutical industry. In an interview with BioPharm International® during the 2025 Cell and Gene Meeting on the Mesa, Miguel Forte, MD, PhD, CEO, Kiji Therapeutics; president, International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy (ISCT); and board/executive committee member, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM), underscores the critical need to align education and training programs with industry demands to foster the next generation of innovators.

Dr. Forte identifies two essential elements to address this challenge: first, creating conditions for effective training and talent creation, and second, providing the means to deploy that talent into companies where it’s most needed. Universities and organizations, such as ISCT and ARM, are developing hands-on, adaptive programs that bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical experience, equipping graduates with both foundational knowledge and technical, real-world skills, he says.

He also notes the significance of developing talent hubs—geographic centers in cities like Boston, Barcelona, and Berlin—where talent can circulate and grow within an ecosystem of companies, universities, and research organizations. These hubs are designed to create robust talent pools, enabling individuals to move between companies and accelerate innovation, he explains.

What are key strategies for bridging the talent gap in technology?

A central message from Dr. Forte focuses on the importance of long-term strategy and readiness for product commercialization. “The moment a scientific project goes into a product, you need to think how that commercialization of that product is going to be made and do all the strategic decisions…from day one of your product development,” he emphasizes.

He also stresses that educational initiatives, collaborative industry hubs, and proactive investment in training and infrastructure are necessary to prepare for commercialization and to cultivate adaptable, specialized talent for the future.

Click the video above to view the interview.

Click the following links for Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of Dr. Forte’s interview.

Meeting on the Mesa occurred Oct. 6–8, 2025 in Phoenix, Ariz. Click here for more conference coverage.

About the speaker

Miguel Forte, MD, PhD, CEO, Kiji Therapeutics; Board Member, ARM; President, ISCT

Dr. Forte holds several roles as CEO and co-founder of Kiji Therapeutics, executive chairman of Akatsuki Therapeutics, board member of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine, StemBond, and Swarm Oncology, and president of the board of directors for the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy. He holds an MD and specialist in infectious diseases from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon (Portugal); a PhD in Immunology from the University of Birmingham (Alabama, US); and a certificate on Health Technologies Economics from the Stockholm School of Economics. He is a fellow of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians in the United Kingdom.