Translational Lab

The CICET Translational Laboratory, under the scientific direction of Sascha Haubner, MD, and the oversight of Michel Sadelain, MD, PhD, supports translational research and correlative studies in cell and gene therapy. Through coordination with investigators and the CICET Cell and Gene Therapy Trials Management team, the laboratory ensures that correlative studies are protocol-aligned, sample quality is maintained, and the resulting translational data are reliable, interpretable, and biologically meaningful.

The laboratory maximizes the scientific value of limited clinical samples by integrating coordinated biospecimen planning with protocol-aligned sample processing. Its workflows preserve sample quality, maximize yield, and support integrated phenotypic, genomic, proteomic, spatial, and functional analyses from patient-derived materials collected throughout cell and gene therapy clinical studies.

The laboratory bridges clinical trial execution and biological insight by embedding correlative science early and executing it consistently across studies. Leveraging CICET CGTM’s capabilities in clinical trial management, protocol coordination, biospecimen planning, regulatory alignment, and documentation, the laboratory helps generate reliable and interpretable translational datasets.

With core capabilities in advanced immunophenotyping, cytokine profiling, biomarker analyses, spatial transcriptomics, and functional assays, and access to Columbia’s core facilities for single-cell sequencing and the Columbia University Biobank, the Translational Laboratory supports integrated translational analyses that generate insights into treatment response, safety signals, product persistence or engraftment, transgene expression or biological activity, and mechanisms of response, resistance, relapse, or loss of therapeutic effect across cell and gene therapy studies.