Leading expert discusses women in science
To mark the 10th anniversary of the United Nation’s ‘International Day of Women and Girls in Science’ on 11 February 2025, AMSBIO (Oxford, UK) has interviewed Zoe Hewitt, an expert in cell and gene therapy manufacturing and co-founder of Regen CTC (Sheffield, UK).
In this insightful Q&A, Hewitt reflects on her unexpected journey into science, the barriers women still face in the field and practical steps to drive greater diversity in life sciences. She also discusses what inspired her career in science, the importance of early role models, her work in developing cells to be used in a groundbreaking therapy for blindness and what companies and individuals can do to support women in scientific fields.
Asked to recall a rewarding moment from her career, Hewitt shared, “One of my proudest moments was in 2010, working on a project led by Pete Coffey at UCL (University College London; UK) that helped develop a stem cell therapy for blindness. My team manufactured the starting material for the Master Cell Bank that supported the ‘London Project to Cure Blindness,’ which aims to restore vision in patients with macular degeneration… I know that people are walking around London today, who can see because of [retinal pigment epithelium] cells differentiated from cells generated in our clean room. And that is incredible.”
When asked what actions are needed going forward to support women and overall diversity in life science research, Hewitt identified the need to start challenging stereotypes at a young age, actively participate in mentorship and networking, and encourage employers to adopt fairer hiring policies and take accountability for workplace structure that support diverse employees.
Read the full interview with Zoe Hewitt here.
AMSBIO offers a wide range of sources for high-quality stem-cell products, including fresh tissues covering a wide range of donors and disease states, cell lines and a custom induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) generation service. The company’s innovative growth media, supplements, and reagents ensure optimal stem cell culture conditions, while their cryopreservation and differentiation solutions guarantee the integrity and functionality of customer cells. Additionally, AMSBIO’s GMP-compliant manufacturing products and services provide a seamless transition from research to clinical applications.
For further information about AMSBIO’s suite of products and services for stem cell research please visit their website or contact them directly.