##  [Making Possible: Stepping toward a future with cell and gene therapy](/stories/making-possible-stepping-toward-future-cell-and-gene-therapy "Making Possible: Stepping toward a future with cell and gene therapy") 

 [Discovery](/tags/category/discovery)

 

 

#  Making Possible: Stepping toward a future with cell and gene therapy 

These stories offer a glimpse into the lives of people touched by a new era of medicine.



 

 Nov 16, 2020 

Novartis scientist Leila Haery likes to step away from the lab and wander in nature for perspective. While outdoors, the gene therapy expert contemplates the vastness of landscapes and their evolution over time. She’s inspired to ask new questions with the potential to shape an emerging field of medicine.

Leila’s story is the first in Making Possible, a video series about lives that have been touched by [cell and gene therapy](/about/novartis-gene-therapies/what-cell-and-gene-therapy "What is cell and gene therapy"). Researchers share what it’s like to work toward one-time treatments for intractable diseases and patients shed light on what those treatments could mean for individuals and families.

Cell and gene therapy builds on decades of technological progress and careful research. The goal is to treat disease at its root cause by repairing or enhancing cells at the genetic level. This is a pivotal time for innovation in the field. Following key approvals of cell and gene therapies by health authorities, new treatments are being tested in clinical trials around the world.

> What gives me energy in life is the idea that what I do every day really matters to someone else.
> 
> **Paula Alvarez**, Scientist in Cell & Gene manufacturing



 



##  Making Possible: Stepping toward a future with cell and gene therapy 

  
  var kPlayer = KalturaPlayer_55802022 || KalturaPlayer;
  var config = {
    targetId: "kaltura_player_6a8bce871dd4c597823989",
    provider: {
      widgetId: "1_9r9bvkpc",
      partnerId: "2076321",
      uiConfId: "55802022"
    },
    playback: {
      autoplay: false,
      autopause: false,
      muted: false,
      loop: false    },
    sources: {
      options: {},
      startTime: 0
    },
    disableUserCache: "true",
    plugins: {},
    sources: {
      options: {},
      startTime: 0
    },
    ui: {
      showCCButton: false,
      settings: {
        showQualityMenu: true,
        showSpeedMenu: false      },
      components: {
        fullscreen: {
          disableDoubleClick: false
        }
      },
      uiComponents: [
        {
          presets: ['Playback', 'Live'],
          area: 'BottomBarRightControls',
          replaceComponent: 'Fullscreen',
          get: kPlayer.ui.components.Remove
        }
      ]
    }
  };

  // Check and add plugins only if they exist
  if (kPlayer.plugins["download"]) {
    config.plugins.download = {
      disable: true    };
  }

  if (kPlayer.plugins["transcript"]) {
    config.plugins["playkit-js-transcript"] = {
      position: "right", // Default: bottom;('left', 'right', 'top', 'bottom') to enable transcript.
      expandMode: "over", // Default: alongside;('alongside', 'hidden', 'over')
      expandOnFirstPlay: false,
      showTime: true,
      downloadDisabled: false,
      printDisabled: false,
      disable: true    };
  }

      if (kPlayer.plugins["preventSeek"]) {
      config.plugins.preventSeek = {
        preventSeekForward: false,
        preventSeek: false      };
    }
    config.plugins.floating = {
      disable: true    };
    if (kPlayer.plugins["navigation"]) {
      config.plugins.navigation = {
        position: "right",
        expandMode: "over",
        expandOnFirstPlay: false,
        visible: false      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["hotspots"]) {
      config.plugins['playkit-js-hotspots'] = {
        disable: true      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["moderation"]) {
      config.plugins['playkit-js-moderation'] = {
        disable: true      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["info"]) {
      config.plugins['playkit-js-info'] = {
        disable: true      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["share"]) {
      config.plugins.share = {
        disable: true      };
    }
          config.ui.uiComponents = [];
                    if (kPlayer.plugins["googleAnalytics"]) {
      config.plugins.googleTagManager = {};
      config.plugins.googleTagManager.customEventsTracking = {};
      config.plugins.googleTagManager.containerId = 'GTM-57RJQ5';
              config.plugins.googleTagManager.customEventsTracking.custom = [];
                    config.plugins.googleTagManager.customEventsTracking = {
          preset: {
            coreEvents: true,
            UIEvents: false,
            playlistEvents: false,
            castEvents: false
          }
        };
          }
  



 
    // Ensure the global player registry array always exists, regardless of embed type.
    window.kalturaPlayerVideos = window.kalturaPlayerVideos || [];
    try {
              var thumbEmbedPromise = __thumbnailEmbed({config, mediaInfo: {entryId: "1_r7wcnrnw"}});
        // __thumbnailEmbed() returns a Promise that resolves with the player instance
        // when the user clicks the thumbnail. Use .then() to capture the player directly.
        thumbEmbedPromise
          .then(function(player) {
            window.kalturaPlayerVideos.push(player);
            // Notify kaltura_datalayer.js that a new player is ready so it can
            // attach custom event listeners immediately, regardless of when
            // the user clicked the thumbnail relative to page load.
            document.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('kalturaPlayerReady', { detail: { player: player } }));
          })
          .catch(function(error) {
            console.error(error);
          });
          } catch (e) {
      console.error(e.message)
    }
  

 







 



###  Meet Paula: Quality control for CAR-T manufacturing 

 

 

 

  
  var kPlayer = KalturaPlayer_55802022 || KalturaPlayer;
  var config = {
    targetId: "kaltura_player_6a8bce87230d6989036522",
    provider: {
      widgetId: "1_4cnbng1m",
      partnerId: "2076321",
      uiConfId: "55802022"
    },
    playback: {
      autoplay: false,
      autopause: false,
      muted: false,
      loop: false    },
    sources: {
      options: {},
      startTime: 0
    },
    disableUserCache: "true",
    plugins: {},
    sources: {
      options: {},
      startTime: 0
    },
    ui: {
      showCCButton: false,
      settings: {
        showQualityMenu: true,
        showSpeedMenu: false      },
      components: {
        fullscreen: {
          disableDoubleClick: false
        }
      },
      uiComponents: [
        {
          presets: ['Playback', 'Live'],
          area: 'BottomBarRightControls',
          replaceComponent: 'Fullscreen',
          get: kPlayer.ui.components.Remove
        }
      ]
    }
  };

  // Check and add plugins only if they exist
  if (kPlayer.plugins["download"]) {
    config.plugins.download = {
      disable: true    };
  }

  if (kPlayer.plugins["transcript"]) {
    config.plugins["playkit-js-transcript"] = {
      position: "right", // Default: bottom;('left', 'right', 'top', 'bottom') to enable transcript.
      expandMode: "over", // Default: alongside;('alongside', 'hidden', 'over')
      expandOnFirstPlay: false,
      showTime: true,
      downloadDisabled: false,
      printDisabled: false,
      disable: true    };
  }

      if (kPlayer.plugins["preventSeek"]) {
      config.plugins.preventSeek = {
        preventSeekForward: false,
        preventSeek: false      };
    }
    config.plugins.floating = {
      disable: true    };
    if (kPlayer.plugins["navigation"]) {
      config.plugins.navigation = {
        position: "right",
        expandMode: "over",
        expandOnFirstPlay: false,
        visible: false      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["hotspots"]) {
      config.plugins['playkit-js-hotspots'] = {
        disable: true      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["moderation"]) {
      config.plugins['playkit-js-moderation'] = {
        disable: true      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["info"]) {
      config.plugins['playkit-js-info'] = {
        disable: true      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["share"]) {
      config.plugins.share = {
        disable: true      };
    }
          config.ui.uiComponents = [];
                    if (kPlayer.plugins["googleAnalytics"]) {
      config.plugins.googleTagManager = {};
      config.plugins.googleTagManager.customEventsTracking = {};
      config.plugins.googleTagManager.containerId = 'GTM-57RJQ5';
              config.plugins.googleTagManager.customEventsTracking.custom = [];
                    config.plugins.googleTagManager.customEventsTracking = {
          preset: {
            coreEvents: true,
            UIEvents: false,
            playlistEvents: false,
            castEvents: false
          }
        };
          }
  



 
    // Ensure the global player registry array always exists, regardless of embed type.
    window.kalturaPlayerVideos = window.kalturaPlayerVideos || [];
    try {
              var thumbEmbedPromise = __thumbnailEmbed({config, mediaInfo: {entryId: "1_s3otseq4"}});
        // __thumbnailEmbed() returns a Promise that resolves with the player instance
        // when the user clicks the thumbnail. Use .then() to capture the player directly.
        thumbEmbedPromise
          .then(function(player) {
            window.kalturaPlayerVideos.push(player);
            // Notify kaltura_datalayer.js that a new player is ready so it can
            // attach custom event listeners immediately, regardless of when
            // the user clicked the thumbnail relative to page load.
            document.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('kalturaPlayerReady', { detail: { player: player } }));
          })
          .catch(function(error) {
            console.error(error);
          });
          } catch (e) {
      console.error(e.message)
    }
  

 







 



###  Meet Natalie: Could gene therapy change her future? 

 

 

 

  
  var kPlayer = KalturaPlayer_55802022 || KalturaPlayer;
  var config = {
    targetId: "kaltura_player_6a8bce8726cc7868226493",
    provider: {
      widgetId: "1_0sgapp04",
      partnerId: "2076321",
      uiConfId: "55802022"
    },
    playback: {
      autoplay: false,
      autopause: false,
      muted: false,
      loop: false    },
    sources: {
      options: {},
      startTime: 0
    },
    disableUserCache: "true",
    plugins: {},
    sources: {
      options: {},
      startTime: 0
    },
    ui: {
      showCCButton: false,
      settings: {
        showQualityMenu: true,
        showSpeedMenu: false      },
      components: {
        fullscreen: {
          disableDoubleClick: false
        }
      },
      uiComponents: [
        {
          presets: ['Playback', 'Live'],
          area: 'BottomBarRightControls',
          replaceComponent: 'Fullscreen',
          get: kPlayer.ui.components.Remove
        }
      ]
    }
  };

  // Check and add plugins only if they exist
  if (kPlayer.plugins["download"]) {
    config.plugins.download = {
      disable: true    };
  }

  if (kPlayer.plugins["transcript"]) {
    config.plugins["playkit-js-transcript"] = {
      position: "right", // Default: bottom;('left', 'right', 'top', 'bottom') to enable transcript.
      expandMode: "over", // Default: alongside;('alongside', 'hidden', 'over')
      expandOnFirstPlay: false,
      showTime: true,
      downloadDisabled: false,
      printDisabled: false,
      disable: true    };
  }

      if (kPlayer.plugins["preventSeek"]) {
      config.plugins.preventSeek = {
        preventSeekForward: false,
        preventSeek: false      };
    }
    config.plugins.floating = {
      disable: true    };
    if (kPlayer.plugins["navigation"]) {
      config.plugins.navigation = {
        position: "right",
        expandMode: "over",
        expandOnFirstPlay: false,
        visible: false      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["hotspots"]) {
      config.plugins['playkit-js-hotspots'] = {
        disable: true      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["moderation"]) {
      config.plugins['playkit-js-moderation'] = {
        disable: true      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["info"]) {
      config.plugins['playkit-js-info'] = {
        disable: true      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["share"]) {
      config.plugins.share = {
        disable: true      };
    }
          config.ui.uiComponents = [];
                    if (kPlayer.plugins["googleAnalytics"]) {
      config.plugins.googleTagManager = {};
      config.plugins.googleTagManager.customEventsTracking = {};
      config.plugins.googleTagManager.containerId = 'GTM-57RJQ5';
              config.plugins.googleTagManager.customEventsTracking.custom = [];
                    config.plugins.googleTagManager.customEventsTracking = {
          preset: {
            coreEvents: true,
            UIEvents: false,
            playlistEvents: false,
            castEvents: false
          }
        };
          }
  



 
    // Ensure the global player registry array always exists, regardless of embed type.
    window.kalturaPlayerVideos = window.kalturaPlayerVideos || [];
    try {
              var thumbEmbedPromise = __thumbnailEmbed({config, mediaInfo: {entryId: "1_ay2jcm13"}});
        // __thumbnailEmbed() returns a Promise that resolves with the player instance
        // when the user clicks the thumbnail. Use .then() to capture the player directly.
        thumbEmbedPromise
          .then(function(player) {
            window.kalturaPlayerVideos.push(player);
            // Notify kaltura_datalayer.js that a new player is ready so it can
            // attach custom event listeners immediately, regardless of when
            // the user clicked the thumbnail relative to page load.
            document.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('kalturaPlayerReady', { detail: { player: player } }));
          })
          .catch(function(error) {
            console.error(error);
          });
          } catch (e) {
      console.error(e.message)
    }
  

 







 



###  Meet Leila: Explorer of a future with gene therapy 

 

 

 

  
  var kPlayer = KalturaPlayer_55802022 || KalturaPlayer;
  var config = {
    targetId: "kaltura_player_6a8bce872a62f683440677",
    provider: {
      widgetId: "1_k5bv1l8f",
      partnerId: "2076321",
      uiConfId: "55802022"
    },
    playback: {
      autoplay: false,
      autopause: false,
      muted: false,
      loop: false    },
    sources: {
      options: {},
      startTime: 0
    },
    disableUserCache: "true",
    plugins: {},
    sources: {
      options: {},
      startTime: 0
    },
    ui: {
      showCCButton: false,
      settings: {
        showQualityMenu: true,
        showSpeedMenu: false      },
      components: {
        fullscreen: {
          disableDoubleClick: false
        }
      },
      uiComponents: [
        {
          presets: ['Playback', 'Live'],
          area: 'BottomBarRightControls',
          replaceComponent: 'Fullscreen',
          get: kPlayer.ui.components.Remove
        }
      ]
    }
  };

  // Check and add plugins only if they exist
  if (kPlayer.plugins["download"]) {
    config.plugins.download = {
      disable: true    };
  }

  if (kPlayer.plugins["transcript"]) {
    config.plugins["playkit-js-transcript"] = {
      position: "right", // Default: bottom;('left', 'right', 'top', 'bottom') to enable transcript.
      expandMode: "over", // Default: alongside;('alongside', 'hidden', 'over')
      expandOnFirstPlay: false,
      showTime: true,
      downloadDisabled: false,
      printDisabled: false,
      disable: true    };
  }

      if (kPlayer.plugins["preventSeek"]) {
      config.plugins.preventSeek = {
        preventSeekForward: false,
        preventSeek: false      };
    }
    config.plugins.floating = {
      disable: true    };
    if (kPlayer.plugins["navigation"]) {
      config.plugins.navigation = {
        position: "right",
        expandMode: "over",
        expandOnFirstPlay: false,
        visible: false      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["hotspots"]) {
      config.plugins['playkit-js-hotspots'] = {
        disable: true      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["moderation"]) {
      config.plugins['playkit-js-moderation'] = {
        disable: true      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["info"]) {
      config.plugins['playkit-js-info'] = {
        disable: true      };
    }
    if (kPlayer.plugins["share"]) {
      config.plugins.share = {
        disable: true      };
    }
          config.ui.uiComponents = [];
                    if (kPlayer.plugins["googleAnalytics"]) {
      config.plugins.googleTagManager = {};
      config.plugins.googleTagManager.customEventsTracking = {};
      config.plugins.googleTagManager.containerId = 'GTM-57RJQ5';
              config.plugins.googleTagManager.customEventsTracking.custom = [];
                    config.plugins.googleTagManager.customEventsTracking = {
          preset: {
            coreEvents: true,
            UIEvents: false,
            playlistEvents: false,
            castEvents: false
          }
        };
          }
  



 
    // Ensure the global player registry array always exists, regardless of embed type.
    window.kalturaPlayerVideos = window.kalturaPlayerVideos || [];
    try {
              var thumbEmbedPromise = __thumbnailEmbed({config, mediaInfo: {entryId: "1_5kvgii3n"}});
        // __thumbnailEmbed() returns a Promise that resolves with the player instance
        // when the user clicks the thumbnail. Use .then() to capture the player directly.
        thumbEmbedPromise
          .then(function(player) {
            window.kalturaPlayerVideos.push(player);
            // Notify kaltura_datalayer.js that a new player is ready so it can
            // attach custom event listeners immediately, regardless of when
            // the user clicked the thumbnail relative to page load.
            document.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('kalturaPlayerReady', { detail: { player: player } }));
          })
          .catch(function(error) {
            console.error(error);
          });
          } catch (e) {
      console.error(e.message)
    }
  

 







 



###  Meet Cameron: Using CRISPR to treat disease at its root 

 

 

 

 

 

 ## All Videos



#### Meet Paula: Quality control for CAR-T manufacturing

 

 



#### Meet Natalie: Could gene therapy change her future?

 

 



#### Meet Leila: Explorer of a future with gene therapy

 

 



#### Meet Cameron: Using CRISPR to treat disease at its root

 

 

 

 









## Additional resources

- [Cell and Gene Therapy Explained with Vox Creative](https://www.vox.com/ad/21375959/novartis-cell-and-gene-therapy)
- [What is Cell & Gene Therapy?](/about/novartis-gene-therapies/what-cell-and-gene-therapy "What is cell and gene therapy")



 



###  Reimagining medicine with cell & gene therapy 

Scientific discoveries such as antibiotics changed the course of history. Now cell and gene therapies are creating a new turning point in medicine and how we treat disease.



 

 [Learn More](/about/novartis-gene-therapies "Learn More") 





Watch the stories of “Making Possible”- a video series about stepping toward a future with #cellandgenetherapy