Akseli Hemminki, MD, PhD University of Helsinki/Finland

Dr. Hemmini is a Professor of Oncology. Following an award-winning PhD in cancer genetics, Dr Hemminki completed his MD and then moved to the US to learn about gene therapy and oncolytic viruses.

He has been involved in a dozen clinical trials in the US and Europe. He has also pioneered patient-by-patient use of oncolytic virus therapies under the EU Advanced Therapy Directive. 290 cancer patients refractory to routine treatments were safely treated with signs of efficacy seen.

In 2008, Hemminki co-founded his first University spin-out company, Oncos Therapeutics Ltd (currently Targovax ASA, Norway), and in 2013 his second, TILT Biotherapeutics Ltd. Hemminki has published more than 280 peer-reviewed manuscripts on cancer research and oncolytic viruses, many of them in the best journals of the field. He has also filed 11 patent applications.