Stuart was awarded his PhD by the University of Birmingham in 2005 after which his group developed a programme of immune based therapies for liver disease and liver cancer. Backed by a successful National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), he has undertaken a variety of first-in-man early phase clinical trials. As a senior scientist within the BRC, Stuart led the development of cell therapy based around dendritic cell vaccination for primary liver cancer. Following this success, the University invested in the building and licensing of an ATMP manufacturing facility which Stuart now directs.
The Advanced Therapies Facility manages the development of new ATMPs, both within the University of Birmingham and with UK and international partner organisations and is part of the UK government funded Advanced Therapies Treatment Centre programme.
This initiative is tasked with developing streamlined manufacturing, logistics, and clinical pathways to improve access to ATMPs for patients within the National Health Service. Birmingham, in partnership with other Midlands institutions and NHS Wales is one of three specialist Advanced Therapy Treatment Centres in the UK.
Stuart continues to grow the portfolio of ATMPs manufactured at the ATF, extending to T cell products, stromal cells, chondrocytes, and dendritic cells and brings his expertise in closing manufacturing processes and developing sustainable, scaleable solutions to the projects his team work on.