Redefine the future of medicine: Build your career in cell and gene therapy
Jan 16, 2026 - Mira Paranjape
Cell and gene therapy might sound like science fiction, but this swiftly growing sector is reshaping the future of modern medicine. From rare genetic disorders to certain cancers and degenerative diseases, cell and gene therapy companies are opening new doors are to treat—and even cure—diseases once considered uncurable.
By harnessing the power of living cells and genetic modification, these breakthroughs are bringing hope to patients and families on a global scale, starting right here in San Diego.
What is cell therapy and gene therapy?
You might not know what cell and gene therapy even entails, so let’s clear it up. Cell therapy uses living cells to repair, replace, or enhance the body’s natural ability to fight diseases. Some of San Diego’s key cell therapy companies include Fate Therapeutics, Artiva Biotherapeutics, and Aspen Neuroscience.
Similarly, gene therapy gets down to the genetic level by adding, removing, or modifying genes in a patient’s cells to repair the root problem. Here in San Diego, keep an eye on companies like Arcturus Therapeutics, ADARx Pharmaceuticals, and HAYA Therapeutics. Together, cell and gene therapy aim to change the way we fight diseases by stopping them at the source.
San Diego’s key to driving change? Collaboration. Biotech companies, academic institutions, healthcare systems, and organizations that call our region home, like Excellos and Resilience, are coming together every day to drive innovation and access to these therapies in new ways. At the same time, manufacturing technology and novel therapeutic platforms help make these treatments more efficient, by working smarter to reach and help a wider range of patients.
How can I make my impact?
Of course, cell and gene therapy is reaching farther than just labs and clinics. As the field continues to grow, it’s attracting investment and creating more high-growth jobs, especially here at home. In San Diego, 2025 trends showed consistent hiring activity at local cell and gene therapy companies, with growing need for highly technical skills like Python and R.
Want to be a part of the progress? You’re in the right place. Economic forecasts show the hottest jobs in the industry from 2025 were for research associates, scientists, and manufacturing associates at San Diego’s high-impact companies like Bristol Myers Squibb, Avidity Biosciences, and Capricor Therapeutics.
Ultimately, bringing your skills to support cell and gene therapy is an exciting chance to redefine the future of life-changing medicine and make a global impact that from right here in sunny San Diego.
Interested in diving in even deeper? Check out Phacilitate’s Advanced Therapies Week from February 9-12, 2026 to hear directly from top companies like Lilly, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Johnson and Johnson, and more, and learn how to grow your career in the field.
