Erinn Lanxon Cookson
About Erinn Lanxon Cookson
Erinn Lanxon Cookson serves as the Director of Gene Editing and Viral Vector Characterization at Kite Pharma, where she leads analytical development efforts for cell and gene therapies. With a strong background in microbiology and extensive experience in analytical development, she has held various research positions in reputable institutions, including the University of Washington and Novo Nordisk.
Current Role at Kite Pharma
Erinn Lanxon Cookson serves as the Director of Gene Editing & Viral Vector Characterization in the Analytical Development department at Kite Pharma. She has held this position since 2022 in Santa Monica, California. In her role, she leads the development of analytical control strategies specifically for engineered T cell programs. Cookson also acts as a technical and subject matter expert for Kite's gene editing programs, addressing regulatory technical queries from authorities such as the FDA and EMA.
Previous Experience in Analytical Development
Prior to her current role, Cookson worked at Nohla Therapeutics as a Senior Associate Scientist in Analytical Development & Quality Control from 2017 to 2018 in Seattle, Washington. She also held a position as a Scientist in Analytical Development at Vir Biotechnology, Inc. from 2018 to 2020 in San Francisco, California. Her experience includes defining platform analytics for quality control release, characterization, and in-process testing of viral vectors and gene editing technologies used in cell and gene therapies.
Educational Background
Cookson earned a Master of Science degree in Cellular and Molecular Physiology from Washington State University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Human Science from Oregon State University. Her educational background provides a strong foundation for her work in gene editing and viral vector characterization.
Research Experience at University of Washington
Cookson has extensive research experience at the University of Washington, where she worked in the Department of Microbiology from 2006 to 2013. Her roles included Research Associate from 2006 to 2008, Research Scientist 2 from 2010 to 2011, and Research Scientist 3 from 2011 to 2013. During her time there, she contributed to various projects and developed her expertise in microbiology and analytical techniques.
Contributions to Gene Editing and T Cell Therapies
Cookson promotes innovative, high-throughput analytics aimed at developing first-in-class gene editing strategies and T cell therapies. She strives in technical investigations and supports regulatory submissions for clinical and commercial programs, reflecting her commitment to advancing the field of gene editing and cell therapies.