Dr. Manel Juan-Otero (MD, PhD) is a Spanish immunologist who, since 2020, has served as Head of the Immunology Department at Hospital Clínic de Barcelona and leads the joint Clinical Immunotherapy Platform with Hospital Sant Joan de Déu. He has been an Assistant Professor at the University of Barcelona since 2011, following a prior academic appointment at the Autonomous University from 1997 to 2007. An accomplished clinician–scientist and mentor, he has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, supervised 15 doctoral theses, and holds 9 patents in immunology. Since 2019 he has directed the IDIBAPS group Immunogenetics and Immunotherapy in the Autoinflammatory and Immune Response (R4), whose work spans T-cell biology and HLA polymorphisms and is focused primarily on developing advanced anti-tumoral cellular immunotherapies. He has been principal investigator in 24 projects, integrating translational discovery with clinical deployment.

Under his leadership, Hospital Clínic has pioneered academic CAR-T programs within Spain’s public health system, notably ARI-0001 and ARI-0002h, both approved by the Spanish Agency of Medicines. These initiatives have broadened equitable access to cutting-edge engineered T-cell therapies and collectively treated more than 500 patients. Dr. Juan’s scientific impact includes a cumulative impact factor exceeding 710 and an H-index of 57 (40 in the last five years), positioning him among Spain’s leading immunologists. Beyond metrics, he is recognized for setting rigorous standards for safety, efficacy, and affordability in cell therapies, and for building multidisciplinary teams that bridge hospitals, academia, and manufacturing. His ongoing efforts in CART anti-CD19, CART anti-BCMA, and other engineered T-cell platforms aim to enhance efficacy, durability, and access for patients with hematologic and solid tumors. Through teaching, supervision, and national leadership, he continues to train the next generation of physician-scientists while advancing internationally visible programs that translate immunology into better outcomes for patients. His work informs policy and practice.