The BSGCT Mentoring Programme: insights from both mentees and mentors

The BSGCT Mentoring Programme aims to partner an aspiring early career gene and cell therapy scientist, with a more senior member of the BSGCT board acting as a mentor. These mentee-led partnerships meet several times over a six-month period to support mentees in their career development to achieve their full potential and reach their professional goals in both academia and industry.

The 2024-25 round of the Mentoring Programme proved the most popular yet, with twelve successful partnerships.

Last year’s mentees enjoyed the scheme with some of the feedback received below:

”I really enjoyed the mentoring sessions from the 2024-25 BSGCT program. I felt my mentor was experienced, encouraging and suited to my area of research and interest. I was provided valuable and helpful advice and insights to areas of research and jobs that might be suited to my future career. I am grateful for the opportunity, as it has provided some useful clarity and insights to some of the career options I have been considering prior to this scheme.”

“My experience as a mentee in the 2024-25 BSGCT mentoring scheme was quite a significant factor in my future career decision making. I began to gravitate towards medical science in the early years of my MSc and became incredibly interested in regenerative medicine. When the BSGCT mentorship scheme was announced, I heard about it through a LinkedIn post and thought, ‘this will definitely be interesting’. I was so happy to be selected for this programme and my mentor was extremely knowledgeable. We discussed my career aspirations and my mentor provided valuable insight based on her experience including guiding me to resources that would help me develop a strong fundamental understanding of the field. I’ve become most excited about longevity biotech and the possibilities for clinical applications of cutting-edge regenerative medicine, especially as I learn more. I would definitely recommend this mentorship scheme and am eager to further engage with the BSGCT community!”

“I was fortunate to meet my mentor through this scheme. He helped me by reviewing my CV and cover letter for lab-based jobs. Also, discussing my struggles with a senior person in the field lightened my mood. I was thrilled to participate in this scheme and encourage others to take part so that they can get guidance from more experienced professionals.”

“The most useful aspect of the BSGCT mentoring scheme was having a space to step back from the day-to-day intensity of a PhD and think more strategically about the kind of career I want to build. My mentor brought an outside perspective that helped me explore different directions, reflect on what kind of environments would allow me to thrive, and stay connected to the field I want to contribute to. One key lesson I took from our meetings is the value of making space to evaluate opportunities, not based on prestige or pressure, but on what truly aligns with purpose and autonomy.”

Whilst this programme is designed primarily to encourage ECRs and guide them at a critical career stage, this programme also offers benefits to those who act as mentors.

“It was very interesting to learn about the experience of a PhD student in a different lab and institution, and to be able to share my own learnings from a long career in research.”

“Whilst I felt able to support both of my mentees, they also both had challenges, which I had never personally faced. I found the self-reflection in that was my biggest lesson.”

If the BSGCT Mentoring Programme sounds appealing to you, please look out for the launch of the 2025-26 Mentoring Programme this month!