Roots of innovation: From science fairs to the leading edge of precision genetic medicine

As co-inventor of Sarepta’s new gene therapy, Louise Rodino-Klapac, PhD, executive vice president, head of R&D and chief scientific officer, is a true pioneer in genetic medicine. Dr. Rodino-Klapac leads Sarepta’s Genetic Therapies Center of Excellence (GTCOE) in Columbus, Ohio, and the Gene Editing Innovation Center (GEIC) in Durham, N.C. As head of Sarepta’s vast multidisciplinary team in R&D, she is forging new and innovative pathways for the next generation of potentially life-saving medicines to treat rare diseases. 

Her current work is a bit more advanced than the experiments that earned her top awards in middle school science fairs and first sparked her interest in discovery; but the drive to understand and solve problems remains unchanged. At Sarepta, she blends creativity with scientific rigor to speed the development of potential therapies for rare genetic diseases. Under her leadership, innovation is integral to every aspect of Sarepta’s operations—from research and development to clinical trial design and regulatory strategy.

In this video, she discusses what first inspired her to pursue scientific discovery, the essential role of imagination in innovative science and the people who drive the urgency in our work.