Our Team
Leadership, Staff & Advisors
Francis Collins, MD
Senior Research Advisor
Dr. Collins advises the PRF Medical Director on matters pertaining to medical research and other scientific advances, including gene therapy, to further PRF’s mission to discover treatments and the cure for children and young adults with Progeria For the past 25 years, this esteemed physician-scientist has been an avid supporter of and key contributor to the field of Progeria research, including the discovery of the Progeria gene in 2003. He is currently a member of the Progeria Gene Team, an extraordinary group of world-renowned scientists and innovators collaborating with PRF to develop a transformative gene editing therapy that could cure Progeria.
Dr. Collins has initiated a wide range of research discoveries throughout his career. Under Dr. Collins’ direction, the Human Genome Project produced the first finished sequence of the human DNA instruction book in 2003. In addition to Progeria, his research has led to the discovery of the genetic cause and potential treatment of cystic fibrosis, neurofibromatosis, and Huntington Disease. From 2009 to 2021, he served under three Presidents as the Director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the largest supporter of biomedical research in the world. He has received numerous honors and awards for his contributions to science, medicine, and society, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Science, and the Templeton Prize.
Dr. Collins has initiated a wide range of research discoveries throughout his career. Under Dr. Collins’ direction, the Human Genome Project produced the first finished sequence of the human DNA instruction book in 2003. In addition to Progeria, his research has led to the discovery of the genetic cause and potential treatment of cystic fibrosis, neurofibromatosis, and Huntington Disease. From 2009 to 2021, he served under three Presidents as the Director of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the largest supporter of biomedical research in the world. He has received numerous honors and awards for his contributions to science, medicine, and society, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Science, and the Templeton Prize.
