Meet the Progeria Gene Team

THE SCIENTISTS LAYING THE PATH TO THE CURE

The Progeria gene team brings together world-renowned researchers with complementary expertise in genetics, gene editing, and rare disease medicine. Each member of the team has a direct connection to this work, whether through decades of research, the technology itself, or the lived experience of Progeria.

Leslie Gordon, MD, Phd

PRF Co-founder and Medical Director, the world’s leading expert on Progeria, and mother of Sam, who had Progeria and inspired PRF’s creation

Francis Collins, MD, PhD

Former Director of the National Institutes of Health and leader of the Human Genome Project

David Liu, PhD

Richard Merkin Professor, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, developer of base editing and global authority in gene-editing technology

Sammy Basso, MS
(1995–2024)

Former scientist, advocate, and enduring inspiration whose legacy continues to guide this work

In addition to these leaders, PRF's Gene Team includes experts in clinical trial design, regulatory science, drug manufacturing, cardiovascular medicine, and pediatric rare disease. These are the specialists who will design and oversee the safety protocols, FDA interactions, and trial execution required to bring SamPro-2 to patients as quickly and responsibly as possible. PRF's long-standing partnerships with families around the world ensure that every stage of the process is driven by transparency, integrity, and the real needs of patients and caregivers.

“The hope of our team is to use base editing to fix the root cause of Progeria, providing a pathway to a potential cure for children with Progeria, as well as advancing treatments for millions of other children with fatal genetic diseases.”

Dr. David Liu, Broad Institute