Dr. Laura Hagerty received her PhD from Duke University in Pharmacology and then transitioned to industry where she worked as a scientist in muscle physiology (Acceleron Pharma) and muscle metabolism (GlaxoSmithKline). She then spent several years as the Scientific Portfolio Director at Muscular Dystrophy Association. Currently, Dr. Hagerty is the Vice President of Research at Reveragen Biopharma, which recently received FDA approval for vamorolone, a steroid alternative to prednisone for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Dr. Hagerty was integral in shepherding Vamorolone from pre-clinical research stages through clinical trials and FDA review. More recently, Dr. Hagerty also joined MyoGene Bio, a muscle-focused gene therapy company, as a Program Manager. Importantly, Dr. Hagerty was an investigator on the BESPOKE gene therapy grant for Barth syndrome in collaboration with Drs. Byrne, Cade, Pacak and Pu, which was submitted to NIH and reviewed favorably although not ultimately funded. Dr. Hagerty’s insights into the drug approval process and gene therapy landscapes will be vital as Barth Syndrome Foundation continues to press forward in identifying treatments for Barth syndrome.