Laura Breda, MS, PhD

Experience

• 

  Weill Cornell Medical College

  Jan 2005 - Jun 2015

  → Conducted research, presented and published research findings, authored 1 patent, and oversaw project design and experimental data and analyses of 7 direct reports and mentees, including 1 medical fellow and 1 medical student. Played a key role in elucidating mechanisms that activate silenced genes by forced chromatin looping, and identified and characterized small molecules that inhibit nonsense-mediated mRNA decay and suppress nonsense p53 mutations. → Conducted research, secured NIH- and EU-based grants (>$450K) that expedited promotion, published 2 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 2 reviews, and supervised 7 staff. → Earned 3 research grants and published 8 peer-reviewed manuscripts. Engineered and validated (in vitro and in vivo) lentiviral vector of 3rd generation for the expression of therapeutic and reporter genes. Instructed junior and technical research staff in molecular/cell biology techniques, including 4 graduate students, 3 technicians, 2 pre-med students, and 1-2 undergraduate volunteers/year.

  • Instructor of Pediatics, Hematology and Oncology Division, Department of Pediatrics

    Jul 2014 - Jun 2015

  • Research Associate, Hematology and Oncology Division, Department of Pediatrics

    Jan 2011 - Jun 2014

  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Hematology and Oncology Division, Department of Pediatrics

    Jan 2005 - Dec 2010
• 

  Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

  Jul 2015 - now

  → Co-direct scientific research for CuRED, The Sickle Cell and Red Cell Disorders Curative Therapy Center, which provides a multidisciplinary care team and offers concrete curative therapies for patients affected by SCD and b-thalassemia (BT). Awarded major grant ($4M) by intramural Frontier program at CHOP. Continue to fulfill all Research Assistant Professor responsibilities, including leading 14 team members and overseeing 12 projects.KEY CONTRIBUTIONS𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Key player who enabled pre-IND meeting with the FDA for a Phase I clinical trial based on an original gene therapy product. Finalized pre-clinical data, coordinated multi-team group to develop product manufacturing and CMC, and cooperated/contributed to file IND application.𝗣𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: Partnered with teams at University of Pennsylvania and established new line of research based on the use of targeted lipid nanoparticles as vehicle for mRNA cargo to promote in vivo manipulation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and correct pathological conditions. Show less → Developed cutting-edge gene therapy-based technologies to cure hemoglobinopathies and other hematologic conditions. Led a team of 8 and oversaw 10 projects. Collaborated with senior investigators at CHOP and UPENN to expand existing research program in disorders of red blood cell biology. Contributed to 2 patents, secured major grant ($1.25M), published 6 peer-reviewed papers, and regularly presented research internally and externally.KEY CONTRIBUTIONS𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵: Supported pre-clinical development of a gene therapy trial for hemoglobinopathies, based on a lentiviral vector of own design and under patent.𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Authored IRB/ICUC research protocols for characterization and treatment of HSC derived from patients and in murine models with SCD/BT. Show less

  • Scientific Co-Director, CuRED (The Sickle Cell and Red Cell Disorders Curative Therapy Center)

    Jan 2019 - now

  • Research Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology

    Jul 2015 - now