Sharon Sweitzer Email and Phone Number

I joined GSK in 1998 as an investigator in the Gene Expression Sciences group with a mission to leverage molecular biology, cell biology, and biochemistry in order to support reagent development activities for early drug discovery. Over the next 20 years, I continued to focus in this area, ultimately leading a department of 30 scientists.Over this time, technology advancements were breathtaking, with the first human gene therapy treatments, the sequencing of human genome, the discovery of CRISPR gene editing, the harnessing of induced pleuripotent stem cells, the establishment of complex in vitro models that can mimic organ systems. The tools we now have at our fingertips drive our understanding of functional genomics to elucidate the complex relationship between genotype and phenotype. Manipulating genes at scale can identify the best points of therapeutic intervention and improve our probability of success.To fully harness the potential of these advancements, we must leverage data analytics and visualizations to gain biological insights and generate testable hypotheses. In my next chapter, I'm eager to apply my experience and insights to help develop innovative data platforms and tools that will further accelerate drug discovery.