The Genetics Podcast EP 178: Expanding the human proteome to facilitate drug discovery with John Lepore of ProFound Therapeutics
Mar 13, 2025
John Lepore, physician-scientist and CEO of ProFound Therapeutics, shares insights on expanding the human proteome to discover novel drug targets. He discusses the creation of the ProFoundry atlas and its role in integrating genomic data. The conversation highlights innovative drug discovery methods, collaboration with Pfizer for obesity research, and strategies for biotech firms to engage with pharma partners. John’s background as a cardiologist informs his approach, emphasizing the connection between scientific research and patient care.
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John Lepore's Career Transition
- John Lepore transitioned from a physician-scientist to drug development, driven by a desire to impact patients on a larger scale.
- This led him to GSK and later Profound Therapeutics, focusing on novel drug target discovery.
The Expanded Proteome
- The expanded proteome refers to proteins beyond the initial 20,000 identified by the Human Genome Project.
- These proteins arise from previously unappreciated open reading frames and offer novel drug targets.
ProFound Therapeutics' Approach
- Profound Therapeutics uses Ribo-Seq to identify novel proteins and integrates data from various sources.
- This includes proteomics, single-cell data, and human genetics to understand protein function and disease association.