Story by Martin Morard and Greta Ripperda

Doing research for Shift Pharmaceuticals under Dr. Chris Lorson at Mizzou, Leah Lepore is working to find a treatment for Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disorder. Affecting over 2 million people globally, the disorder affects the nervous system and often causes muscle atrophy and joint issues. Leah is using synthetic nucleotides to bind with a patient’s mRNA, the “blueprint” cells use to create a protein, to stop the expression of CMT symptoms.

            For Leah, getting involved with research or creative scholarship is an important part of a student’s college experience. Working in a lab allows students to make a meaningful impact on issues within their community that they are passionate about, as well as experience many opportunities for professional development.

“Everything I’ve learned here has been translatable to life,” Leah says. Watch her explain the research she is conducting into CMT, along with explaining how her involvement in research has affected her time at Mizzou.