Dr. Barry Byrne Receives “See the Light” Award From the Mathew Forbes Romer Foundation

For families facing a devastating diagnosis of pediatric neurodegenerative genetic disease, Barry Byrne, M.D., Ph.D., provides a sense of hope and possibility.

As director of the Powell Gene Therapy Center, the associate chair of pediatrics and the Earl and Christy Powell University Chair in Genetics at the University of Florida, Byrne has made significant contributions to the understanding and treatment of Pompe disease, Canavan disease and GM-1 gangliosidosis. He was recently honored for his work in gene therapy with the “See The Light” Award from the Mathew Forbes Romer Foundation, which supports the UF Powell Gene Therapy Center in developing gene therapies for fatal brain diseases.

“It’s rewarding to be recognized by a patient organization since our efforts always put patients first,” Byrne says. “The opportunity for gene therapy to transform the life of a patient with a genetically defined disease is unique. In the history of medicine, there have been very few treatments of any disease that can effectively be called curative. In some circumstances, this will be possible with gene therapy. It’s rewarding to be able to provide such treatment to patients.”

Learn more about Dr. Barry Byrne Receives “See the Light” Award From the Mathew Forbes Romer Foundation.