The N=1 Collaborative (N1C), a non-profit organization representing over 700 researchers, physicians, and scientists dedicated to advancing treatments for rare disease patients, has appointed Hugh Hempel as its first Executive Director. With a distinguished career in rare disease healthcare innovation, Hempel will oversee the organization’s growth, further its mission to promote global collaborations for developing a rigorous and accessible pathway for personalized medicines, and expand access to therapies for rare disease patients.
Julia Vitarello, co-founder of N1C, expressed her excitement: “Hugh’s unique combination of industry experience and personal passion for rare disease advocacy makes him the ideal leader to guide the N1C into its next chapter. His appointment comes at a critical moment as we continue to expand our collaborations within the scientific, medical, and biopharma communities.”
Under Hempel’s leadership, the N1C will work to empower a larger network of stakeholders (bio-pharmaceutical companies, researchers, clinicians, and patients) to actively participate in the development of these individualized treatments, accelerating learnings and access across the field. Timothy Yu, co-founder, added: “With Hugh, we are confident that N1C will continue to break down barriers and create new pathways for therapies that otherwise might not reach those who need them most.” Hempel’s work will strengthen N1C’s capacity to engage new collaborators, funding opportunities, and resources while establishing platforms for knowledge-sharing among scientists, clinicians, and industry leaders.
