GLENOLDEN, PA — The Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association (CMTA) has announced the appointment of Dr. Charlotte Sumner to its Strategy to Accelerate Research (STAR) Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Dr. Sumner is a Professor of Neurology, Neuroscience, and Genetic Medicine at the esteemed Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD. She also serves as the Vice Chair for Clinical Research in the Department of Neurology and is currently the President of the Peripheral Nerve Society.
Dr. Sumner’s addition to the CMTA’s SAB brings new depth of expertise to the team. The SAB, comprised of top experts in Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, provides scientific input, evaluates ongoing or proposed CMTA-funded research projects, and guides the association’s research strategy.
In her statement, Dr. Sumner expressed her excitement about the significant progress the CMTA is making in developing disease-modifying therapeutics for patients. She lauded the CMTA’s research investments and advocacy as crucial drivers of this progress and expressed eagerness to contribute to the organization’s mission.
Dr. Sue Bruhn, CEO of the CMTA, welcomed Dr. Sumner, highlighting her extensive experience and the value she will bring to the STAR Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Bruhn anticipates that Dr. Sumner’s involvement will significantly aid strategies to accelerate treatments for the CMT community.
Dr. Sumner’s professional background involves caring for patients with inheritable neuromuscular diseases. She co-directs the Johns Hopkins Muscular Dystrophy Association Care Center, the Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) clinic, and notably, the CMTA’s Centers of Excellence CMT clinic. This clinic delivers multidisciplinary clinical care, engages in international natural history studies, and provides innovative therapeutics.
In her research laboratory, Dr. Sumner concentrates on the genetic and cellular pathogenesis of motor neuron and peripheral nerve disorders. Her work has led to the discovery of several CMT-causal genes and has laid the scientific foundations for three new approved gene-directed therapeutics.
The addition of Dr. Sumner’s expertise to the CMTA’s Scientific Advisory Board marks a significant step forward for the organization. As the CMTA continues its mission to accelerate research and develop treatments for CMT, Dr. Sumner’s experience and knowledge will doubtlessly prove invaluable, offering renewed hope for patients and the broader CMT community.
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