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CMTA-STAR Advisory Board

Uniting Scientific, Clinical, and Therapeutic Expertise to Accelerate CMT Research

The CMTA-STAR Advisory Board brings together world-leading experts to guide and accelerate every stage of CMT research, from early discovery to clinical trial delivery and everything in between. This integrated structure ensures that all CMTA-STAR-funded projects are scientifically sound, translationally relevant, and clinically actionable.

The Advisory Board Comprises Three Core Groups

Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)

The SAB provides scientific input and strategic guidance across the CMTA-STAR research portfolio. Its responsibilities include:

  • Evaluating the strength and relevance of research proposals
  • Reviewing progress of active projects and recommending adjustments as needed
  • Identifying and refining key biological targets for each CMT subtype

Therapy Expert Board (TEB)

The TEB assesses the translational potential of proposed and ongoing projects, focusing on:

  • Pharmacological strategy and therapeutic feasibility
  • Preclinical model selection and alignment with clinical goals
  • Opportunities for strategic partnerships with industry

Clinical Expert Board (CEB)

The CEB supports clinical trial readiness by:

  • Informing trial design based on natural history and clinical experience
  • Advising on biomarker validation and outcome measures
  • Supporting trial site recruitment through the CMTA Centers of Excellence and the CMTA-INC Alliance

Together, these boards help ensure that CMTA-STAR investments lead to real-world solutions for people living with CMT.

Meet the Scientific Advisory Board

  • Mr. Popko

    Brian Popko, PhD

    Joined: 2015

    Type/Subtype Expertise: Demyelinating CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Small Molecule

    Read Dr. Popko’s Bio

  • Mr. Conklin

    Bruce Conklin, MD

    Joined: 2022

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All dominant forms of CMT, with an emphasis on CMT2A, CMT2E, CMT1B

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Genetic Therapy | CRISPR

    Read Dr. Conklin’s Bio

  • Ms. Sumner

    Charlotte Sumner, MD

    Joined: 2024

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT with emphasis on CMT2C in laboratory research

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Gene Therapy – ASO; Small Molecule – CMT2C

    Read Dr. Sumner’s Bio

  • Mr. Baas

    Frank Baas, MD, PhD

    Joined: 2014

    Type/Subtype Expertise: CMT1A

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Small Molecule? (He states “Therapy development for CMT1A”)

    Read Dr. Baas’s Bio

  • John Svaren, PhD, with a microscope in his laboratory.

    John Svaren, PhD | SAB Chair

    Joined: 2015

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT with emphasis on CMT1A

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Small Molecule; Drug Screening; Biomarkers

    Read Dr. Svaren’s Bio

  • Jun Li, MD, PhD

    Jun Li, MD, PhD

    Joined: 2009

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types of CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: All/Most therapy types and approaches

    Read Dr. Li’s Bio

  • Man in a blue shirt and dark blue sport coat, sitting in front of a medical microscope

    Klaus-Armin Nave, PhD

    Joined: 2015

    Type/Subtype Expertise: CMT1A

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Small Molecule

    Read Dr. Nave’s Bio

  • Mr. Kleopas

    Kleopas Kleopa, MD, PhD

    Joined: 2018

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT with emphasis on CMTX1 (aka CMT1X, CMTX), CMT4C, CMT1A, CMT2A, CMT4D

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Gene Therapy; Disease Models

    Read Dr. Kleopa’s Bio

  • Mario Saporta, MD, PhD

    Mario Saporta, MD, PhD

    Joined: 2018

    Type/Subtype Expertise:

    Therapy Approach Expertise:

    Read Dr. Saporta’s Bio

  • Mr. D'Antonio

    Maurizio D’Antonio, PhD

    Joined: 2017

    Type/Subtype Expertise: CMT1A, CMT1B, CMT1E, CMT2J/I

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Animal Models; Small Molecule; Gene Therapy

    Read D’Antonio’s Bio

  • Mr. Burgess

    Robert Burgess, PhD

    Joined: 2019

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Animal Models; Small Molecule; Gene Therapy

    Read Dr. Burgess’s Bio

  • Mr. Harper

    Scott Harper, PhD

    Joined: 2018

    Type/Subtype Expertise: CMT1A, CMT2D, CMT4B3

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Gene therapy

    Read Dr. Harper’s Bio

  • Dr. Zuchner

    Stephan Züchner, MD, PhD, FAAN

    Joined: 2012

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Genetic Discovery; Gene Therapy

    Read Dr. Züchner’s Bio

  • Steven Gray, PhD

    Steven Gray, PhD

    Joined: 2018

    Type/Subtype Expertise: CMT4J, CMT4K, CMT4C, CMT4A, GAN

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Gene Therapy

    Read Dr. Gray’s Bio

  • Mr. Scherer

    Steven Scherer, MD, PhD

    Joined: 2008

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: All/Most therapy types

    Read Dr. Scherer’s Bio

  • Taleen Hanania, PhD, in a red top with silver earrings and a pendant, smiles warmly against a dark gray studio backdrop.

    Taleen Hanania, PhD

    Joined: 2014

    Type/Subtype Expertise: CMT1A, CMT2A and CMT2E

    Therapy Approach Expertise: All/Most therapy types and approaches specifically including small molecule; antibodies; ASOs; AAVs; and cell therapies

    Read Dr. Hanania’s Bio

  • Portrait of Vincent Timmerman, PhD, wearing tortoiseshell round glasses and a navy blazer, posed against a neutral gray backdrop for a professional headshot.

    Vincent Timmerman, PhD

    Joined: 2026

    Type/Subtype Expertise: Demyelinating and Axonal CMT (HMSN); Distal Hereditary Motor Neuropathies (HMN); Sensory Neuropathies (HSAN, HSAN-I). With a focus in: CMT1A; CMT2F/dHMN; CMT2L; and CMT2JJ.

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Small Molecules; RNA Interference; CRISPR Editing

    Read Dr. Timmerman’s Bio

Meet the Therapy Expert Board

  • Professional head-and-shoulders portrait of Christopher J. Klein, MD, a Mayo Clinic neurologist with gray hair, wearing a dark suit and red tie.

    Christopher Klein, MD

    Joined: 2014

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: All/Most therapy types and approaches

    Read Dr. Klein’s Bio

  • Claes Wahlestedt, MD, PhD

    Claes Wahlestedt, MD, PhD

    Joined: 2013

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Small Molecule or Oligonucleotide Therapeutics

    Read Dr. Wahlestedt’s Bio

  • Mr. Herrmann

    David Herrmann, MB BCh, MD

    Joined: 2018

    Type/Subtype Expertise:

    Therapy Approach Expertise:

    Read Dr. Herrmann’s Bio

  • Lars Knutsen

    Lars J. Knutsen, PhD, FRSC

    Joined: 2013

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Small Molecule; Drug Discovery

    Read Dr. Knutsen’s Bio

  • Mr. Honore

    Tage Honoré, PhD, DSc

    Joined: 2014

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Small Molecule; Gene Therapy

    Read Dr. Honoré’s Bio

Meet the Clinical Expert Board

  • Professional head-and-shoulders portrait of Christopher J. Klein, MD, a Mayo Clinic neurologist with gray hair, wearing a dark suit and red tie.

    Christopher Klein, MD

    Joined: 2014

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: All/Most therapy types and approaches

    Read Dr. Klein’s Bio

  • Mr. Herrmann

    David Herrmann, MB BCh, MD

    Joined: 2018

    Type/Subtype Expertise:

    Therapy Approach Expertise:

    Read Dr. Herrmann’s Bio

  • Mr. Pareyson

    Davide Pareyson, MD

    Joined: 2014

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Natural History; Clinical Trials

    Read Dr. Pareyson’s Bio

  • Bharucha-Goebel

    Diana Bharucha-Goebel, MD

    Joined: 2022

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT with a focus in pediatrics

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Viral Mediated Gene Replacement Therapy; Natural History

    Read Dr. Bharucha-Goebel’s Bio

  • Joshua Burns, PhD wearing a blue blazer and glasses, professional headshot suitable for Charcot–Marie–Tooth Association profile page

    Joshua Burns, PhD

    Joined: 2017

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Pediatrics; Outcome Measures; Digital Health Technologies; Clinical Trials; Natural History Studies

    Read Dr. Burns’s Bio

  • Mary M Reilly, MD, MBE, with blonde hair, wearing a blue floral blouse, in a professional setting, highlighted by a soft background.

    Mary M Reilly, MD, MBE | CEB Co-Chair

    Joined: 2020

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Genetic Therapy; Natural History; Biomarkers; Clinical Trials

    Read Dr. Reilly’s Bio

  • Michael Shy

    Michael Shy, MD | CEB Co-Chair

    Joined: 2008

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Natural History; Biomarkers

    Read Dr. Shy’s Bio

  • Richard Finkel

    Richard Finkel, MD

    Joined: 2022

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT with a primary focus in pediatrics

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Genetic Therapy – ASO

    Read Dr. Finkel’s Bio

  • Mr. Scherer

    Steven Scherer, MD, PhD

    Joined: 2008

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: All/Most therapy types

    Read Dr. Scherer’s Bio

  • Ms. Fridman

    Vera Fridman, MD

    Joined: 2022

    Type/Subtype Expertise: All types/subtypes of CMT

    Therapy Approach Expertise: Longitudinal Natural History Analysis; Designing and Executing Treatment Trials for Neuropathy

    Read Dr. Fridman’s Bio

Your Pathway Doesn’t End Here. Your Journey Continues.

Where to Next?

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