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Neuromuscular disease

Ottawa boasts one of the highest concentrations of neuromuscular researchers in the world, including more than 200 scientists, clinicians, trainees and staff and is widely acknowledged to be an international leader in this field. 

Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital are investigating promising new approaches to prevent, diagnose and treat a wide range of neuromuscular diseases. Our work spans the full spectrum of research from basic science to clinical research to implementation. 

Learn more about The Ottawa Hospital’s neuromuscular research below, or learn about our Neuromuscular Centre, which opened in 2018.


Research News


Lab study provides new hope for people with rare muscle disease Lab study provides new hope for people with rare muscle disease
August 29, 2024 - Researchers from The Ottawa Hospital and uOttawa played a key role in a study that could lead to a new understanding of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD).
The Ottawa Hospital’s future neuroscience institute ‘a game changer’ for ground-breaking treatment The Ottawa Hospital’s future neuroscience institute ‘a game changer’ for ground-breaking treatment
March 22, 2023 - Merging cutting-edge research with frontline clinical treatments
Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital awarded eight grants worth $5 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital awarded eight grants worth $5 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research
August 10, 2021 - These projects will advance science and improve health in areas such as cancer immunotherapy, orthopedic surgery, long-term care, neuromuscular disease, blood clots, vascular disease, aging, kidney disease and Inuit health.
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Researchers


Name Scientific appointment Diseases, conditions and populations of interest Research and clinical approaches
Dilworth, Jeffrey
PhD
Senior Scientist Affiliate
(RM)
Aging, Muscular dystrophy, Neuromuscular disease Basic research, Epigenetics, Gene expression, Genomics, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells
Kothary, Rashmi
Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
(RM)
Neuromuscular disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Multiple sclerosis, Muscular dystrophy, Spinal muscular atrophy Basic research, Disease models, Drug development, Epigenetics, Epigenetics, Gene therapy, Genetics, Imaging, Lipidomics, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Transgenic/knockout models, Translational research
Parks, Robin
Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
(RM)
Brain and neuromuscular disease, Cancer, Muscular dystrophy, Neuromuscular disease Gene therapy, Molecular and cellular biology, Viral therapy
Perkins, Theodore
PhD
Senior Scientist
(RM)
Brain and neuromuscular disease, Cancer, Muscular dystrophy, Musculoskeletal conditions, Neuromuscular disease Artificial intelligence and data science, Basic research, Big data, Bioinformatics, Biomarkers, Biostatistics, Epigenetics, Gene expression, Genetics, Genomics, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Systems biology, Translational research
Rudnicki, Michael
OC, PhD, FRS, FRSC
Program Director and
Senior Scientist
(RM)
Muscular dystrophy, Neuromuscular disease Basic research, Bioinformatics, Disease models, Epigenetics, Genetics, Genomics, Model organisms, Molecular and cellular biology, Proteomics, Regenerative medicine, Stem cells, Transgenic/knockout models
Warman Chardon, Jodi
MD, PhD FRCPC (Neurology)
Associate Scientist
(NS)
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Genetic myopathy, Muscular dystrophy, Neuromuscular disease, Spinal muscular atrophy, Stiff person syndrome Artificial intelligence and data science, Clinical research, Clinical trials, Exome sequencing analysis, Genetics, Imaging, MRI muscle imaging, Next generation sequencing, RNA sequencing, Genetics