Results for Rare Genetic Disorders

Dr. Ortiz-Gonzalez is a physician-scientist specializing in pediatric neurogenetics. Her clinical work focuses on finding a unifying genetic diagnosis for children with rare neurodevelopmental disorders. Her research is informed by her patients and focuses on understanding how genetic changes, in particular those affecting mitochondrial function, cause disease so we can develop better treatments for these children in the future.

Dr. Spinner's research focuses on the etiology and expressivity of pediatric developmental disorders. She uses genomic methods to focus on the multisystem disorder Alagille syndrome and biliary atresia, a likely heterogeneous and poorly understood condition. She is also interested in using genomic tools to continue to improve diagnostic rates for constitutional genetic disorders.

Dr. Deardorff’s work integrates patient information with genomics and cell biology to diagnosis and understand rare genetic disease.  His research focuses on disorders caused by dysregulation of chromatin or altered translational regulation, specifically, Cornelia de Lange, Coffin-Siris, Skraban-Deardorff and KBG syndromes.

Dr. Kalish's research focuses on understanding the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms that contribute to the predisposition to cancer that is characteristic of pediatric patients with rare imprinted gene disorders, including the overgrowth disorder Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS).

Dr. Hakonarson is director of the Center for Applied Genomics and professor of Pediatrics at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. He leads a $40 million commitment from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to genomically characterize approximately 100,000 children, an initiative that has gained nationwide attention in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Time Magazine, Nature, and Science.

Dr. Ahrens-Nicklas works to understand why patients with inherited biochemical disorders often suffer severe, untreatable neurologic and cardiac symptoms. She strives to elucidate the link between biochemistry and network excitability, in order to drive new approaches to therapy.

Dr. McCormack investigates the intersection of neuroendocrinology and metabolism. Her translational research program involves two areas. The first involves studying those with genetic disorders, including primary mitochondrial diseases and Friedreich's ataxia, with characterized risk for diabetes mellitus. Second, Dr. McCormack focuses on brain disorders associated with excess weight gain, including brain tumor-related hypothalamic obesity syndrome and idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

Dr. Young’s translational research program aims to understand mechanisms underlying interstitial and rare lung diseases and develop new strategies to treat these disorders. Her laboratory focuses on the roles of epithelial cells in alveolar homeostasis, injury, and repair.

Using translational approaches that encompass genomic studies, biomarker development, disease modeling, natural history studies, and clinical trials, Dr. Vanderver seeks to improve the quality of life and lifespan of individuals living with leukodystrophies or heritable disorder of myelin. She leads the Leukodystrophy Center of Excellence at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Dr. Loomes' research is focused on clinical and translational studies in pediatric liver disease. She works with National Institutes of Health-funded national consortia to conduct studies investigating the etiology and treatment for rare pediatric liver diseases including biliary atresia, Alagille syndrome, and others. Dr. Loomes also collaborates with other investigators at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to investigate genetic causes of pediatric liver disease.