The geneticist who identified the first genetic cause of CMT joins CMTA-STAR’s Scientific Advisory Board, bringing 30 years of CMT expertise.
GLENOLDEN, PA, UNITED STATES, May 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Vincent Timmerman, PhD, the Belgian geneticist whose lab identified the first known genetic cause of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, joins the Scientific Advisory Board of the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association (CMTA). His appointment brings deep expertise in CMT genetics and stem-cell-derived disease modeling to the CMTA Strategy to Accelerate Research (CMTA-STAR), the organization’s research mission that moves therapies from the lab into clinical trials.
Timmerman leads the Peripheral Neuropathy Research Group at the University of Antwerp in Belgium. His early work identified a duplication of the PMP22 gene as the cause of CMT1A, the most common form of CMT. That 1991 discovery opened the door for the discovery of more than 130 genes associated with CMT and set the stage for the gene-targeted therapies now in development. In 2023, Timmerman received the Rare Disease Award from Spierziekten Vlaanderen and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the CMTR special interest group of the Peripheral Nerve Society.
Timmerman’s current research focuses on building human models of CMT in the lab using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) sourced from patients. His team uses these cells to grow clusters of human nerve and muscle cells in the lab, which mimic the nerve-muscle connections damaged by CMT. This research includes a significant CMTA-funded project drawing on cells from the CMTA’s Preclinical Toolbox iPSC collection housed with the New York Stem Cell Foundation at the Jackson Laboratories to build a new human model for CMT1A.
Many experimental drugs that look promising in animal studies fail in human trials. Human-cell models like Timmerman’s give researchers more reliable information on which therapies are worth advancing to clinical trials. This type of research is essential for the work of CMTA-STAR, which focuses on moving the strongest candidates into clinical trials as potential treatments for CMT.
“Dr. Timmerman’s work bridges the full arc of CMT research — from the first gene discoveries to advanced human disease models,” said Katherine Forsey, PhD, Chief Research Officer of CMTA. “That perspective is exactly what CMTA-STAR is built around. He will help us sharpen how we prioritize and advance therapies, accelerating the path from biological insight to clinical trials for people living with CMT.”
Timmerman also brings strong ties to the global CMT research community. He has helped organize European CMT conferences since the early 1990s, co-chaired the Peripheral Nerve Society’s 2025 scientific program, and is president of the European CMT Research Association. He also serves on the board of the Belgian Society for Neuroscience. Timmerman’s network strengthens CMTA’s alliances with the global CMT research community at a time when international collaboration drives progress on rare-disease therapies.
“Collaboration is essential in CMT, and CMTA fosters that collaboration by bringing together scientists, clinicians, and patients to move research from the lab into clinical trials,” Timmerman said. “This approach reflects how I believe progress in CMT needs to happen. I look forward to contributing to the Scientific Advisory Board.”
About Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is a group of rare, inheritable peripheral neuropathies. Named after Jean-Martin Charcot, Pierre Marie, and Howard Henry Tooth, who first described it in 1886, CMT causes progressive muscle weakness, loss of sensation, impaired balance, and other debilitating complications. There is currently no cure or approved treatment.
About the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association (CMTA)
The Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association (CMTA) is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). As the largest philanthropic funder of CMT research, CMTA has invested more than $33 million since 2008 to accelerate research leading to new treatments and ultimately a cure. Through a strategic model that combines targeted funding, specialized scientific tools and resources, and strong patient partnership, CMTA drives promising science toward meaningful outcomes for people living with CMT. Learn more: cmtausa.org
Kenny Raymond
Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association
+1 800-606-2682
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