Dr. Jessie Nance

Dr. Ricardo Roda earned a combined MD/PhD degree from University of Rochester and completed an adult neurology residency, followed by a clinical neuromuscular fellowship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. During residency, Dr. Roda developed a special interest in both auto-immune disorders and genetic disorders. Following residency, he spent three years in neurogenetics branch of National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) working with Dr. Craig Blackstone, focusing on the use of the newer DNA sequencing techniques in genetic diagnosis, and in establishing genotype/phenotype correlations neuromuscular disorders. His current clinical interests include developing testing strategies for undiagnosed genetic disorders and myasthenia gravis. Dr. Roda is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Dysferlinopathy. His top areas of expertise are Spastic Paraplegia Type 7, Hereditary Spastic Paraparesis, Myasthenia Gravis, and Spastic Paraplegia Type 2.

Dr. Tom Crawford has been a member of the Department of Neurology since 1987. He is co-director of the MDA clinic for Neuromuscular Disorders and Neurologist for the Ataxia Telangiectasia Clinical Center at Johns Hopkins. His practice involves general child neurology with a principal interest in caring for children with neuromuscular, neuromotor, and ataxic disorders. Primary research interests involve the basic science and clinical characterization of two important neurologic disorders that affect children: Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Ataxia Telangiectasia. He is also actively involved in the Biology of neurofilaments by characterization of transgenic animal models. He is on the Medical and Scientific Advisory Boards of Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and the Medical Advisory Committee for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. He is the Neurologist for the Ataxia Telangiectasia Clinical Center at Johns Hopkins, which has evaluated almost half of the known patients with this disorder in the United States. Additional specific clinical interests include evaluation and treatment of children with brachial plexus palsies. Dr. Crawford received his medical degree from the University of Southern California. He completed a pediatric internship and residency at the Pediatric Pavilion of the Los Angeles County / University of Southern California Medical Center, followed by a pediatric chief residency. He completed his training in Neurology with Special Qualification in Child Neurology at the Los Angeles Childrens Hospital. He then traveled east to the laboratory of Dr John Griffin at Johns Hopkins for a fellowship in Neuromuscular Disorders. Prior to medical training and Neurology residency, he majored in Psychology and Religion at Yale College. Dr. Crawford has published extensively and presented nationally and internationally. He has an active role in teaching medical students and residents in neurology. In addition, Dr. Crawford has special interest and experience in EMG studies of children and adults. Dr. Crawford is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Dysferlinopathy. His top areas of expertise are Primary Lateral Sclerosis, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), Ataxia-Telangiectasia, and Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2.

Dr. Elrick specializes in the care of children with neuromuscular disorders, and EMG studies in children and adults. He has special interests in genetic neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders and Acute Flaccid Myelitis. Dr. Elrick earned his M.D. and Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of Michigan Medical School, studying inherited neurodegenerative disorders of childhood. He completed residency training in Pediatrics and Child Neurology, followed by a fellowship in Neuromuscular Medicine and Johns Hopkins before joining the faculty in 2019. Dr. Elrick's laboratory research interest is in understanding mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease, especially those affecting motor neurons. He studies disorders caused by genetic mutations in the nuclear pore complex, the main pathway for transport of material in and out of the nucleus of the cell, including Triple A Syndrome. He also participates in clinical research on Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), aimed at understanding susceptibility to AFM in children, and defining clinical and EMG characteristics of illness and recovery in AFM. Dr. Elrick is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Dysferlinopathy. His top areas of expertise are Cramp-Fasciculation Syndrome, Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), Dysferlinopathy, and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.