The 20 Best Leukodystrophy Doctors in Maryland, US

Dr. Gerald Raymond is a clinical geneticist and neurologist at Johns Hopkins where he is also a professor of genetic medicine and neurology. He obtained his MD at the University of Connecticut and was trained in Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Neurology at the Mass. General Hospital. He received additional training in developmental neuropathology at the Universite Catholique de Louvain in Belgium and clinical genetics at the Harvard Program. Dr. Raymond’s research has been at the overlap of genetics and neurology with specific focus on peroxisomal disorders including adrenoleukodystrophy. He has been actively involved in newborn screening for ALD and in developing clinical follow-up programs. He has extensive experience in clinical management of neurogenetic issues including peroxisomal and lysosomal disorders. He presently serves as the Director of the Lysosomal Storage Disease program in the department of Genetic Medicine. Dr. Raymond is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. His top areas of expertise are Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), Leukodystrophy, Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease, and Alexander Disease.

Dr. Fatemi received his medical degree from the Medical University of Vienna, Austria in 1999. After graduation, he served as a researcher and lecturer at the Institute for Medical Chemistry in Vienna and at the Department of Pediatrics at the Vienna General Hospital. He then moved to the United States to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship in neurogenetics and neuroimaging at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 2001. During this initial period, Dr. Fatemi collaborated with a team of scientists and developed new imaging methods in patients with leukodystrophies (rare genetic diseases that affect the brain's white matter) and coordinated an internet-2 based imaging network for these diseases. He then left Kennedy Krieger Institute to train in general pediatrics and then completed a child neurology residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Dr. Fatemi returned to the Kennedy Krieger Institute in 2008 as faculty. He is a member of the Child Neurology Society, the International Child Neurology Association, the Society for Neuroscience, the American Academy of Neurology and the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. He has served as ad hoc reviewer for the Journals Child Development and American Journal of Neuroradiology. Dr. Fatemi is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. His top areas of expertise are Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), CACH Syndrome, Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease, and Metachromatic Leukodystrophy.

Eric Mallack is a Pediatric Neurologist and a Neurologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Mallack is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. His top areas of expertise are Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), CACH Syndrome, Early Infantile Epileptic Encephalopathy, and Leukodystrophy.

Dr. Ankur Butala specializes in the care of persons with complex neuropsychiatric conditions, including persons with advanced Parkinson Disease or other movement or neurodegenerative disorders. Upon graduating from a selective Physician-Scientist program at Albany Medical College, he joined the University of Massachusetts in an uncommon residency in both Neurology and Psychiatry. Dual-trained neuropsychiatrists such as Dr. Butala have experience with: Parkinson Disease and atypical Parkinsonism, Huntington Disease, Ataxia, Dystonia, early-onset dementia, traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, autism spectrum disorders, medication refractory mood and psychotic disorders, epilepsy and functional neurological disorders. In residency, he developed an interest in circuit models of brain function and how non-pharmacological approaches such as Neuromodulation and brain stimulation may be used to address treatment-resistant conditions. Consequently, he joined Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine as a Clinical and Research Fellow from 2015 to 2018, where he developed a skill set including deep brain stimulation, non-invasive brain stimulation (tDCS), and measurement of eye movements. Currently, Dr. Butala's clinical and research interests are in diagnosing and managing persons with advanced Parkinson's Disease, movement disorders, and neuropsychiatric conditions using neuromodulation, cannabinoids, and entheogens. He has ongoing multidisciplinary collaborations with colleagues at the Whiting School of Engineering - Center of Speech & Language Processing in using Machine-Learning Models and Artificial Intelligence to improve the detection and diagnosis of Movement and Neuropsychiatric disorders. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankurbutalamd Videos Neurology: Junior Faculty Spotlight. Dr. Butala is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. His top areas of expertise are Parkinson's Disease, Corticobasal Degeneration, Movement Disorders, Drug Induced Dyskinesia, and Deep Brain Stimulation.

Brenda Banwell is the director of the Department of Pediatrics, as well as pediatrician-in-chief and co-director of Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, where she helps manage the hospital’s many clinical and research centers. Dr. Banwell is a renowned expert in the research and treatment of pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neuroimmune disorders. She specializes in and studies the use of neuroimaging to assess the clinical and cognitive impact of the conditions, as well as the function of the immune system in children with these disorders. She also created a standardized clinical care algorithm and clinical database in order to evaluate the clinical impact of MS. Dr. Banwell has published more than 250 manuscripts in high-impact journals, along with over 25 book chapters. In addition, she has over 200 national and international invited lectureships and visiting professorships. An advocate for pediatric multiple sclerosis needs and research, Dr. Banwell serves as chair of the International Medical and Scientific Board of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation, and the Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody–Associated Disease (MOGAD) International Research Consortium. She is also chair of the pediatric committee of the National Institutes of Health NeuroNEXT program, which conducts studies on treatments for neurological diseases through academic, private, and industry collaborations. Dr. Banwell currently serves as past-chair of the International Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Study Group, Dr. Banwell earned her medical degree from the University of Western Ontario. She later completed a residency in pediatrics at the University of Western Ontario-Children's Hospital of Western Ontario and a second residency in pediatric neurology at University of Toronto – The Hospital for Sick Children. Her residencies were followed by a fellowship in neuromuscular research at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Banwell is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. Her top areas of expertise are Multiple Sclerosis (MS), CACH Syndrome, Optic Neuritis, and Transverse Myelitis.

Dr. Barañano earned her M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she also completed residencies in pediatrics and neurology, along with a fellowship in neurogenetics at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Dr. Barañano is an Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology. She specializes in the diagnosis and management of rare neurogenetic disorders. She has a particular interest in the genetic control and function of the cerebellum and expertise in childhood-onset and inherited ataxias. She is a member of the multidisciplinary Fetal Management group and is available for prenatal consultations. Dr. Barañano's research includes collaborative efforts with the Johns Hopkins Department of Genetic Medicine and the Division of Neurogenetics at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Dr. Baranano is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. Her top areas of expertise are Hypotonia, Ohdo Syndrome, Say-Barber-Biesecker-Young-Simpson Variant, Focal or Multifocal Malformations in Neuronal Migration, and Hereditary Ataxia.

Dr. Sara Mixter is Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her areas of clinical expertise are internal medicine, pediatrics, and primary care for adults with developmental disabilities and other complex childhood-onset conditions. She is the director of the Hopkins PACT (Pediatric-informed Adult Care and Transition) Clinic. Dr. Mixter is also the medical director of the Pediatric Complex Care Collaborative (PC3) for the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. Dr. Mixter received her A.B. from Harvard College. She earned her M.D. from Harvard Medical School and M.P.H. from the Harvard School of Public Health. She completed her residency at Johns Hopkins as part of the inaugural group of trainees in the Urban Health Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program. Her research interests include transitions of care for adolescents with special healthcare needs and education for residents and medical students, especially in primary care and complex care. Dr. Mixter has served as the Assistant Chief of Service for the Longcope firm of the Osler Medical Housestaff Training Program (2015-16), as well as Assistant Program Director for Ambulatory Education (2014-15). Dr. Mixter is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. Her top areas of expertise are Cerebral Palsy, Gastroparesis, Orbital Cellulitis, and Sickle Cell Disease.

Dr. Nara Lygia De Macena Sobreira is an assistant professor at the McKusick-Nathans Department of Genetic Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her area of expertise is rare Mendelian phenotypes, analysis of next-generation sequencing, and functional testing of candidate causative variants. She earned her M.D. at the University of Pernambuco in Brazil. She finished her Ph.D. in Human Genetics at Johns Hopkins followed by a one-year postdoc also at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. During her Ph.D., she worked with Dr. David Valle using next-generation sequencing to elucidate the molecular basis of rare Mendelian phenotypes and in 2010 she discovered PTPN11 as the gene responsible for metachondromatosis by using whole-genome sequencing. She completed residencies in clinical genetics at both Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo and Johns Hopkins. Her main clinical and research focus is on identifying the genetic bases of rare phenotypes, mainly, phenotypes associated with cartilage tumors and vascular anomalies (including Ollier disease and Maffucci syndrome), and on understanding the physiopathology of these phenotypes to identify pharmacological strategies to treat them. She has worked extensively on developing strategies to better analyze the variants identified by next-generation sequencing and on novel strategies for data sharing. She participated on the development of PhenoDB, a phenotypic and genomic database, and created PhenoDB Variant Analysis Tool used worldwide. She is also one of the creators of GeneMatcher, VariantMatcher, and one of the co-founders of the Matchmaker Exchange, all intended to share next-generation sequencing data. She has also worked extensively on functional studies that evaluate the possible pathogenic effects of the candidate causative variants. Recent News Articles and Media Coverage Living the Hopkins Mission Honorees, Johns Hopkins Medicine Successes in Characterizing Genes through GeneMatcher with Nara L. M. Sobreira, MD, PhD, Ambry Genetics (April 30, 2018) Enfermedades raras: el desafio es encontrar otros pacientes que tienen el mismo mal, Lun (26 de septiembre de 2019) 2021 Science Writers' Boot Camp, Johns Hopkins Medicine (June 7, 2021) Making the Perfect Match, Johns Hopkins Medicine (February 1, 2020). Dr. De Macena Sobreira is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. Her top areas of expertise are Spondyloepimetaphyseal Dysplasia Strudwick Type, Greenberg Dysplasia, Blepharophimosis, and Early Infantile Epileptic Encephalopathy.

Amena Fine is a Pediatrics provider in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Fine is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. Her top areas of expertise are Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), CACH Syndrome, HNRNPH2-Related Disorder, and Alexander Disease.

Norman Barton is a Neurologist in Phoenix, Maryland. Dr. Barton is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. His top areas of expertise are Metachromatic Leukodystrophy, Leukodystrophy, Gaucher Disease, and CACH Syndrome.

Camilo Toro is a Neurologist in Westminster, Maryland. Dr. Toro is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. His top areas of expertise are Chediak-Higashi Syndrome, Sandhoff Disease, Tay-Sachs Disease, Gangliosidosis, and Deep Brain Stimulation.

Sakkubai Naidu is a Pediatrics provider in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Naidu is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. Her top areas of expertise are Rett Syndrome, Leukodystrophy, CACH Syndrome, and Increased Head Circumference.

Harry Holt is a primary care provider, practicing in Family Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Holt is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. His top areas of expertise are Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young, Canavan Disease, CACH Syndrome, and Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease.

William Gahl is a Medical Genetics specialist and a Pediatrics provider in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Gahl is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. His top areas of expertise are Oculocutaneous Albinism Type 2, Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome, Oculocutaneous Albinism Type 1, Oculocutaneous Albinism, and Deep Brain Stimulation.

Getinet Kassa is a Neurologist in La Plata, Maryland. Dr. Kassa is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. His top areas of expertise are Epilepsy, Seizures, Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome, and Memory Loss. Dr. Kassa is currently accepting new patients.

Julia Biernot is a Neurologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Biernot is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. Her top areas of expertise are Memory Loss, Cerebellar Degeneration, Neuronal Intranuclear Inclusion Disease (NIID), and Dementia.

Tamar Harel is a Neurologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Harel is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. Her top areas of expertise are Hypotonia, Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, Congenital Contractures, and Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease.

Jay Shapiro is a primary care provider, practicing in Endocrinologist in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Shapiro is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Leukodystrophy. His top areas of expertise are Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Adrenal Gland Adenoma, Rett Syndrome, and Hypophosphatasia (HPP).