Dr. Anne M. Comi

After completing her bachelors of science degree in biochemistry from the City College of New York (CUNY), Dr. Smith-Hicks entered the Medical Scientist Training Program at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, where she obtained her M.D., Ph.D. in 2000. She trained in Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and completed her Neurology and Pediatric Neurology training at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 2005. Dr. Smith-Hicks trained as a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine under the guidance of Dr. Paul Worley. She joined the faculty at Kennedy Krieger Institute in 2010 where she now sees patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Rett Syndrome, while conducting basic science research exploring disorders of learning and memory. Dr. Smith is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome. Her top areas of expertise are Rett Syndrome, Ruvalcaba Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Early Infantile Epileptic Encephalopathy.

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 Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome. His top areas of expertise are Primary Lateral Sclerosis, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), Ataxia-Telangiectasia, and Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2.

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 a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome. 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.