Dr. Guillaume Bassez is a neurologist and head of the Translational Myotonic Dystrophy Research Group at the Institut de Myologie in Paris. He established the International DM Standardized Registry, or DM Scope, in France, which currently includes 3,000 DM1 patients. Dr. Bassez has focused a portion of his research on identifying ways to determine differences in the way DM manifests itself and progresses in different portions of the DM1 population, because stratifying the disease is important for clinical studies and clinical trials. His previous work showed to the surprise of many that the clinical manifestations of myotonic dystrophy (DM) in men and women were different. He recently contributed to a four-country study, titled “OPTOMISTIC,” that looked at non-drug approaches to treating DM. This involved the use of cognitive behavior therapy and aerobic exercise as a way to address fatigue and related problems such as sleepiness and inactivity that DM patients experience. Today there is no approved drug for these symptoms. The study reported out in summer 2018 with positive results.

Dr. Ashizawa, Director of Neuroscience Research at the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute, graduated from Keio University School of Medicine in Tokyo in 1973. He completed his internship in Medicine in Pittsburgh, residency in Neurology and fellowship in Muscular Dystrophy at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. While at Baylor he assisted one of several teams around the world in locating the DMPK gene for myotonic dystrophy. He has been given numerous research awards and grants - especially for myotonic dystrophy and ataxia. In 1997, he and Dr. Claudine Junien co-founded the International Myotonic Dystrophy Consortium (IDMC), a biennial scientific meeting where physicians and scientists convene to determine the cause and ultimately a viable treatment or cure for DM. Dr. Ashizawa has published numerous articles on myotonic dystrophy in medical and scientific journals. For more info on Dr. Ashizawa, visit the Houston Methodist Neurological Institute website.

Dr. Thornton is Professor of Neurology at the University of Rochester. He, along with Dr. Moxley, is a Co-Director of the MDA clinic at URMC. He received his BA and medical degree from the University of Iowa. His internship in Internal Medicine was carried out in the UCLA/SFV Program. He finished his residency in Neurology in 1985 at Oregon Health Sciences University and a fellowship in Neuromuscular Disease at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester in Experimental Therapeutics. He has received a number of grants for DM research and has published numerous results in professional journals. He is now beginning to focus on the treatment phase of research for myotonic dystrophy. For further information on Dr. Thornton, visit the URMC website.

Dr. Thornton is Professor of Neurology at the University of Rochester. He, along with Dr. Moxley, is a Co-Director of the MDA clinic at URMC. He received his BA and medical degree from the University of Iowa. His internship in Internal Medicine was carried out in the UCLA/SFV Program. He finished his residency in Neurology in 1985 at Oregon Health Sciences University and a fellowship in Neuromuscular Disease at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester in Experimental Therapeutics. He has received a number of grants for DM research and has published numerous results in professional journals. He is now beginning to focus on the treatment phase of research for myotonic dystrophy. For further information on Dr. Thornton, visit the URMC website.