CMTRF Research Advisory Committee | CMT Research Foundation

Paul August, PhD

ReviR Therapeutics

Dr. August is a scientific and business leader with extensive drug discovery experience within multiple therapeutic areas. He played a pivotal role in the advancement of the DTX CMT1A program through his advocacy efforts at the CMTRF. With an 18-year tenure at Sanofi, he demonstrated exceptional leadership of the Early to Candidate Unit and pioneered innovative rare disease research programs. He is a Co-founder of AcuraStem, a leader in the development of therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, FTD and CMT. In his prior role at Agios Pharmaceuticals, he led the Genetically Defined Disease preclinical research efforts. Currently, Dr. August’s expertise is focused on Neuroscience and Oncology at ReviR Therapeutics. Primarily he is focused on the development of therapeutics to treat and prevent Huntington’s Disease.

William Motley, MD, PhD

Rapport Therapeutics

Dr. Motley is currently Senior Director of Clinical Development and Program Lead at Rapport Therapeutics, a precision neuroscience company, and worked as a consultant to the company’s founding team at Boston-based Third Rock Ventures. Previously he served as Director of Translational Medicine for Flare Therapeutics and was a Senior Associate at Third Rock Ventures where he was a member of Flare’s founding team and worked on diverse aspects of company creation. Dr. Motley also serves as a member of the Medical and Scientific Advisory Board of Palvella Therapeutics, a company focused on bringing therapies to patients with rare dermatologic diseases with no approved therapies. A member of CMTRF’s Board of Directors since 2023, he holds an MD from the University of Pennsylvania, a Doctorate in Neurogenetics from the University of Oxford (UK), and a BA in Biochemistry from Middlebury College.

He completed a neurology residency at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His doctoral and post-doctoral research experiences focused on identifying new causes of CMT and characterizing pathological mechanisms of the disease.

Dr. Grace Pavlath, PhD

Vice President, Translational Development

Solid Biosciences

Dr. Pavlath was Chief Scientific Officer for the CMT Research Foundation from July 2019 to May 2020 managing funded research projects while curating more projects and acting as the steward for all scientific efforts and funding allocation. Currently, she is Vice President, Translational Development for Solid Biosciences and before that was Vice President, Research. She was Vice President, Research at Aavanti Bio just prior to its merger with Solid Biosciences. Dr. Pavlath served as Chief Research Officer for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) from 2014-2019. Prior to joining MDA, Dr. Pavlath led an internationally known laboratory as a tenured professor of Pharmacology at Emory University establishing herself as a leading researcher in cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in muscle regeneration and muscular dystrophy. She earned her doctorate in Pharmacology at Stanford University and then completed postdoctoral training at Stanford University and the University of Arizona.

Dr. Arthur Suckow, PhD

Co-founder and former CEO of DTx Pharma

Dr. Suckow is the Co-founder and former Chief Executive Officer of DTx which was acquired by Novartis in 2023 for $1 billion. He plans to now work independently with investors to build new companies tackling diseases with significant unmet needs. “I’m committed to supporting the CMTRF’s mission to direct more research toward the development of drugs for CMT,” says Dr. Suckow. “I will not stand down until we have approved treatments for CMT and I will continue to allocate significant amounts of time toward CMT R&D.”Prior to DTx, Dr. Suckow held positions at Janssen (J&J), MedImmune/AstraZeneca, and Regulus Therapeutics, leading projects across multiple therapeutic areas and modalities (small molecules, peptides, antibody conjugates, and oligonucleotide therapeutics). During graduate school, he founded Synervate–a cell therapy company focused on a treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease. He received his Honors B.Sc. in Biological Sciences from the University of Delaware and his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of California, San Diego. He completed a neurology residency at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His doctoral and post-doctoral research experiences focused on identifying new causes of CMT and characterizing pathological mechanisms of the disease.

Dr. Charlotte Sumner

Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Dr. Sumner co-directs the Johns Hopkins Muscular Dystrophy Association Care Center, the Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and the Charcot-Marie-Tooth clinics, which deliver multi-disciplinary clinical care, engage in international natural history studies, and provide cutting-edge therapeutics. Her practice is notable for its focus on individuals with inherited neuromuscular disorders of peripheral nerves and motor neurons, including spinal muscular atrophy and CMT. Her research focuses on developing treatments for degenerative disorders of motor neurons and peripheral nerves. Notably, Dr. Sumner was a previous member of the SAB, and her recommendations played a pivotal role in steering the foundation towards addressing delivery challenges.

Research Advisory Committee