Dr. Christopher Manuel Gomez, MD

Dr. Christopher Gomez is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with ataxias--a family of rare neurodegenerative diseases. He is a founding member of the Cooperative Ataxia Group, a national consortium of ataxia specialists that has just launched the first nationally validated rating scale and natural history studies for Friedreich's ataxia. Dr. Gomez's research concentrates on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease--with a focus on the means by which genetic mutations in ion channels or other essential proteins lead to dominantly inherited neurodegenerative diseases. His research has resulted in more than 50 peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals. Since 1991, Dr. Gomez has been on the medical and research advisory board of the National Ataxia Foundation. He currently serves as associate research director for the foundation.