Matthew Bramble, Ph.D., is a member of the data sciences faculty at Children’s National Hospital, and Assistant Professor of Genomics and Precision Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine. Currently, his major research focus is geared at better understanding the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the development of konzo, a rare neurological disease that affects hunger-stricken populations in sub-Saharan Africa. His laboratory employs the use of multi-OMICs strategies to unravel the biological roots of this and other neglected tropical diseases, with a particular focus on those occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he spends much of his time. Studies focus on multiple topics related to konzo including Human Genetics, Metabolism, Neurobiology, Toxicology and other aspects such as the gut microbiome. In addition to konzo, Dr. Bramble works in both South Africa and the Philippines to expand user friendly genomics technologies to improve outcomes for those affected with inborn genetic conditions. His research efforts in the DR Congo are supported by the Fogarty International Center of the National institutes of Health, and he was recently granted a Fulbright Global Scholar award to South Africa and The Philippines to continue his work there.
