Biography
Peter K. Todd, MD, PhD, is the Bucky and Patti Harris Professor and an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology. As a clinician, Dr. Todd sees patients at both the University of Michigan and at the VA medical Center in Ann Arbor. He co-directs the UM Ataxia clinic where he sees patients with inherited and sporadic Ataxias. He also co-directs the UM Fragile X Clinic and sees adult patients with Fragile X Syndrome and Fragile X-associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS) in that setting. He serves as inaugural director of the Clinical Neurogenetics Research Program, which aims to improve research and care for patients with inherited neurological disorders.
As a physician scientist, Dr Todd’s lab studies the mechanisms by which nucleotide repeat expansions cause neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders with a long term goal of developing novel therapeutics for currently untreatable conditions. His lab has published extensively on Fragile X-associated disorders, such as Fragile X Syndrome and Fragile X-associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS) as well as C9orf72 repeat expansions that cause ALS and frontotemporal dementia. Recent research is also exploring the roles of repeat expansions in more common neurological diseases. His lab has been continuously funded by the NIH and VA since its inception and he serves as co-director of one of three National Fragile X Research Centers established by the NIH in 2020.
Dr Todd has given over 80 invited presentations across the world and published over 50 papers on his research. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the UM Center for RNA biomedicine, is a member of the UM Biomedical Research Council, and is a Precision Health Initiative and Taubman Institute Fellow. He is a standing member of the Cellular and Molecular Neurodegeneration study section at the NIH, the AAN’s research committee, and the ANA professional development committee, and the Department of Neurology Promotions and Diversity Recruitment committees.
Appointments
Areas of Interest
The molecular pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, most notably Fragile X Tremor Ataxia Syndrome, Myotonic Dystrophy, Polyglutamine Disorders and Alzheimer's Disease. Research is focused on the roles of RNA in neurological function and degeneration. Dr Todd is also interested in discovering new genes that cause inherited neurological disorders.
Clinical Interests
Parkinson's disease, Dystonia, Cerebellar Ataxia, Tremor and Chorea. All inherited neurological disorders, including Fragile X Related Disorders such as Fragile X Tremor Ataxia Syndrome and Fragile X Syndrome.