Dr. Sumner is a Professor of Neurology, Neuroscience and Genetic Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is the Vice Chair for Clinical Research and immediate past President of the Peripheral Nerve Society. She cares for patients with genetically-mediated neuromuscular diseases and co-directs the Johns Hopkins Muscular Dystrophy Association Care Center, the Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), and the Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) clinics. Her laboratory research focuses on the genetic and cellular pathogenesis of motor neuron and peripheral nerve disorders with particular attention to identification of disease genes, characterization of molecular and cellular disease mechanisms, and development of therapeutics.