CMTA-INC 2025 Inherited Neuropathy Fellow, Bopha Chrea, MD
Orthopedic Surgeon to Focus on Improving Outcomes for People with CMT
Developing the next generation of clinician-investigators is essential to advancing care and research for individuals living with CMT.— Mary M. Reilly, MBE, MD
GLENOLDEN, PA, UNITED STATES, May 12, 2025 /
EINPresswire.com/ -- The Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association (CMTA), the largest philanthropic funder of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) research, today announced the 2025 Inherited Neuropathy Fellow through its Inherited Neuropathy Consortium (INC) alliance. The fellowship was awarded to Bopha Chrea, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon at the University of Iowa specializing in the surgical management of foot and ankle deformities in CMT.
The 2025 Inherited Neuropathy Fellowship invests in early-career physician-investigators with dedicated research time, mentorship, and CMT-focused clinical care to support the next generation of CMT researchers. Over the next year, Dr. Chrea will focus on advancing research and clinical understanding of foot morphology, mobility, and interventions in individuals affected by CMT.
“I am extremely grateful and excited to embark on this year with CMTA-INC,” said Dr. Chrea. “The training grant provides protected research time and opportunities for mentorship and collaboration. I intend to maximize this incredible opportunity. I look forward to the learning, patient interactions, and chance to meaningfully contribute to the lives of individuals affected by inherited peripheral neuropathies.”
Dr. Chrea completed her orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Mississippi and a foot and ankle reconstructive surgery fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Her research interests include the effective use of orthoses to stave off surgical procedures and expand the understanding of how best to identify individuals who would most benefit from surgery.
In addition to her clinical and academic work, she is a committed advocate for humanitarian medical missions and the advancement of women in orthopedics.
“Developing the next generation of clinician-investigators is essential to advancing care and research for individuals living with CMT,” said Mary M. Reilly, MBE, MD, CMTA-INC Alliance Inherited Neuropathy Fellowship Director of Career Enhancement. “The Fellowship program provides mentorship and structured support to help early-career physicians build the expertise needed to lead future progress. I am delighted to welcome Dr. Chrea to the program and look forward to her contributions to the CMT community.”
About the CMTA-INC Alliance Inherited Neuropathy Fellowship
The CMTA-INC Alliance Inherited Neuropathy Fellowship program is overseen by Dr. Reilly at University College London. Fellowship recipients are selected by an appointment panel of leading experts in CMT research and care, including Dr. Reilly, Steven S. Scherer, MD, PhD (the University of Pennsylvania), David Herrmann, MD (the University of Rochester), Vera Fridman, MD (the University of Colorado Health Neurosciences Center), and Katherine Forsey, PhD (CMTA). The program provides early-career clinician-investigators with dedicated research time, long-term mentorship, and career development opportunities to advance CMT clinical research and patient care. Since its inception, the Fellowship program has supported 11 fellows who are now contributing to research and clinical progress in CMT worldwide.
About CMT
Named after the three doctors who first described it in 1886: Charcot, Marie, and Tooth, CMT affects one in every 2,500 people. This rare disease has multiple subtypes, each with a lower prevalence. People with CMT experience progressive sensory loss, muscle weakness, and atrophy in the arms and legs, along with impaired balance, mobility, hand function, and more. There is currently no treatment or cure for this debilitating disease.
About CMTA
CMTA is a community-led, community-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to support the development of new treatments for CMT, to improve the quality of life for people with CMT, and, ultimately, to find a cure. As the leading global philanthropic funder of CMT research, CMTA unites the community with clinicians and industry experts to accelerate the advancement of treatments, with investments of more than $30 million since 2008. For more information, visit
cmtausa.org.
Kenny Raymond
Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association
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CMTA-INC 2025 Inherited Neuropathy Fellow, Bopha Chrea, MD