BALTIMORE, October 10, 2024 – Kennedy Krieger Institute’s leadership team announced that Dr. Natario Couser, a clinical geneticist and pediatric ophthalmologist, has joined the Institute as director for the Genetic Bone and Connective Tissue Disorders Program and Osteogenesis Imperfecta Clinic.
Dr. Couser is one of only a few individuals currently board certified by both the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the American Board of Ophthalmology. In his genetics practice, he treats patients with the many types of osteogenesis imperfect (OI), known collectively as brittle bone disease. Children born with this condition have bones that break easily or do not form correctly, two occurrences that can cause other health concerns. Kennedy Krieger treats both children and adults with OI, and Dr. Couser’s expertise allows him to treat not only genetic issues but also OI-related eye problems.
“We are so pleased that Dr. Couser has joined our staff to lead a very talented team of clinicians in our Genetic Bone and Connective Tissue Disorders Program and our OI Clinic,” said Ali Fatemi, MD, MBA, chief medical officer at Kennedy Krieger. “His unique research allows us to expand the range of care our patients receive as well as our collaborations with Wilmer Eye Institute and Johns Hopkins Medicine. Many of the diagnoses we treat in our OI clinic do not have a cure, which is why it is so essential that we continue research to advance and inform our treatment options.”
With this new appointment, Dr. Couser also will serve as an associate professor with Wilmer Eye Institute and will treat pediatric patients with genetic eye disorders. He also has been appointed to the Department of Genetic Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he will perform diagnostic evaluations of patients with genetic diseases.
Dr. Couser received his undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the University of Virginia and completed his medical education and internship in Internal Medicine at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine. He completed his ophthalmology residency at Howard University, serving as co-chief resident in his final year and received fellowship training in pediatric ophthalmology and adult strabismus at Emory University. He then completed a Master of Science degree in biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University and training in clinical genetics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Dr. Couser has been the principal investigator on 10 clinical trial research studies and a co-investigator on several others. He was the founding director for the first dedicated specialty service in the state of Virginia focused on managing patients with ophthalmic genetic disorders. His research focuses on the identification and management of genetic eye diseases, including rare inherited disorders affecting the eyes.
“I am honored to join Kennedy Krieger Institute and be afforded the opportunity to lead the Genetic Bone and Connective Tissue Disorders Program and Osteogenesis Imperfecta multidisciplinary care team,” Dr. Couser said. “The role of genetics and genomics in medicine is rapidly expanding, and I am excited to utilize my unique expertise, past experiences and present passionate interests to work towards propelling the Institute to continually be at the forefront of this rapid expansion.”
- To learn more about the Bone Disorders Program, click here.
- To learn more about the Osteogenesis Imperfecta clinic, click here.
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About Kennedy Krieger Institute:
Kennedy Krieger Institute, an internationally known nonprofit organization located in the greater Baltimore-Washington, D.C., region, transforms the lives of more than 27,000 individuals a year through inpatient and outpatient medical, behavioral health and wellness therapies; home and community services; school-based programs; training and education for professionals; and advocacy. Kennedy Krieger provides a wide range of services for children, adolescents and adults with diseases, disorders and injuries that impact the nervous system, ranging from mild to severe. The Institute is home to a team of investigators who contribute to the understanding of how disorders develop while at the same time pioneering new interventions and methods of early diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Visit KennedyKrieger.org for more information about Kennedy Krieger.
