Emma Matthews

Dr. Emma Matthews is a Reader in Neurology at City St George's, University of London and an Honorary Consultant Neurologist at St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, specializing in neuromuscular disorders. She serves as the Neurology Lead for the SE Genomic Medicine Service Alliance and was appointed Genomics CAG Director at St George's in October 2023. The Atkinson-Morley Neuromuscular Centre, where she works, received a Neuromuscular Centre of Excellence Award from Muscular Dystrophy UK in 2024 for both clinical and research excellence.

Dr. Matthews' research focuses on genetic neuromuscular disorders, with particular expertise in channelopathies and myotonic disorders, including severe pediatric presentations and the role of neuromuscular excitability genes in sudden death. She maintains extensive collaborations with the inherited cardiac conditions team led by Professor Behr and works with Dr. Dan Osborne on developing zebrafish models of muscle development and neuromuscular disorders. Her work bridges clinical practice and laboratory research, translating genetic findings into improved patient care.

Her scholarly output includes over 100 peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals such as The Lancet, JAMA, and Brain, along with 5 book chapters. Her recent work demonstrates a strong emphasis on clinical trials for channelopathy treatments, advanced diagnostic approaches using MRI and machine learning, and deep phenotyping of neuromuscular disorders. She has led several significant multicenter studies and contributed to international clinical guidelines for neuromuscular conditions.

• Neuromuscular Centre of Excellence Award (2024) from Muscular Dystrophy UK
• Genomics CAG Director appointment (October 2023)
• Leadership in the SE Genomic Medicine Service Alliance
• Principal investigator for multiple clinical trials in neuromuscular disorders
• Contributor to international clinical guidelines for channelopathies

Dr. Matthews directs the short course in Practical Genomics and Genetic Testing for Non-Geneticists and teaches on the Clinical Neurosciences MSc and Genomic Medicine Neurogenetics Module at City St George's. She offers MSc project placements and mentors students interested in neuromuscular disorders and genomic medicine. Her educational contributions extend to developing innovative teaching approaches that bridge clinical neurology with emerging genomic technologies.