Johanna Hamel

Johanna Hamel, M.D. serves as Associate Professor of Neurology and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center's School of Medicine and Dentistry. Specializing in neuromuscular diseases, she directs clinical care for patients with myotonic dystrophy types 1 and 2, FSHD, and other hereditary neuromuscular conditions at the Ambulatory Care Center and Neuromuscular EMG Lab.

Her educational background includes an MD from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (Germany), followed by neurology residency at Charité in Berlin. She completed U.S. training at University of Rochester with internal medicine internship (2012-2013), neurology residency (2013-2016), and dual neuromuscular fellowships (2016-2019).

• Martin Luther Universitaet Halle Wittenberg (Germany) - MD, 2009
• Charite-Universitatsmedizin Berlin - Neurology Residency, 2010-2012
• University of Rochester - Internal Medicine Internship, 2012-2013
• University of Rochester - Neurology Residency, 2013-2016
• University of Rochester - Neuromuscular Fellowship, 2016-2017
• University of Rochester - Experimental Therapeutics Fellowship, 2017-2019

Dr. Hamel's research focuses on molecular mechanisms of myotonic dystrophy, disease progression biomarkers, and clinical trial design for muscle diseases. Her recent publications demonstrate expertise in FSHD therapeutics (including the ReDUX4 phase 2b trial), remote disease monitoring, and exercise interventions. She maintains active involvement in clinical trials for DM and FSHD while developing novel electrodiagnostic and imaging biomarkers.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Clinical Research Training Fellowship in Muscular Dystrophy (2017-2019)
• Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award
• Scholarship for Young Neuroscientists

As an educator, Dr. Hamel trains neurology residents in neuromuscular medicine and electrodiagnostics. Her clinical practice integrates research findings into patient care, with strong emphasis on patient-centered outcomes as evidenced by her PRISM-FSHD study. She maintains active laboratory collaborations investigating RNA splicing defects in myotonic dystrophy pathogenesis.