Ralitza H. Gavrilova

Ralitza H. Gavrilova, MD, is a Professor of Neurology and Professor of Medical Genetics at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. She holds primary appointment as Consultant in the Department of Medical Genetics and joint appointment as Consultant in the Section of Multiple Sclerosis, Department of Neurology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Gavrilova serves as Director of the Mayo Clinic Mitochondrial Care Center and holds leadership roles in several professional organizations including the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, Mitochondrial Medicine Society, and North American Mitochondrial Disease Consortium.

Dr. Gavrilova completed her medical education at Medical University - Sofia, followed by residency training in Neurology at the University of Missouri, Columbia, and specialized fellowship training in Medical Genetics at Mayo Clinic. She is board certified in Neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Her research focuses on mitochondrial medicine and neurogenetics, with particular expertise in mitochondrial myopathy, multisystemic mitochondrial diseases, Friedreich's ataxia, neurodegenerative conditions involving mitochondrial dysfunction, and hereditary leukodystrophies. Dr. Gavrilova's research goal is to improve understanding of mitochondrial dysfunction in disease to develop better diagnostic approaches, evaluation methods, and new therapies for patients.

With over 100 publications spanning from 2002 to 2025, Dr. Gavrilova's work demonstrates increasing research productivity in recent years. Her publications cover diverse topics in neurogenetics, mitochondrial disorders, leukodystrophies, and frontotemporal lobar degeneration, reflecting her broad expertise in neurological genetic conditions.

• First award winning poster presentation, International Multiple Sclerosis meeting ECTRIMS, Prague (2007)
• Plenary Session Presentation, American Academy of Neurology 58th annual meeting (2006)
• Daniel M. Keniston Award for Outstanding Resident, University of Missouri School of Medicine (2001)
• Medical Academy Scholarship (top 1% of class) (1985)

Dr. Gavrilova actively supervises research through her role as Director of the Mayo Clinic Mitochondrial Care Center and serves as Principal Investigator for the Mayo Clinic patient registry site of the North American Mitochondrial Disease Consortium. She has held leadership positions including Clinical Director of the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics and Clinical Director of the Angelman Syndrome Foundation.

As Director of the Mayo Clinic Mitochondrial Care Center, Dr. Gavrilova leads a specialized team focused on diagnosing and treating mitochondrial disorders, conducting clinical research, and developing new therapeutic approaches for patients with these complex conditions.