Conrad “Chris” Weihl, MD, PhD, an internationally known scientist in the study of rare, inherited neuromuscular disorders, has been installed as the inaugural Gabe Weil Professor in the WashU Medicine Department of Neurology. Gabe was born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy — an inherited, fatal genetic disorder that weakens muscles over time and leads to an early death. A former patient of Weihl’s and a graduate of WashU, Gabe died in 2013 at age 28.
Weihl, who is chief of the neurology department’s Section of Neuromuscular Medicine, was installed by Chancellor Andrew D. Martin and David H. Perlmutter, MD, executive vice chancellor for medical affairs, the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor and the George and Carol Bauer Dean of WashU Medicine.
The professorship was funded by Gabe and his parents, Josephine and Richard Weil.
“Gabe Weil believed deeply in the promise of research to change the future for patients living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy,” Martin said. “This professorship is a reflection of that belief. We’re thankful to Gabe, Josephine and Richard for their commitment to advancing discoveries that will improve the lives of patients. Dr. Weihl’s work exemplifies the power of compassionate, patient-centered science to deepen our understanding of neuromuscular disorders and move the field toward more effective treatments.”
Weihl studies the genetics of protein aggregate myopathies — a group of rare neuromuscular disorders in which misfolded proteins accumulate in muscle tissue and lead to muscle deterioration — as well as related muscle atrophy disorders such as inclusion body myositis and limb-girdle muscular dystrophies. His research has highlighted the similarities between some of these rare disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. He also has identified the molecular mechanisms and genetic underpinnings of specific variants of these devastating neuromuscular disorders. Such discoveries are critical to developing targeted treatments.
“Gabe’s goal was to advance the search for a cure for muscular dystrophy, and this professorship will do just that by supporting groundbreaking research beginning with Dr. Weihl,” Perlmutter said. “It is certainly fitting that Gabe has left such a significant and enduring legacy. Dr. Weihl is one of the leading neuromuscular investigators in the country. His work has revealed fundamental mechanisms that drive muscle degeneration and has advanced the field toward precision approaches for diagnosing and treating rare neuromuscular disorders. Through his research, clinical care and mentorship, he has had a profound influence on patients, trainees and the future direction of neuromuscular medicine.”
Weihl’s expertise has led to a role as chair of the therapeutic advisory committee for TREAT-NMD, a global network of neuromuscular experts with collaborators that include patient groups and pharmaceutical companies, all focused on accelerating the development of new treatments for neuromuscular disorders. He is also the current editor-in-chief of the journal Neuromuscular Disorders and a member of the neuromuscular working group for the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded ClinGen project, a resource that defines clinically relevant genes for precision medicine and research, as well as chair of ClinGen’s limb-girdle muscular dystrophy expert panel.
A committed mentor and educator, Weihl has received funding from the NIH to train residents, fellows and early-career scientists in patient-oriented research. Clinically, Weihl serves as the director of the Washington University Muscular Dystrophy Association Adult Care Clinic and cares for patients with all forms of neuromuscular disorders.
“Dr. Chris Weihl’s installation as the Gabe Weil Professor is a recognition of his exceptional scientific contributions and clinical leadership,” said Jin-Moo Lee, MD, PhD, the Andrew B. and Gretchen P. Jones Professor of Neurology and head of the Department of Neurology. “It also is an acknowledgement of his unwavering commitment to advancing our understanding of neuromuscular disease and improving the lives of patients.”
Weihl’s work has been recognized with the American Neurological Association’s Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Scholar Award. He was also the inaugural recipient of Johns Hopkins Medicine’s Daniel and Jephta Drachman Family Award, which honors innovative researchers in neuroimmunology, neuromuscular neurology and genetics.
Weihl earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and both his MD and his PhD from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He completed a neurology residency and a neuromuscular fellowship at WashU Medicine before joining the faculty in 2005.
About Gabe Weil
Gabriel Isaac Weil was born in 1987 in Honduras and adopted by his parents, Josephine and Richard Weil, that same year. He was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy before he turned two and began using a wheelchair at the age of eight. He never let his diagnosis or physical limitations define the quality of his life. Gabe was a gifted student, graduating from Clayton High School and cum laude from WashU. A gourmet and food critic, he was planning to start a business creating and selling fruit and vegetable juices at the time of his death.
