Bryan J. Traynor

Bryan J. Traynor is a neurologist and a senior investigator at the National Institute on Aging, and an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Traynor studies the genetics of human neurological conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). He led the international consortium that identified pathogenic repeat expansions in the C9orf72 gene as a common cause of ALS and FTD. Dr. Traynor also led efforts that identified other Mendelian genes responsible for familial ALS and dementia, including VCP, MATR3, KIF5A, HTT, and SPTLC1.

Dr. Traynor is a co-recipient of the Potamkin Prize for Research in Pick's, Alzheimer's, and Related Diseases for the discovery of the C9orf72 repeat expansions, and the Sheila Essay Award for his contributions to our understanding of ALS. He also received the NIH Director’s Award.

Education
Dr. Traynor received his medical degree (MB, BCh, BAO, 1993), his Medical Doctorate (MD, 2000), and his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, 2012) from University College Dublin. He also received his Master of Medical Science (MMSc) in drug development and clinical trial design from Harvard-MIT HST in 2004. He completed his neurology residency and fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Awards, prizes, and honors

 * 2011 National Institute on Aging Director's Award
 * 2012 Derek Denny-Brown Award
 * 2012 Elected fellow of the American Neurological Association
 * 2012 National Institutes of Health Director's Award
 * 2013 Diamond Award
 * 2013 Sheila Essey Award
 * 2016 Potamkin Prize
 * 2018 Health and Life Sciences 50 Honoree
 * 2020 Elected fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
 * 2021 Elected fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (London)
 * 2022 Elected member of the Association of American Physicians

Notable professional service

 * Chief, Neuromuscular Diseases Research Section, NIA, NIH
 * Team leader, RNA Therapeutics Laboratory, NCATS, NIH
 * Member, Health Genetics of Health and Disease NIH Study Section (2015-2021)
 * Chair, Congressionally Mandated Department of Defense ALS Research Program (2015-2019)
 * Co-chair, NIH Gene Therapy Task Force
 * Member, Scientific Program Advisory Committee, American Neurological Association
 * Editorial board member, Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry; Neurobiology of Aging; JAMA Neurology (2017-2021); Lancet eClinicalMedicine.
 * Associate editor, Brain