Katherine Forsey | Chief Research Officer
Charcot Marie Tooth Association

Dr Katherine Forsey leads the Strategy To Accelerate Research (STAR) at the Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association (CMTA), driving a global, patient-focused agenda to develop treatments for CMT. She oversees a portfolio of more than 50 active research programmes, coordinates the CMTA-STAR Advisory Board, and serves as a key interface for biotech, pharmaceutical, and academic partners. She also curates the Patients as Partners in Research platform, ensuring the CMT community is meaningfully embedded in the design and delivery of therapeutic development. Katherine is a PhD-trained research biologist, with academic experience at the University of York, the University of Cambridge, and the Czech Veterinary Research Institute, alongside industry experience at Syngenta. Prior to joining CMTA in 2022, she held senior roles spanning science, education, and industry, and founded a consultancy focused on translating science into programmes, partnerships, and real-world implementation.  Based in England, Katherine plays a key role in expanding CMTA’s international presence and partnerships across the global rare disease ecosystem. CMTA is a US-based non-profit and the largest philanthropic funder of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease research worldwide, supporting a collaborative network of academic and industry partners through its CMTA-STAR programme. With a strong emphasis on translational science and patient partnership, CMTA is accelerating the development of therapies for people living with CMT.