David H. Gutmann, MD, PhD received his undergraduate, graduate (PhD) and medical (MD) degrees from the University of Michigan, where he trained in immunogenetics in the laboratory of Dr. John Niederhuber. During his residency in Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania, he worked with Dr. Kenneth Fischbeck who sparked his interest in neurogenetics. He then returned to the University of Michigan for research fellowship training in Human Genetics with Dr. Francis Collins. During this time, he identified the neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) protein and began to elucidate its function as a RAS regulator. In late 1993, he was recruited to Washington University, becoming a full professor in 2001 and the Donald O. Schnuck Family Professor in 2002. He established the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Neurofibromatosis Clinical Program in 1994 and the Washington University Neurofibromatosis Center in 2004.
Dr. Gutmann serves as the Program Director for the Giorgio Foundation NF1 Dermal Neurofibroma Consortium, and works closely with Drs. Kesterson and Le to employ a combination of human induced pluripotent stem cells, genetically engineered mouse strains, and molecular approaches to understand why dermal neurofibromas form and grow.
In addition, his laboratory is focused on understanding the genomic, molecular and cellular basis for nervous system problems affecting children and adults with NF1 using both human biospecimens and novel genetically-engineered mouse strains. Over the past 25 years, his team has developed numerous mouse models of NF1-associated optic glioma, somatic growth defects, attention deficit, autism, plexiform neurofibroma, and spatial learning impairments as well as NF2-associated meningioma. They have used these preclinical models to define the cellular origins of tumors, the contribution of the tumor microenvironment, and the major growth control pathways that dictate brain development in NF.
Dr. Gutmann has published over 430 peer-reviewed manuscripts, and has been internationally recognized for his achievements with numerous awards, including the 2012 Children’s Tumor Foundation Frederich von Recklinghausen Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2013 Washington University Distinguished Faculty Research Award, the 2014 Riley Church Lectureship and the 2017 Alexander von Humboldt Award. He also serves as a member of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Advisory Council. Dr. Gutmann is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Neurological Association.
