Matthew Bramble, Ph.D., is a global health researcher at Children’s National Hospital whose work is dedicated to understanding and preventing konzo, a rare neurological disease that causes sudden, irreversible paralysis in children living in food-insecure regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Through long-standing partnerships with Congolese researchers and communities, he studies how nutrition, cassava-derived toxins, genetics, metabolism, and the gut microbiome contribute to the development of the disease. His NIH Fogarty International Center-supported research has generated important insights into why some children are more susceptible to konzo than others, identifying biological factors that may help guide future prevention strategies. By combining advanced genomic and microbiome technologies with field-based research, Dr. Bramble is advancing scientific understanding of one of the world’s most neglected tropical diseases while working toward practical solutions for affected communities. In recognition of the significance of this work, he was named a 2025 Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences, a prestigious national award supporting innovative early-career researchers whose discoveries have the potential to improve human health worldwide.
For more information:
Gut microbiome may impact susceptibility to konzo
Dr. Matthew bramble Named Pew Scholar in Biomedical Science
Research Profile: Matthew S. Bramble, Ph.D.
