Dr. Kothary is the Deputy Scientific Director and Senior Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI). He has held the University Health Research Chair in Neuromuscular Disorders and is a Professor at the University of Ottawa. He has been instrumental in many leadership initiatives, including the creation, with Dr. Bernard Jasmin, of the University of Ottawa Centre for Neuromuscular Disease (CNMD). Today, this center represents the preeminent collection of neuromuscular disease researchers in Canada, bringing together more than 55 basic and clinical scientists working on a variety of disorders.

His current research focuses on investigating factors important for oligodendrocyte mediated myelination and remyelination of the CNS (in the context of Multiple Sclerosis) and understanding spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) pathogenesis to identify novel therapeutics for this devastating children’s disease. In this regard, his group is demonstrating that SMA is a multisystem disorder, and that it is critical to develop whole body therapies when treating patients.

He presently sits on the scientific advisory boards of SMA Beyond (which is based in Europe) and Cure SMA USA. Previously, he has served on the scientific advisory board for CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis and Muscular Dystrophy Association USA, and currently is a reviewer for the CIHR, NIH, MDA and Shriners Hospitals for Children.