Dr. Kothary is a 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 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. They have also shown that initiating therapy during prenatal stages has a better outcome than postnatal therapy alone.

He presently sits on the scientific advisory boards of Cure SMA (USA) and RHU SMART (France). 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, MS Society of Canada, and MDA.

He represents basic science as a member of the NMD4C Steering Committee and is a Pillar 1: Preclinical Science Co-Lead.