In 1987, Boston Children’s Hospital researcher Lous Kunkel and his colleagues discovered the gene that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is one of the most severe forms of inherited muscular dystrophies. It is the most common hereditary neuromuscular disease and does not exhibit a predilection for any race or ethnic group. Mutations in the dystrophin gene lead to progressive muscle fiber degeneration and weakness.