Natario Linard Couser, MD, MS

Physician’s Office Phone

443-923-2703

Professional Titles

• Director, Genetic Bone and Connective Tissue Disorders Program, Kennedy Krieger Institute

Primary Academic Title

Associate Professor of Clinical Genetic Medicine

Background

CV

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/-/media/wilmer/documents/cvs/couser-cv

Recent News Articles and Media Coverage

• Get to Know Natario Couser - Johns Hopkins Medicine (July 2025)

Research Summary

My primary research focus involves the identification and management of genetic eye diseases including rare inherited disorders affecting the eyes. Research and scholarly activities have been an integral component of my career path. I have been the principal investigator on 10 clinical trial/IRB studies and a co-investigator on others, participated with several committees or advisory panels related to research activities. I have been credited with over 120 book chapter, journal article and abstract publications.

In addition, I served as the primary author/sole editor for a textbook titled Ophthalmic Genetic Diseases: A Quick Reference Guide to the Eye and External Ocular Adnexa Abnormalities, 1st Edition, published by Elsevier in 2018, which is one of only a few textbooks published in this subject area. I also served as a grant review panelist for the National Eye Institute Career Development Awards.

Selected Publications

1. *Couser NL, Masood MM, Strande NT, Foreman AKM, Crooks K, Weck KE, Lu M, Wilhelmsen KC, Roche M, Evans JP, Berg JS, Powell CM. 2015. The phenotype of multiple congenital anomalies- hypotonia-seizures syndrome 1: Report and review. Am J Med Genet Part A 9999A:1–6
2. *Couser NL, Lambert SR. Botulinum toxin: A treatment of consecutive esotropia in children. Strabismus 2012; 20(4):158-161
3. Couser NL, Lenhart PD, Hutchinson AK. Augmented Hummelsheim procedure to treat complete abducens nerve palsy. J AAPOS 2012;16(4):331-5
4. *Natario L. Couser, Maheer M. Masood, Arthur S. Aylsworth, and Roger E. Stevenson. Ocular manifestations in the X-linked intellectual disability syndromes. Ophthalmic Genet. 2017, Jan 23:1-12
5. *Couser NL, Brooks BP, Drack AV, Shankar SP. The evolving role of genetics in ophthalmology. Ophthalmic Genet. 2021 Jan 12:1-4. doi: 10.1080/13816810.2020.1868011.

Honors

• 2015: National Institutes of Health Pediatric LRP Award
• 2021: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine Dean’s Summer Research Fellowship Award
• 2022: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine Dean’s Summer Research Fellowship Award
• 2023: American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) 2023 Honor Award
• 2023: Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine Dean’s Summer Research Fellowship Award

Memberships

• American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO)
• American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS)
• American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG)
• International Society for Genetic Eye Diseases and Retinoblastoma (ISGEDR)
• Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Professional Activities

• Inaugural Deputy Editor-in-Chief for Genetics in Medicine Open, an official journal of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG)
• Associate Editor for Ophthalmic Genetics, an official journal of the International Society for Genetic Eye Diseases and Retinoblastoma
• Chair of the ACMG Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
• Chair of the Basic and Clinical Science Course Committee for the American Academy of Ophthalmology
• Vice-Chair of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Genetics Eye Disorder Committee
• Active Diplomate of the American Board of Medical Specialties Stakeholder Council
• Previous ACMG Liaison for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Advisory Panel on Rare Disease