Dr. Dowling received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Chicago. His doctoral research, performed in the laboratory of Dr. Elaine Fuchs, Ph.D., focused on the role of integrins in epidermal and neuronal development. He performed his clinical fellowship at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. His research efforts are focused on understanding and treating childhood muscle diseases. He is currently using the zebrafish model system to study Myotubular Myopathy and Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy, two severe myopathies of infancy that have no cure or modifying treatments. He has authored or co-authored 19 publications. He is also the Co-Director of the University of Michigan’s Muscular Dystrophy Association/Pediatric Neuromuscular Clinic.