Diana Castro, M.D.
Associate Professor

Diana Castro, M.D., is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Board certified in neurology and neuromuscular medicine, with special qualifications in child neurology, she joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2012.

Dr. Castro serves as Director of the Pediatric Neuromuscular Division and is Site Director of the Pediatric Neuromuscular Fellowship at Children’s Health. She has conducted multiple clinical research trials, as principal investigator and/or co-principal investigator, related to spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT). Other research interests include myasthenia gravis and acquired neuropathies. She also serves as a medical advisor for the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation and the GBS/CIDP Foundation.

Dr. Castro earned her medical degree at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana School of Medicine in Bogota, Colombia. She completed a residency in pediatrics at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, followed by fellowships in child neurology and neuromuscular disease at UT Southwestern/Children’s Heath.

Medical School

Pontificia Universidad Javeriana School of Medicine, Colombia (2002)

Residency

SUNY Downstate Medical Center (2008), Pediatrics

Fellowship

UT Southwestern/Children's Medical Center (2011), Child Neurology

Fellowship

UT Southwestern/Children's Medical Center (2012), Neuromuscular Disease

• Acquired and Hereditary Neuropathy
• Congenital Myopathies and Muscular Dystrophies
• Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
• Myasthenia Gravis
• Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Featured Publications

Vamorolone trial in Duchenne muscular dystrophy shows dose-related improvement of muscle function.

Hoffman EP, Schwartz BD, Mengle-Gaw LJ, Smith EC, Castro D, Mah JK, McDonald CM, Kuntz NL, Finkel RS, Guglieri M, Bushby K, Tulinius M, Nevo Y, Ryan MM, Webster R, Smith AL, Morgenroth LP, Arrieta A, Shimony M, Siener C, Jaros M, Shale P, McCall JM, Nagaraju K, van den Anker J, Conklin LS, Cnaan A, Gordish-Dressman H, Damsker JM, Clemens PR, Neurology 2019 09 93 13 e1312-e1323

Phase IIa trial in Duchenne muscular dystrophy shows vamorolone is a first-in-class dissociative steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

Conklin LS, Damsker JM, Hoffman EP, Jusko WJ, Mavroudis PD, Schwartz BD, Mengle-Gaw LJ, Smith EC, Mah JK, Guglieri M, Nevo Y, Kuntz N, McDonald CM, Tulinius M, Ryan MM, Webster R, Castro D, Finkel RS, Smith AL, Morgenroth LP, Arrieta A, Shimony M, Jaros M, Shale P, McCall JM, Hathout Y, Nagaraju K, van den Anker J, Ward LM, Ahmet A, Cornish MR, Clemens PR, Pharmacol. Res. 2018 10 136 140-150

Recruitment & retention program for the NeuroNEXT SMA Biomarker Study: Super Babies for SMA!

Bartlett A, Kolb SJ, Kingsley A, Swoboda KJ, Reyna SP, Sakonju A, Darras BT, Shell R, Kuntz N, Castro D, Iannaccone ST, Parsons J, Connolly AM, Chiriboga CA, McDonald C, Burnette WB, Werner K, Thangarajh M, Shieh PB, Finanger E, Coffey CS, Yankey JW, Cudkowicz ME, McGovern MM, McNeil DE, Arnold WD, Kissel JT Contemp Clin Trials Commun 2018 Sep 11 113-119

Clinical and molecular spectrum of thymidine kinase 2-related mtDNA maintenance defect.

Wang J, Kim E, Dai H, Stefans V, Vogel H, Al Jasmi F, Schrier Vergano SA, Castro D, Bernes S, Bhambhani V, Long C, El-Hattab AW, Wong LJ Mol. Genet. Metab. 2018 Jun 124 2 124-130

Congenital titinopathy: Comprehensive characterisation and pathogenic insights.

Oates EC, Jones KJ, Donkervoort S, Charlton A, Brammah S, Smith JE, Ware JS, Yau KS, Swanson LC, Whiffin N, Peduto AJ, Bournazos A, Waddell LB, Farrar MA, Sampaio HA, Teoh HL, Lamont PJ, Mowat D, Fitzsimons RB, Corbett AJ, Ryan MM, O'Grady GL, Sandaradura SA, Ghaoui R, Joshi HB, Marshall JL, Nolan MA, Kaur S, Punetha J, Töpf A, Harris E, Bakshi M, Genetti CA, Marttila M, Werlauff U, Streichenberger N, Pestronk A, Mazanti I, Pinner JR, Vuillerot C, Grosmann C, Camacho A, Mohassel P, Leach ME, Foley AR, Bharucha-Goebel D, Collins J, Connolly AM, Gilbreath HR, Iannaccone ST, Castro D, Cummings BB, Webster RI, Lazaro L, Vissing J, Coppens S, Deconinck N, Luk HM, Thomas NH, Foulds NC, Illingworth MA, Ellard S, McLean CA, Phadke R, Ravenscroft G, Witting N, Hackman P, Richard I, Cooper ST, Kamsteeg EJ, Hoffman EP, Bushby K, Straub V, Udd B, Ferreiro A, North KN, Clarke NF, Lek M, Beggs AH, Bönnemann CG, MacArthur DG, Granzier H, Davis MR, Laing NG Ann. Neurol. 2018 Apr

Nusinersen versus Sham Control in Later-Onset Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Mercuri E, Darras BT, Chiriboga CA, Day JW, Campbell C, Connolly AM, Iannaccone ST, Kirschner J, Kuntz NL, Saito K, Shieh PB, Tulinius M, Mazzone ES, Montes J, Bishop KM, Yang Q, Foster R, Gheuens S, Bennett CF, Farwell W, Schneider E, De Vivo DC, Finkel RS N. Engl. J. Med. 2018 02 378 7 625-635

Natural History of Infantile-Onset Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Kolb SJ, Coffey CS, Yankey JW, Krosschell K, Arnold WD, Rutkove SB, Swoboda KJ, Reyna SP, Sakonju A, Darras BT, Shell R, Kuntz N, Castro D, Parsons J, Connolly AM, Chiriboga CA, McDonald C, Burnette WB, Werner K, Thangarajh M, Shieh PB, Finanger E, Cudkowicz ME, McGovern MM, McNeil DE, Finkel R, Iannaccone ST, Kaye E, Kingsley A, Renusch SR, McGovern VL, Wang X, Zaworski PG, Prior TW, Burghes AHM, Bartlett A, Kissel JT Ann. Neurol. 2017 Nov

Nusinersen versus Sham Control in Infantile-Onset Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Finkel RS, Mercuri E, Darras BT, Connolly AM, Kuntz NL, Kirschner J, Chiriboga CA, Saito K, Servais L, Tizzano E, Topaloglu H, Tulinius M, Montes J, Glanzman AM, Bishop K, Zhong ZJ, Gheuens S, Bennett CF, Schneider E, Farwell W, De Vivo DC N. Engl. J. Med. 2017 11 377 18 1723-1732

Morin Stain Detects Aluminum-Containing Macrophages in Macrophagic Myofasciitis and Vaccination Granuloma With High Sensitivity and Specificity.

Chkheidze R, Burns DK, White CL, Castro D, Fuller J, Cai C J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol. 2017 Mar

Baseline results of the NeuroNEXT spinal muscular atrophy infant biomarker study.

Kolb SJ, Coffey CS, Yankey JW, Krosschell K, Arnold WD, Rutkove SB, Swoboda KJ, Reyna SP, Sakonju A, Darras BT, Shell R, Kuntz N, Castro D, Iannaccone ST, Parsons J, Connolly AM, Chiriboga CA, McDonald C, Burnette WB, Werner K, Thangarajh M, Shieh PB, Finanger E, Cudkowicz ME, McGovern MM, McNeil DE, Finkel R, Kaye E, Kingsley A, Renusch SR, McGovern VL, Wang X, Zaworski PG, Prior TW, Burghes AH, Bartlett A, Kissel JT Ann Clin Transl Neurol 2016 Feb 3 2 132-45

 Featured Books

Juvenile Myasthenia Gravis: From Diagnosis to Treatment. In Novel Challenges in Myasthenia Gravis

Mineo T, Castro D. (2015). Nova Science Publishers

Pages 251- 268, 297-308.. In A Case-Based Guide to Neuromuscular Pathology.

(2019). Springer

• Best Pediatric Specialists/Doctors in Dallas
  D Magazine (2021)
• Best Pediatric Specialists/Doctors in Dallas
  D Magazine (2019)
• Best Pediatric Specialists/Doctors in Dallas
  D Magazine (2018)

• American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (2013)
• GBS/CIDP International Foundation (2013)
• International GBS/CIDP Foundation (2013)
• World Muscle Society (2013)
• Peripheral Nerve Society (2012)
• American Academy of Neurology (2010)