Dr. Cortney Gensemer

Dr. Cortney Gensemer is a scientist and science communicator whose work sits at the intersection of research and the lived reality of complex chronic illness. She received her PhD studying the genetic and molecular mechanisms of Ehlers-Danlos syndromes at the Medical University of South Carolina, where she contributed to research on hEDS, models of monogenic EDS, and related conditions. Her research spans genetics, cell and molecular biology, animal models, and clinical research, all focused on connective tissue biology and the immune dysregulation underlying conditions like hEDS, ME/CFS, MCAS, and POTS.

Alongside her scientific work, Dr. Gensemer has become a leading voice in the movement to position patients as active participants in the research process, not just subjects of it. She has been part of a broader cultural shift around what it means to be a patient-scientist, bringing research credibility and lived experience into the same conversation. Her work has been covered by CNN, Fox News, STAT News, and the Post & Courier, and she is a regular speaker on complex chronic illness, research in this space, and lived experience. Her work focuses on genetic discovery, functional validation, and immune dysregulation in connective tissue disease. She is an active science communicator with a platform dedicated to translating scientific content into accessible, evidence-based content for patients, caregivers, clinicians, and researchers.