Welcome to the UNC Department of Genetics

Ranked first in NIH funding for FY2025.

Department News

The genetic tool allows doctors to better tailor treatments to each patient’s unique subtype of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Dr. Margarita Dzama-Karels (Postdoctoral Fellow, Raab laboratory) received the 2026 Joseph S. Pagano Award in recognition of her 2025 paper in Cell Reports "Menin-MLL1 complex cooperates with NF-Y to promote hepatocellular carcinoma survival”.

A team of scientists from the UNC-CH Department of Genetics and partnering institutions, led by Dr. Fernando Pardo-Manuel de Villena (Professor and Chair, UNC Genetics), published a policy article titled “Improve genetic quality control to increase rigor and reproducibility of mouse research” in the 14 May 2026 issue of Science.

Dr. Jonathan Berg (Bryson Distinguished Professor, Genetics and Medicine) and Dr. Melissa Haendel (Sarah Graham Kenan Distinguished Professor, Genetics) are the co-PIs of a new U01 grant from the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) for a project titled “Southeastern Genomic Medicine eConsult Network (SeGMeNt)”.

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Message From Our Chair

We advance fundamental, translational, and clinical research in genetics and genomics through innovation, education, and collaboration.

Our graduate programs train students to be creative, sophisticated research scientists prepared to pursue careers focused in genetics and genomics working in academic science, government, or commercial positions. Students conduct their dissertation research using diverse experimental approaches – from classical genetics to the most modern molecular methods – to address a broad range of contemporary problems in biomedical science.

The Department also includes a clinical arm focused on medical genetics, which covers the broad spectrum of clinical genetic research from disease prevention to diagnosis and treatment. This specialty includes evaluation, mutation discovery, counseling and risk assessment through analysis and genetic testing. Locating the clinical group alongside basic scientists facilitates integration of cutting edge genetic research with patient care.

Highlighted Faculty

Courtney Thaxton, PhD

Associate Professor

The Department of Genetics is proud to highlight Dr. Courtney Thaxton for her excellence in research, teaching, and mentoring.

Dr. Thaxton was promoted to Associate Professor in July 2024 and serves as the Director of the ClinGen-affiliated UNC Biocuration and Coordination Core.

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