Our History

The Center for Molecular Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill represents the next phase in a legacy of scientific innovation and forward-thinking that is designed to meet needs of both the current and future landscape of medicine. It builds on the strong foundation of the Gene Therapy Center, which for over two decades has led advancements in genetic research and therapeutic development.

The Beginning of the Gene Therapy Center

In 1993 Dr. R. Jude Samulski was recruited to the School of Medicine into the Program of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology through the efforts of Dr. Bill Marzluff, PMBB director, and Dr. Ric Boucher, director of the CF Center to create a Gene Therapy Center that was focused on developing novel viral therapeutics for genetic diseases and merging genetics research with translational research for healthcare delivery. Subsequently, in 1993 Dr. Samulski became the founding Director of the UNC Gene Therapy Center housed in the School of Medicine.

Success of AAV Vector Technology

Under the direction of Dr. Samulski, the Gene Therapy Center established itself as an international leader in the development of Adeno-associated Virus (AAV) vector technology and AAV gene therapy approaches. The AAV technology that was developed by the Gene Therapy Center has been directly or indirectly responsible for all FDA approved AAV Gene therapies and current AAV gene therapies in clinical trials. In addition, the GTC generated numerous patents that have been sold or licensed to companies. The UNC Gene Therapy Center engaged in several seminal Phase I gene transfer studies in rare diseases, including patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Hemophilia B, and Mucopolysaccharidosis.

Transition to the Center for Molecular Medicine

In 2016, Dr. R. Jude Samulski stepped down as Gene Therapy Center director to head the development of companies, including Asklepios, that helped bring AAV gene therapy approaches into the clinic. In 2017 the Gene Therapy Center moved under the administrative and financial auspices of the Department of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine. In 2018, Dr. Stephanie Davis, the Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, was appointed as the Center’s interim director and to provide temporary leadership for the GTC to guide the Center through a period of transition.

In July 2024, after an extensive national search, Dr. Samuel M. Young, Jr., was recruited from the University of Iowa where he was appointed as Professor and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, to became the permanent director of the Gene Therapy Center. Under his leadership, the Center has been renamed the Center for Molecular Medicine, reflecting a broader mission and a renewed commitment to innovation, collaboration, and patient-centered discovery, as new novel technologies continue to be developed.