Georgia Mae Dunston

Georgia Mae Dunston is a distinguished Professor of Human Immunogenetics at Howard University College of Medicine and the founding director of the National Human Genome Center at Howard University. With a career spanning over five decades, Dr. Dunston has made significant contributions to the field of human genetics, particularly in understanding genetic variations in African American populations and their relation to disease susceptibility.

Dr. Dunston's educational journey began at Norfolk State University where she earned her B.S. in Biology, followed by an M.S. in Biology from Tuskegee University, and culminated with a Ph.D. in Human Genetics from the University of Michigan. Her academic path reflects her dedication to advancing scientific knowledge in genetics and immunology.

Dr. Dunston's research interests focus on human immunogenetics, population genetics, and the genetic basis of health disparities among African Americans and the broader African diaspora. Her work has particularly emphasized understanding the genetic factors contributing to asthma, prostate cancer, diabetes, and breast cancer in African American populations. Through her research, she has sought to address the underrepresentation of African ancestry populations in genomic studies and to develop more inclusive approaches to personalized medicine.

Analysis of Dr. Dunston's publications reveals a consistent focus on genetic studies of diseases affecting African American communities. Her work spans population genetics, disease susceptibility, and the development of genomic resources specifically for people of African descent. Many of her recent publications focus on asthma genetics across diverse populations, type 2 diabetes in African ancestry populations, prostate cancer risk factors, and the development of pan-genome resources for African descent individuals.

• Howard University College of Medicine Outstanding Research Award
• NAACP Science Achievement Award
• Howard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Graduate Faculty Member Award
• E. E. Just Award and Lectureship from the American Society of Cell Biology
• AARP's Impact Award
• Member of National Advisory Council for National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
• Member of Sigma Xi
• Member of National Academy of Sciences Review Committee on Human Genome Diversity Project

Throughout her career, Dr. Dunston has secured significant research funding from the National Institutes of Health and other organizations to support her work on genetic studies in African American populations. She has mentored numerous students and researchers in the field of human genetics, contributing to the development of the next generation of scientists from underrepresented groups. Her leadership in establishing the National Human Genome Center at Howard University created a vital research hub focused on addressing health disparities through genomic research.

Dr. Dunston founded and directed the National Human Genome Center (NHGC) at Howard University, building a national and international research collaboration focused on the genetics of diseases common in African Americans and other African diaspora populations. Her work has been instrumental in advancing the understanding of how genetic variation contributes to health and disease in diverse populations.