Jason Merker

Jason Merker, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Genetics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He holds multiple leadership roles, including Director of Cancer Molecular Pathology and Co-Director of the Translational Genomics Laboratory at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC), as well as Director of Molecular Oncology and Associate Director of Molecular Pathology at UNC Hospitals McLendon Clinical Laboratories. His work bridges clinical practice and research, focusing on integrating genomics into patient care and advancing cancer diagnostics.

Dr. Merker’s research interests center on three interconnected themes: 1) developing methods to detect circulating tumor nucleic acids for early cancer detection and monitoring, 2) leveraging clinical trial data to validate genomic assays for practical use in oncology, and 3) identifying germline variants in families with heritable cancer syndromes through multi-omics approaches. His efforts emphasize translating genomic technologies into actionable clinical insights.

He actively supports correlative genomic studies for cancer clinical trials across multiple platforms, including the LCCC Translational Genomics Laboratory and the UNC/UT NCI NCTN Integrated Translational Science Center. Recent collaborations have resulted in frequent publications, with his team contributing to over 25 papers in the past year alone. These studies highlight his focus on advancing precision medicine and improving cancer patient outcomes through genomics.

Dr. Merker’s roles in molecular pathology and genetics laboratories reflect his dual commitment to clinical service and research innovation. He oversees assay development and implementation, ensuring cutting-edge technologies are rigorously evaluated before entering routine use.