Karen Weck-Taylor

Karen Weck-Taylor, MD, is a Professor in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and the Department of Clinical Genetics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. She is affiliated with UNC Chapel Hill and UNC Health, contributing to both academic and clinical endeavors. Her work bridges genetic research and diagnostic applications, emphasizing the clinical utility of genomic sequencing in diverse populations, from prenatal to adult patients, and cancer somatic mutation testing.

Her research focuses on understanding genetic mutations' roles in diseases such as primary ciliary dyskinesia, X-linked Alport syndrome, and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). She co-leads NIH-funded grants and is part of the NHGRI CSER consortium, furthering exome/genome sequencing implementation. Dr. Weck-Taylor also participates in institutional clinical trials for pharmacogenomics-guided therapies and UNCseq tumor sequencing studies.

Her scientific accolades include serving as the 2020 President of the Association for Molecular Pathology, receiving the 2018 Distinguished Service Award from the College of American Pathologists, and the 2008 Philip M. Blatt Award for Resident Training Excellence in Clinical Pathology.

In mentoring and grants, she has supported numerous research initiatives but no specific student names are listed in the provided text. Dr. Weck-Taylor leads the UNC molecular genetics laboratory, one of the nation's few offering specialized clinical genetic testing for these conditions. Her lab's work highlights advancements in mutation detection and diagnostic precision, contributing to improved disease characterization and patient care.