Terry Magnuson

Terry Magnuson is the Kay M. and Van L. Weatherspoon Eminent Distinguished Professor of Genetics and founding chair of the Department of Genetics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. He leads key initiatives in the Carolina Center for Genome Sciences and the Cancer Genetics program. As Vice Dean for Research and Strategy in the School of Medicine and School of Data Science and Society, he oversees research strategy and interdisciplinary collaboration. His academic roles include secondary appointments in the School of Data Science and Society and leadership in NIH committees, the National Academies Regenerative Medicine forum, and the All of Us advisory committee.

Educated at Cornell University (Ph.D.) and the University of California, San Francisco (postdoc), Magnuson’s research focuses on chromatin remodeling in mammalian development, epigenetic regulation, and mouse models of human disease. His lab explores mechanisms of gene function in cancer, meiosis, and stem cell pluripotency. Notable contributions include advancing the Mutant Mouse Resource and Research Center (MMRRC) as a critical genetic resource for biomedical research.

Scientific highlights include discoveries on ARID1A’s role in sex-linked gene silencing during male meiosis and INO80’s regulation of chromatin accessibility in spermatogenesis. His work bridges fundamental epigenetics with translational applications in disease modeling. Awards include membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, AAAS, and the National Academy of Medicine.

Leadership extends to managing university-wide research initiatives, policy development for genomic studies, and fostering collaboration across disciplines. His contributions to mouse genetic standards (e.g., MiniMUGA genotyping array) ensure reproducibility in preclinical research. Current efforts emphasize leveraging genomic data to address complex biological questions and improve experimental rigor.