William Valdar

William Valdar, PhD, is a Professor of Genetics and Adjunct Associate Professor of Biostatistics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He directs the Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology. His research focuses on statistical genetics, particularly the genetic basis of complex diseases in animal models such as cancer, diabetes, and anxiety disorders. Key research topics include multivariate phenotype modeling, genetic uncertainty analysis, and population design for linkage mapping. He collaborates extensively with experimental groups using rodent populations like Heterogeneous Stock mice and the Collaborative Cross.

Valdar’s lab develops statistical methods to dissect genetic contributions to comorbid diseases and quantify uncertainties in quantitative trait locus (QTL) models. He has contributed to studies on vitamin D deficiency’s epigenetic effects and microbiome modulation by diet. Notably, he received a 2023 Mentoring Award for Excellence in Basic Science from the UNC Office of Graduate Education.

His work spans multiple labs, including the Lineberger Cancer Center. He has published over 100 papers since 2009, with recent focuses on drug toxicity mechanisms, obesity genetics, and X chromosome inactivation. His lab’s integrative approaches combine transcriptomics, epigenetics, and computational modeling to advance precision medicine.