Facts and figures

The Department of Human Genetics’ internationally recognized graduate programs in molecular and quantitative genetics, medical genetics and genetic counseling award Doctor of Philosophy (as well as an opportunity to simultaneously earn the Doctor of Medicine), Master of Science, and Master of Science in Genetic Counselor degrees.

Each year, we admit six to eight students interested in becoming genetic researchers or certified clinical practitioners. Our diverse and interdisciplinary training provides an outstanding educational environment, regardless of whether or not a student is uncertain of his or her area of study.

Finally, our academic medical center setting facilitates translation of genetic discoveries into revolutionary new methods to diagnose and treat human disease.

So, whatever your interests, it is difficult to imagine a more exciting and rewarding time to study human genetics!

• All of our tenured or tenure-eligible investigators have funding awarded by governmental agencies and/or non-profit foundations. Current total awards exceed $4,894,000.

• Drs. Lindon Eaves and Walter Nance both rank in the top 5 percent of overall National Institutes of Health funding.

• Science Watch ranked Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics as 5th in the world based on citations of their psychiatric/behavioral genetic research. Faculty members earning individual rankings were Dr. Lindon Eaves, ranked 15th with 16 high-impact papers, and Drs. Kenneth Kendler and Michael Neale ranking 2nd and 20th respectively.

• Department funded laboratory infrastructure for two key animal models (fruit flies, zebrafish) previously unavailable to VCU investigators.

• Members of the faculty have published more than 43 articles in peer-reviewed journals this year.

• Half of our tenured faculty members are VCU Convocation award winners.

• The department operates the largest population-based twin registry in the country, including data on 70,000 pairs.

• Current research includes collaboration with scientists in Turkey, India, Norway, Denmark and Puerto Rico.

• The department has graduated a total of 179 students in the following categories: 70 Ph.D., 44 M.S. in Human Genetics, 2 M.D./Ph.D., and 63 M.S. in Genetic Counseling