Dr. Eric N. Olson is a preeminent leader in molecular biology and regenerative medicine, currently serving as the founding Chair of the Department of Molecular Biology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He holds the prestigious Robert A. Welch Distinguished Chair in Science, the Pogue Distinguished Chair in Research on Cardiac Birth Defects, and the Annie and Willie Nelson Professorship in Stem Cell Research. After receiving his Ph.D. from Wake Forest University and completing postdoctoral training at Washington University in St. Louis, Dr. Olson began his independent research career at MD Anderson Cancer Center in 1984 before establishing the Department of Molecular Biology at UT Southwestern in 1995. He also directs both the Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine and the Wellstone Center for Muscular Dystrophy Research, cementing his leadership in translational biomedical research.
Dr. Olson and his research team have made transformative discoveries that fundamentally shaped our understanding of muscle and cardiovascular development and disease. His laboratory identified myogenin and MEF2 as master transcriptional regulators of myogenesis, discovered Myomaker and Myomixer as the critical membrane proteins controlling myoblast fusion, and revealed the Hand transcription factors that regulate cardiac growth and chamber specification. His team also uncovered myocardin as the essential activator of cardiovascular differentiation and elucidated stress-response pathways underlying pathological cardiac remodeling. Most recently, his pioneering work has developed innovative CRISPR-based gene editing strategies for correction of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, representing a paradigm shift in therapeutic approaches for genetic muscle disorders.
A member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Olson has profoundly influenced the field through his extensive mentorship and scientific leadership. His discoveries have catalyzed the formation of multiple biotechnology companies dedicated to developing novel therapies for heart and muscle diseases, translating basic research into clinical applications. Recognized with numerous prestigious awards including the March of Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology and the Conklin Medal from the Society for Developmental Biology, he has trained generations of scientists who now lead cardiovascular research worldwide. Dr. Olson continues to advance the frontiers of regenerative medicine through his laboratory's ongoing investigations into muscle regeneration mechanisms and therapeutic applications of gene editing technologies.
