The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) announces that Maximilian Muenke, MD, FACMG will become its new CEO, following a thorough national search.

Since 2000, Muenke has served as senior investigator, head of the Human Development Section, and chief of the Medical Genetics Branch at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Muenke’s laboratory research has focued on the delineation and identification of the underlying causes of craniofacial anomalies in humans. These include holoprosencephaly and other craniofacial anomalies, craniosynostosis syndromes including the most common one, Muenke syndrome.

Muenke is described as passionate about his work training and mentoring the next generation leaders in the field of genetics and genomic medicine, including his work at the University of Pennsylvania—where he has directed medical genetics training since 1994— and at the NIH where he is currently the director of the NIH Medical Genetics and Genomic Medicine Residency and Fellowship Training Programs.

“I am honored to join the ACMG and look forward to working with the talented staff, the President, members of the ACMG Board, and all of those involved in the field throughout the country and the world,” said Muenke in a press release. “I am a firm believer in the mission of the ACMG and am extremely enthusiastic that we can work together to further benefit our community of healthcare practitioners and laboratory specialists in countless ways. Genetics and genomics is ever-changing and becoming increasingly ubiquitous in medicine and society; the ACMG plays a critical role in supporting best practices in diverse settings.”

Muenke will join ACMG as CEO on October 7, and will work closely with the College’s current executive director, Michael S. Watson, and the ACMG/ACMGF Board leadership to ensure a smooth transition when Watson departs ACMG at the end of 2019.

“We believe Dr. Muenke will be an ideal leader to take the helm at this pivotal time in the integration of medical genetics into all of healthcare and to lead the College as we embark upon an ambitious new strategic plan,” said ACMG President Tony R. Gregg, M.D. “Dr. Muenke is the perfect package. He is a clinician with many years of experience, an accomplished researcher, and he has an outstanding track record in education. He is a proven leader of the highest character.”