Anja Katrin Bielinsky, PhD
Anja Katrin Bielinsky, PhD, has been appointed as the new chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics effective November 15, 2022. Professor Bielinsky’s work in the field of DNA replication has been extremely impactful as is her leadership and experience as an educator. She has the knowledge, experience and vision to build on the strengths of an already strong department.
Professor Bielinsky comes to UVA from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, where she is a professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics. In addition, she serves as associate dean for foundational science & gender equity at the University of Minnesota Medical School and associate director for basic shared resources at Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota. She also serves as a member of the Masonic Cancer Center’s cabinet and as a member of the medical school’s research council.
Professor Bielinsky is a longtime leader of the Genetic Mechanisms Program at Masonic Cancer Center and a longtime member of the center’s Basic Science Council. She previously served as interim associate dean for research and graduate education at the University of Minnesota’s College of Biological Sciences. She also has served as director of graduate studies for the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics.
An expert in DNA replication, Professor Bielinsky has authored a long list of peer-reviewed research publications that have shed light on how errors in DNA replication contribute to the development of cancer and other diseases. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, American Cancer Society, and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America, among others. Professor Bielinsky earned her bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and PhD from Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf, Germany. She did her postdoctoral training at Brown University before joining the University of Minnesota.