The University of Colorado Boulder has named Dr. Matthew C. Keller director of its Institute of Behavioral Genetics (IBG), which conducts and facilitates research on the genetic and environmental bases of individual differences in behavior.
Keller was appointed to the role on a permanent basis after serving as interim director of IBG since January and following an internal search. Keller will maintain his academic tenure home in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience.
鈥淚 am excited to appoint Matt Keller as the next director of IBG,鈥� said Terri Fiez, vice chancellor for Research and Innovation and dean of the institutes. 鈥淢att has been a strong contributor and emerging leader within the institute for years, and he is already broadening his focus to explore new opportunities and directions.鈥� 听
Keller has held an appointment in IBG and in the Department of听Psychology and Neuroscience since 2007. Prior to joining CU Boulder in 2007, he served as a postdoctoral fellow at Virginia Commonwealth University鈥檚 Virginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, the University of California, Los Angeles Center for Society and Genetics, and Australia Genetic Epidemiology at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research.
Keller received a PhD in social psychology and an MA in statistics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in 2004, and his BA in psychology from the University of Texas, Austin in 1996.听
The IBG director position was previously held by John Hewitt, who will continue conducting research at the institute.
鈥淚 am so grateful to John Hewitt for his inclusive leadership of the institute for more than 20 years,鈥� said Fiez. 鈥淗e is a renowned scientist, leader and mentor, and IBG has thrived under his leadership.鈥� 听
IBG is one of the top research facilities in the world for genetic research on behavior. The institute is internationally renowned for studies such as the Colorado Adoption Project, the Colorado Twin Registry, the National Youth Survey Family Study, the Colorado Learning Disabilities Research Center, and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.听
IBG is home to one of the nation's largest DNA repositories for research on human behavior. Current research includes studies of aging, neurodegenerative disease, psychopathology, reading and learning disabilities, cognition, substance abuse, behavioral development and evolution.
"IBG has been the flagship institute in the field of behavioral genetics for over 50 years," said Keller. "The advances in genetics over that period have been breathtaking. With its expertise in human quantitative genetics and model organism research, IBG is uniquely positioned to be at the forefront of this ongoing scientific revolution in genetics. I am deeply honored to be IBG's next director and am excited to help guide it towards continued growth and discovery."