Cindy Vnencak-Jones, PhD
Dr. Cindy Vnencak-Jones is a distinguished clinical molecular geneticist and professor emerita in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She is nationally recognized for her pioneering contributions to molecular diagnostics and precision medicine and retired with emeritus status following a long and impactful career in clinical genetics and laboratory medicine.
Dr. Vnencak-Jones earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of South Carolina and her PhD in Human Genetics from the Medical College of Virginia. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Medical Genetics at Vanderbilt University, where she began her academic and clinical career.
She joined the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 1985 as a postdoctoral fellow and subsequently served on faculty with joint appointments in Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology and Pediatrics. In 1989, Dr. Vnencak-Jones established and directed the Clinical Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, building one of the largest academic clinical DNA laboratories in the southeastern United States. Under her leadership, the laboratory provided high-complexity DNA- and RNA-based testing for inherited diseases, cancer diagnostics, pharmacogenetics and other clinical applications.
Dr. Vnencak-Jones played a central role in advancing precision medicine through her work as Medical Director of the Molecular Genetics Laboratory, where she oversaw molecular testing essential to genetic disease diagnosis and personalized patient care. She also contributed to the advancement of genomic technologies in clinical practice, including the development and implementation of pharmacogenetic testing models that supported institutional precision medicine programs. Nationally, she served in leadership roles related to training, competency standards and accreditation in clinical molecular genetics and molecular genetic pathology.
In addition to her clinical and administrative leadership, Dr. Vnencak-Jones was instrumental in establishing fellowship training programs in clinical molecular genetics, laboratory genetics and genomics, and molecular genetic pathology at Vanderbilt. She mentored more than 25 fellows in these subspecialties of laboratory medicine. Her scholarly contributions include more than 125 peer-reviewed publications and 14 book chapters, as well as significant contributions to national guidelines for cancer gene variant interpretation and reporting. She also served on the editorial boards of multiple scientific journals.
In 2023, Dr. Vnencak-Jones was honored as Professor Emerita of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in recognition of her distinguished record of scholarship, teaching, mentorship, and service.