Dr. Meghan McGee-Lawrence is the Chair of the Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University.
She earned her PhD in Biomedical Engineering (studying skeletal biomechanics and structure) from Michigan Technological University and completed postdoctoral training in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery (studying cellular and molecular biology) at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Dr. McGee-Lawrence joined the Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy at MCG in 2014.
The McGee-Lawrence laboratory studies processes regulating the maintenance and regeneration of bone structure and biomechanical strength in aging and disease states. Ongoing projects are working to understand hormonal (e.g., endogenous glucocorticoids), epigenetic (e.g., histone deacetylases), nutrient (e.g., kynurenine / aryl hydrocarbon receptor), and mechanobiological therapeutic targets for skeletal homeostasis as well as skeletal interorgan communication with other body systems such as skeletal muscle, adrenal glands, and fat depots. This research is funded by the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), and NASA, with previous support from the National Science Foundation and the American Diabetes Association.
Dr. McGee-Lawrence plays an active role in leadership and service within the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS), the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR), and NIH study sections such as the Skeletal Biology Development and Disease panel. Additionally, she is heavily involved in teaching, contributing to the education of medical and graduate students across the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) and The Graduate School at Augusta University (TGS)
