Dr Magnus Nordborg is Scientific Director of the GMI and a Senior Group Leader focusing on population genetics. After spending a decade at University of Southern California, Dr Magnus Nordborg joined the GMI as Scientific Director in 2009. He is internationally recognized as a pioneer in the use of genome-wide association studies to study patterns of natural variation in non-human organisms. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a Corresponding Member of the Austrian of Sciences. His research is supported by many sources, including an ERC Advanced Grant.

Population genetics. Statistical genetics and molecular evolution, are used. Empirical research focuses on Arabidopsis thaliana and wide range of organisms, including primates.