Dr. Philip D. Buchanan is a medical geneticist and clinical cytogeneticist certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics.

Buchanan graduated from North Carolina State University and completed post-doctoral studies at the University of Michigan, Harvard University and the University of Oregon. He came to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1970 to develop the Prenatal Genetics Diagnosis Program. He directed the Prenatal Genetic Counseling Clinic and Cytogenetics Laboratory for 12 years and participated in the Birth Defects Treatment Center and UNC Cancer Research Center.

He is a member emeritus of many professional societies. He continues to present at international meetings, to publish and to serve as a reviewer for peer-reviewed journals.

In 1983, Buchanan established GeneCare Medical Genetics Center in Chapel Hill, N.C., and served as director for more than 30 years. GeneCare provided comprehensive genetic counseling, maternal serum screening and genetic laboratory testing, and maintained an active international research program.

He joined the Board of Directors in 2013 and served as Board Chair starting in 2015 through 2023.