James Mickelson, MS, PhD

Dr. Mickelson is a major contributor to the international equine and canine genetics and genomics efforts, and he is an expert in the molecular and genetic basis of neuromuscular disease in animals. His group has identified genes for inherited neuromuscular diseases in both horses (overo lethal white syndrome, glycogen branching enzyme deficiency, polysaccharide storage myopathy) and dogs (malignant hyperthermia, exercise-induced collapse, various polyneuropathies and neuropathies) that serve as comparative animal models for several human conditions. He is currently a leading part of a comparative animal genetics program performing genetic association analyses for exertional rhabdomyolysis in Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses, as well as several forms of canine idiopathic epilepsy, exercise collapse, leukoencephalomyelopathy, osteo and hamangiosarcoma, and polyneuropathies. He also collaborates on the identification of genomic signatures of selection and the functional underlying alleles in the horse that are revealing genes and alleles for racing performance, gait, and size, among others; as well as on identification of genes for equine metabolic syndrome and canine urolithiosis. Dr. Mickelson’s teaching responsibilities lie in Veterinary Biochemistry, Genetics and Nutrition (metabolism), Critical Scientific Reading, Veterinary Physiology (muscle), and Biochemistry of Muscle.

• Pfizer Award for Research Excellence, College of Veterinary Medicine, 2004, 2012.
• University Innovations Award, Patents and Technology Marketing, University of Minnesota, 2012.

Dr. Mickelson is an expert in the molecular and genetic basis of neuromuscular disease in animals. His group has identified genes for inherited neuromuscular diseases in both horses (overo lethal white syndrome, glycogen branching enzyme deficiency, polysaccharide storage myopathy) and dogs (malignant hyperthermia, exercise-induced collapse, polyneuropathies) that serve as comparative animal models for several human conditions. He is currently performing genetic association analyses for exertional rhabdomyolysis in horses, as well as several forms of canine idiopathic epilepsy, exercise collapse, leukoencephalomyelopathy and polyneuropathies.

Dr. Mickelson, Publications