James Mickelson, MS, PhD

Contact Info
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Veterinary Biology, University of Minnesota
PhD, Meat & Animal Science (Muscle Biology), University of Wisconsin—Madison
MS, Meat & Animal Science (Muscle Biology), University of Wisconsin—Madison
BS, Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin—Madison
Summary
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.
Expertise
Domestic Animal Genetics Research, Biochemistry and Genetics Teaching, Service as needed
Awards & Recognition
Research
Research Summary/Interests
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.
Publications
Dr. Mickelson, Publications
Teaching
Courses
- CVM6902 - Veterinary Biochemistry, Nutrition and Genetics, Course Coordinator
- CVM6004 - Critical Scientific Reading, Participant
- CVM6901 - Veterinary Physiology, Lecturer
- BioC5444 - Muscle, Lecturer