Who let the dogs (and horses) out? Investigating genetic causes of canine and equine diseases
February 14, 2022
VBS Professor James Mickelson grew up in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin (the home of ‘Brownberry Bread’). He began his post-secondary education at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he earned a BS degree in Biochemistry and MS/PhD in Meat & Animal Science (Muscle Biology). From there Mickelson was recruited by the University of Minnesota where he joined the Department of Veterinary Biology as a Postdoctoral Associate, and was soon hired as a Research Associate, then Assistant Professor. When he was promoted to Associate Professor, the Department of Veterinary Biology became the Department of Veterinary PathoBiology, and finally when he rose to the rank of Full Professor, the department name was what we know today–Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences. Growing along with the department, over the last 34 years as a faculty and 40 years at the University of Minnesota, Mickelson has embraced the evolution of the department, and made that work in his favor.
Professor Mickelson is a world renowned expert in the fields of equine and canine genetics and genomics. He is an authority on molecular and genetic bases of neuromuscular disease in animals and 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. Especially noteworthy is his work with the Canine Genetics lab, which has opened doors for various avenues to expand types of genetic research. The Canine Genetics website is among the sites with the highest traffic numbers within the College of Veterinary Medicine network. In fact, Mickelson’s work was recently highlighted in the CVM Research round up story, “Is there a genetic mutation associated with canine limb-girdle muscular dystrophy,” which was inspired by the paper “Sarcoglycan A mutation in miniature dachshund dogs causes limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2D,” published in Skeletal Muscle.
In addition to research, he also has taught Veterinary Biochemistry, Nutrition and Genetics, Physiology, Critical Reading, Veterinary Genomics, and various other graduate and DVM courses. Mickelson has advised and mentored around 86 combined graduate and undergraduate students, and has served on various committees such as the Center for Muscle and Muscle Disorders/Paul and Sheila Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Center, UMN Equine Research Center, MNDrive Fellowship Review Committee, and University and Faculty Senates.
We had a chance to catch up with Dr. Mickelson recently and he responded in kind:
On Friday, February 18, 2022, Dr. Mickelson officially retired and joined the ranks of fellow VBS Faculty Emeriti. The Department would like to thank Dr. Mickelson for his 40 years of dedicated service to the University of Minnesota, and we hope that he will check in with us from time to time once he begins the next phase of his life.