Jacob Michaelson

Dr. Jacob Michaelson is an Associate Professor at the University of Iowa in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Psychiatry. His research lab focuses on the genetic basis of neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism and language impairment. The lab employs genomic and bioinformatics tools to analyze genetic variations and their effects on brain development.

He collaborates on large-scale projects like the SPARK cohort, which studies autism genetics across thousands of families. His work also extends to epigenetic studies in cardiovascular disease and the development of tools like TiSAn for tissue-specific variant analysis.

• Research Highlights: Genetic risk factors in autism, polygenic scoring, and interdisciplinary approaches to neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Key Projects: SPARK cohort, whole-genome sequencing studies, and computational genomics tools.

Publications span topics from autism gene discovery to eating disorder genetics, emphasizing the intersection of genetics with mental health and complex traits.