Howard Jacob, Ph.D., Professor in Human and Molecular Genetics, Director, HMGC, Professor, Physiology Genetics
Education: Iowa State University, Ames, IA, B.S., University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, Ph.D.,Harvard Medical School, Post doc, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Post Doc, Stanford University, Post Doc.
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Link to HMGC NIH BIOSKETCH
Using molecular genetics, molecular genetic technologies (e.g. microarrays), and bioinformatics, this laboratory is studying end-organ damage that is caused by hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Our work takes advantage of comparative genomics between human, mouse and rat to implement physiological genomics. Our clinical programs consist of more than 30,000 participants for renal studies, as well as 2,000 participants for myocardial infarction and left ventricular hypertrophy. We have several NIH-funded positional cloning projects underway to identify genes responsible for renal failure and hypertension. In addition, we are funded for two rat genome projects, and expressed sequence tag site (EST) mapping project in which we will map 15,000 ESTs over the next three years, and the Program for Genomic Applications. The PGA enables us to make ANY region of the rat genome congenics within 6 months. As examples, we have developed several new genetic models for diabetes-mellitus-induced renal failure and myocardial ischemia. Collectively, these programs, along with our current microarray of nearly 20,000 genes per array, are enabling us to initiate physiological genomic studies to identify gene function. We are poised to combine the extraordinarily successful sequencing of the human, mouse and rat genomes with physiological studies to identify gene function.