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Joel Naom Hirschhorn is a professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics at Harvard University with a focus on human genetics. His research primarily involves identifying genetic factors contributing to human height and weight, which are polygenic traits influenced by multiple genetic factors. He leads the Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Traits (GIANT) consortium, employing genome-wide association studies to discover common genetic variants that affect traits like height and weight. Hirschhorn's laboratory aims to translate genetic results into biological insights, developing computational tools for testing biological hypotheses and studying the hereditary nature of various diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cancer. By integrating large-scale genetic studies with non-genetic data, including RNA sequencing and metabolite profiling, his work addresses the genetics of human growth and common diseases, ultimately improving clinical outcomes for children with endocrine disorders.
Administered by the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS).