Jonathan Cohen, Ph.D. Professor Endowed Title C. Vincent Prothro Distinguished Chair in Human Nutrition Research School Medical School Department Center for Human Nutrition | Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development | Internal Medicine Graduate Programs Genetics, Development and Disease Biography Dr. Cohen received his Ph.D. from the University of Cape Town in 1989 then did postdoctoral studies at UT Southwestern where he has remained ever since. His research focuses on the genetic basis of metabolic disorders that contribute common diseases such as heart disease and fatty liver disease. Together with his scientific partner, Dr. Helen Hobbs, he has identified genes that play major roles in the metabolism of fats, cholesterol, and triglycerides, and elucidated the biological roles of their protein products. His laboratory showed that loss-of-function mutations in PCSK9 are associated with low plasma levels of cholesterol and confer protection from coronary heart disease. In addition, the Hobbs-Cohen laboratory identified the first genetic cause of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in humans. Education Undergraduate Unlisted - International Colle , Physiology Graduate School Unlisted - International Colle (1988) Research Interest Genetic determinants of plasma lipoprotein levels. Genetics of quantitative traits. Publications Featured Publications Exome-wide association study identifies a TM6SF2 variant that confers susceptibility to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Kozlitina J, Smagris E, Stender S, Nordestgaard BG, Zhou HH, Tybjærg-Hansen A, Vogt TF, Hobbs HH, Cohen JC Nat. Genet. 2014 Feb Human fatty liver disease: old questions and new insights. Cohen JC, Horton JD, Hobbs HH Science 2011 Jun 332 6037 1519-23 Genetic variation in PNPLA3 confers susceptibility to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Romeo S, Kozlitina J, Xing C, Pertsemlidis A, Cox D, Pennacchio LA, Boerwinkle E, Cohen JC, Hobbs HH Nat. Genet. 2008 Dec 40 12 1461-5 Sequence variations in PCSK9, low LDL, and protection against coronary heart disease. Cohen JC, Boerwinkle E, Mosley TH, Hobbs HH N. Engl. J. Med. 2006 Mar 354 12 1264-72 Results 1-4 of 4 1 Honors & Awards a. Ross Prize (2023) b. Elected to National Academy of Sciences (2022) c. Dallas Historical Society Award for Excellence (2018) d. Endo Award (National Lipid Association) (2018) e. National Lipid Association Lifetime Membership (2016) f. Passano Award (2016) g. Barbara Bowman Distinguished Texas Geneticist Award. (2015) h. Robert Levy Lecture (American Heart Association) (2009) i. C. Vincent Prothro Distinguished Chair in Human Nutrition Research (2004) j. Medical Research Council Institute Scholarship (1986-1989)
