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James W. Thomas, Ph.D.

Acting Director

NIH Intramural Sequencing Center

Education

A.B. Washington University in St. Louis

Ph.D. Case Western Reserve University

Contact Info
BG 5625FL RM 5N-01C
5625 FISHERS LN
ROCKVILLE MD 20892

Biography

Dr. James Thomas obtained his A.B. in biology from Washington University in St. Louis and completed his doctoral work in the Department of Genetics at Case Western Reserve University. In 1997, Dr. Thomas joined the NHGRI as a postdoctoral fellow and began his research in the emerging field of comparative genomics. Dr. Thomas went on to be an assistant professor in the Department of Human Genetics at the Emory University School of Medicine before returning to NHGRI and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center in 2011. He is currently the deputy director of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center.

As deputy director of NISC, Dr. Thomas evaluates and oversees implementation of new DNA sequencing technologies and protocols as well as efficiency and quality control related aspects of the data production pipeline. His research interests are in the field of comparative genomics and past projects have included genomic studies in a wide range of vertebrates.

  • Biography

    Dr. James Thomas obtained his A.B. in biology from Washington University in St. Louis and completed his doctoral work in the Department of Genetics at Case Western Reserve University. In 1997, Dr. Thomas joined the NHGRI as a postdoctoral fellow and began his research in the emerging field of comparative genomics. Dr. Thomas went on to be an assistant professor in the Department of Human Genetics at the Emory University School of Medicine before returning to NHGRI and the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center in 2011. He is currently the deputy director of the NIH Intramural Sequencing Center.

    As deputy director of NISC, Dr. Thomas evaluates and oversees implementation of new DNA sequencing technologies and protocols as well as efficiency and quality control related aspects of the data production pipeline. His research interests are in the field of comparative genomics and past projects have included genomic studies in a wide range of vertebrates.

Publications

Callicrate, T., Dikow, R., Thomas, J.W., Mullikin, J.C., Jarvis, E.H., Fleischer, R.C, NISC. Comparative Sequencing Program. Genomic resources for the endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers. BMC Genomics, 15:1098. 2014. PubMed

Davis, J.K., Mittel, L.B., Lowman, J.J., Thomas, P.J., Maney, D.L., Martin, C.L., NISC Comparative Sequencing Program, Thomas, J.W. Haplotype-based genomic sequencing of a chromosomal polymorphism in the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). Journal of Heredity, 102:380-390. 2011. PubMed

Keebaugh, A.C., Thomas, J.W. The evolutionary fate of the genes encoding the purine catabolic enzymes in hominoids, birds, and reptiles. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 27:1359-1369. 2010. PubMed

McGraw, L.A., Davis, J.K., Lowman, J.J., te Hallers, B., Koriabine, M., Young, L.J., de Jong, P.J., Rudd, M.K., Thomas, J.W. Development of genomic resources for the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster): construction of a BAC library and vole-mouse comparative cytogenetic map. BMC Genomics, 11:70. 2010. PubMed

Thomas, J.W., Cáceres, M., Lowman, J.J., Morehouse, C.B., Short, M.E., Baldwin, E.L., Maney,D.L., Martin, C.L. The chromosomal polymorphism linked to variation in social behavior in the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) is a complex rearrangement and suppressor of recombination. Genetics, 179:1455-1468. 2008. PubMed

Cáceres, M., NISC Comparative Sequencing Program, Sullivan, R.T, Thomas, J.W. A recurrent inversion on the eutherian X chromosome. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 104:18571-18576. 2007. PubMed

Thomas, J.W., Touchman, J.W., Blakesley, R.W., Bouffard, G.G., Beckstrom-Sternberg, S.M., Margulies, E.H., Blanchette, M., Siepel, A.C., Thomas, P.J., McDowell, J.C., Maskeri, B., Hansen, N.F., Schwartz, M.S. Weber, R.J., Kent, W.J., Karolchik, D., Bruen, T.C., Bevan, R. Cutler, D.J., Schwartz, S., Elnitski, L., Idol, J.R., Prasad, A.B., Lee-Lin, S.-Q., Benjamin, B., Cariaga, K., Brinkley, C.P., Brooks, S.Y., Granite, S., Guan, X., Gupta, J., Haghighi, P., Ho, S.L., Huang, M.C., Karlins, E., Laric, P.L., Legaspi, R., Lim, M.J., Maduro, Q.L., Masiello, C.A., Mastrian, S.D., McCloskey, J.C., Pearson, R., Stantripop, S., Tiongson, E.E., Tran, J.T., Tsurgeon, C., Vogt, J.L., Walker, M.A., Wetherby, K.D., Wiggins, L.S., Young, A.C., Zhang, L-H., Osoegawa, K., Zhu, B., Zhao, B., Shu, C.L., de Jong, P.J., Lawrence, C.E., Smit, A.F., Chakravarti, A., Haussler, D., Green, P., Miller, W., Green, E.D. Comparative analyses of multi-species sequences from targeted genomic regions. Nature, 424:788-793. 2003. PubMed

Thomas, J.W., Prasad, A.B., Summers, T.J., Lee-Lin, S.Q., Maduro, V.V.B., Idol, J.R., Ryan, J.F., Thomas, P.J., McDowell, J.C., Green, E.D. Parallel construction of orthologous sequence-ready clone contig maps in multiple species. Genome Research, 12:1277-1285. 2002. PubMed

Thomas, J.W., Summers, T.J., Lee-Lin, S.-Q., Braden Maduro, V.V., Idol, J.R., Mastrian, S.D., Ryan, J.F., Jamison, D.C., and Green, E.D. Comparative genome mapping in the sequence-based era: early experience with human chromosome 7. Genome Research, 10:624-633. 2000. PubMed

Thomas, J.W., LaMantia, C.L., Magnuson, T. X-ray-induced mutations in mouse embryonic stem cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA95:1114-1119.1998. PubMed

  • Publications

    Callicrate, T., Dikow, R., Thomas, J.W., Mullikin, J.C., Jarvis, E.H., Fleischer, R.C, NISC. Comparative Sequencing Program. Genomic resources for the endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers. BMC Genomics, 15:1098. 2014. PubMed

    Davis, J.K., Mittel, L.B., Lowman, J.J., Thomas, P.J., Maney, D.L., Martin, C.L., NISC Comparative Sequencing Program, Thomas, J.W. Haplotype-based genomic sequencing of a chromosomal polymorphism in the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). Journal of Heredity, 102:380-390. 2011. PubMed

    Keebaugh, A.C., Thomas, J.W. The evolutionary fate of the genes encoding the purine catabolic enzymes in hominoids, birds, and reptiles. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 27:1359-1369. 2010. PubMed

    McGraw, L.A., Davis, J.K., Lowman, J.J., te Hallers, B., Koriabine, M., Young, L.J., de Jong, P.J., Rudd, M.K., Thomas, J.W. Development of genomic resources for the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster): construction of a BAC library and vole-mouse comparative cytogenetic map. BMC Genomics, 11:70. 2010. PubMed

    Thomas, J.W., Cáceres, M., Lowman, J.J., Morehouse, C.B., Short, M.E., Baldwin, E.L., Maney,D.L., Martin, C.L. The chromosomal polymorphism linked to variation in social behavior in the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) is a complex rearrangement and suppressor of recombination. Genetics, 179:1455-1468. 2008. PubMed

    Cáceres, M., NISC Comparative Sequencing Program, Sullivan, R.T, Thomas, J.W. A recurrent inversion on the eutherian X chromosome. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 104:18571-18576. 2007. PubMed

    Thomas, J.W., Touchman, J.W., Blakesley, R.W., Bouffard, G.G., Beckstrom-Sternberg, S.M., Margulies, E.H., Blanchette, M., Siepel, A.C., Thomas, P.J., McDowell, J.C., Maskeri, B., Hansen, N.F., Schwartz, M.S. Weber, R.J., Kent, W.J., Karolchik, D., Bruen, T.C., Bevan, R. Cutler, D.J., Schwartz, S., Elnitski, L., Idol, J.R., Prasad, A.B., Lee-Lin, S.-Q., Benjamin, B., Cariaga, K., Brinkley, C.P., Brooks, S.Y., Granite, S., Guan, X., Gupta, J., Haghighi, P., Ho, S.L., Huang, M.C., Karlins, E., Laric, P.L., Legaspi, R., Lim, M.J., Maduro, Q.L., Masiello, C.A., Mastrian, S.D., McCloskey, J.C., Pearson, R., Stantripop, S., Tiongson, E.E., Tran, J.T., Tsurgeon, C., Vogt, J.L., Walker, M.A., Wetherby, K.D., Wiggins, L.S., Young, A.C., Zhang, L-H., Osoegawa, K., Zhu, B., Zhao, B., Shu, C.L., de Jong, P.J., Lawrence, C.E., Smit, A.F., Chakravarti, A., Haussler, D., Green, P., Miller, W., Green, E.D. Comparative analyses of multi-species sequences from targeted genomic regions. Nature, 424:788-793. 2003. PubMed

    Thomas, J.W., Prasad, A.B., Summers, T.J., Lee-Lin, S.Q., Maduro, V.V.B., Idol, J.R., Ryan, J.F., Thomas, P.J., McDowell, J.C., Green, E.D. Parallel construction of orthologous sequence-ready clone contig maps in multiple species. Genome Research, 12:1277-1285. 2002. PubMed

    Thomas, J.W., Summers, T.J., Lee-Lin, S.-Q., Braden Maduro, V.V., Idol, J.R., Mastrian, S.D., Ryan, J.F., Jamison, D.C., and Green, E.D. Comparative genome mapping in the sequence-based era: early experience with human chromosome 7. Genome Research, 10:624-633. 2000. PubMed

    Thomas, J.W., LaMantia, C.L., Magnuson, T. X-ray-induced mutations in mouse embryonic stem cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA95:1114-1119.1998. PubMed

Related Projects

DNA sequencing information
The Genomics Landscape
The NIH Intramural Sequencing Center

Last updated: March 7, 2023