Jacques L. Michaud, MD

Dr. Jacques Michaud is a renowned geneticist and researcher specializing in the genetic basis of neurodevelopmental disorders, including intellectual disability, autism, and epilepsy. He is the Chief of the Division of Medical Genetics at CHU Sainte-Justine, Director of the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center and Génome Québec Integrated Clinical Genomics Centre in Pediatrics, and a Professor of Pediatrics and Neurosciences at Université de Montréal. His research focuses on identifying genes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders using genomic approaches. His team has discovered over 15 such genes and demonstrated the critical role of spontaneous (non-inherited) mutations in intellectual disability. His work also explores the function of these genes in neuronal circuit development and synaptic plasticity, with the aim of advancing therapeutic strategies. In his clinical role, Dr. Michaud leads efforts to integrate genomic sequencing into pediatric care, improving diagnostics and understanding of rare diseases.