Research Interests and Accomplishments

Nicholas J. Schork is a Professor and Director of Human Biology at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI). He is also an adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Family and Preventive Medicine (Division of Biostatistics) at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Prior to joining JCVI, Dr. Schork was, from 2007-2013, a Professor, Molecular and Experimental Medicine, at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), Director of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics at the Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI), and Director of Research at Scripps Genomic Medicine, a division of Scripps Health. From 2001-2007 Dr. Schork was a Professor of Biostatistics and Psychiatry, and Co-Director of the Center for Human Genetics and Genomics, at UCSD. From 1994-2000, he was an Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and an Adjunct Associate Professor of Biostatistics at Harvard University. During 1999 and 2000, Dr. Schork took a sponsored leave of absence from CWRU to conduct research as the Vice President of Statistical Genomics at the French biotechnology company, Genset, where he helped guide efforts to construct the first high-density map of the human genome.

Dr. Schork’s interests and expertise are in quantitative human genetics and integrated approaches to complex biological and medical problems, especially the design and implementation of methodologies to dissect the determinants of complex traits and diseases. He has published over 450 scientific articles and book chapters on the analysis of complex, multifactorial traits and diseases. A member of several scientific journal editorial boards, Dr. Schork is a frequent participant in U.S. National Institutes of Health-related steering committees and review boards, and has founded or served on the advisory boards of ten companies. In addition, he is currently director of the quantitative components of a number of national research consortia, including the NIA-sponsored Longevity Consortium and the NIMH-sponsored Bipolar Consortium. Dr. Schork earned the B.A. in Philosophy, M.A. in Philosophy, M.A. in Statistics, and Ph.D. in Epidemiology, all from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

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