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Jonathan Sebat

@sebatlab.bsky.social

2.1K followers 780 following 200 posts

Psychiatric genetics, complex trait genetics, genome sequencing, rare variants are my jam

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Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 12d

We are proud to be one of the 13 projects funded by the NIH Autism Data Science Initiative. Our project: "Elucidating the Interplay of Genes and Environment in Autism Using Genomic and Exposure Data from Large Populations" 🧵https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/health/autism-research-trump-kennedy.html

Despite False Claims, Trump Funnels Millions Into Credible Autism Research

www.nytimes.com

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 6d

Please repost: we are recruiting a postdoc for a project in my lab on genes and environment in autism

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 12d

We are proud to be one of the 13 projects funded by the NIH Autism Data Science Initiative. Our project: "Elucidating the Interplay of Genes and Environment in Autism Using Genomic and Exposure Data from Large Populations" 🧵https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/health/autism-research-trump-kennedy.html

Despite False Claims, Trump Funnels Millions Into Credible Autism Research

www.nytimes.com

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 6d

Many clinicians and scientists agree that spectrum has become too broad. Question for me really is how to split, and what are the objectives? www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/h...

Should the Autism Spectrum Be Split Apart?

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Jonathan Sebat

Iron Spike @ironspike.bsky.social · 9d

Says a lot about the state of popular science reporting that some techbro doofus can pretend he's going to be immortal and that will grab more headlines than "Hey we have a gene therapy that slows the advance of Huntington's by 75%," or "We gengineered a pothos into a living air purifier."

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 11d

Thank you Erica!

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 11d

thank you

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 11d

Last but definitely not least is our Neurodiverse Advisory Committee (NAC) consisting of autistic citizens and scientists. In partnership with autismtreeproject.org we have assembled the NAC to provide us with the stakeholders perspective on autism research!

www.autismtreeproject.org

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 11d

We will also investigate how environmental factors influence clinical outcome of genes in ASD. Samples of many thousands are needed to identify G. Capturing the effects of GxE requires sample sizes of millions. Juicy preliminary data will be posted soon to medrxiv. It takes a village, come join us!

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 11d

As a novel approach to causal inference, we will use collider effects to find genetic evidence to SUPPORT a causal role of environmental exposure. If E has a strong effect that is uncorrelated with G in the population, genes will explain LESS of the variance in the explosed group!

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 11d

Our 2022 paper in NG illustrates one example: the observed association of parental age with ausism consists of a mixture of causal pathway E → de novo mutation → ASD; and noncausal pathway Parental age ← polygenic score → ASD

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 11d

We will use a multi-pronged approach to causal inference using data on G and E in >2 million people, including association, MR and GxE exploring the interplay of exposures with rare and common variation that contributes to ASD, and we will rigorously evaluate rGE in family and population

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 11d

THE major challenge in epidemiological studies of the environment in autism is the pervasive passive correlation of genes and environment (rGE) that happens in the population, also known horizontal pleiotropy. There are causal effects to be found, but we need to separate correlation from causation

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 11d

Autism has a strong genetic basis, 100 genes have been identified and we e have multiple independent genetic predictors that have very strong signals in the population. If you are going do and epidemiological study of E, you need to account for G and GxE! pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

A phenotypic spectrum of autism is attributable to the combined effects of rare variants, polygenic risk and sex

The genetic etiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is multifactorial, but how combinations of genetic factors determine risk is unclear. In a large family sample, we show that genetic loads of rar...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 12d

We are proud to be one of the 13 projects funded by the NIH Autism Data Science Initiative. Our project: "Elucidating the Interplay of Genes and Environment in Autism Using Genomic and Exposure Data from Large Populations" 🧵https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/health/autism-research-trump-kennedy.html

Despite False Claims, Trump Funnels Millions Into Credible Autism Research

www.nytimes.com

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 19d

Today's ACIP meeting had a presentation on the genetics of myocarditis following COVID vaccine based on Whole exome sequencing of 50 cases. See time stamp 2:26 www.youtube.com/live/_9ChY9S...

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) - September 19, 2025 – Day 2 of 2

YouTube video by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

www.youtube.com

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · 23d

Pfff, big deal. My social media accounts are powered by edibles

T. Greg "Antifa General Counsel" Doucette @gregdoucette.bsky.social · 23d

So you know how there's a running gag about trying to run old school Doom or Wolfenstein on things never intended to run video games?

This guy has managed to code a web server that runs from a disposable vape 🤯

bogdanthegeek.github.io/blog/project...

Hosting a WebSite on a Disposable Vape

Someone's trash is another person's web server.

bogdanthegeek.github.io

Jonathan Sebat @sebatlab.bsky.social · Sep 1

If it’s not an exaggeration, and if the shoe fits, wear it. Worst case scenario, someone might actually read your paper

Reposted by Jonathan Sebat

MwahahahahahadScientist @mads100tist.bsky.social · Aug 30

This is it. I cannot explain it, but this is it. This is how -and why- we should be doing science

Elric @elric-mtl.bsky.social · Aug 29

Next level rice cooker.