Jacob Musser, Ph.D.
Jacob Musser is an Assistant Professor in the department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at Yale University.
Jacob grew up in northern Michigan, spending his free time birdwatching and roaming the wilderness along the Lake Superior shoreline. He earned his B.S. at the University of Minnesota, PhD at Yale, and conducted postdoctoral studies at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in the lab of Dr. Detlev Arendt. A major focus of Jacob’s research is understanding how animals invent new types of cells and tissues. In his doctoral work, he discovered genetic changes important in the origins of bird feathers. Later, as a postdoc he pioneered the study of sponges to learn about the earliest stages of animal evolution, finding that the first animal brains may have evolved to regulate feeding and microbial interactions. In 2023 Jacob established his lab at Yale University to investigate the origin and evolution of animal cell types, and the functional division of labor intrinsic to animal multicellular life.
Research
Our lab investigates one of the great mysteries of animal evolution, how animals evolved to make specialized cells and orchestrate complex multicellular behavior. This required a suite of new inventions: genomic mechanisms to generate distinct genetic programs, new machinery to enact specialized cell functions, and novel intercellular signaling to coordinate cells. To understand this, our lab investigates sponges, comb jellies, and other early-branching animal lineages that provide a unique window into early animal life and give insight into the general principles of animal cell architecture. We take a highly interdisciplinary approach, utilizing single-cell sequencing, functional proteomics, and high-resolution 3D imaging of cells and entire animal bodies. Ongoing research projects include investigating the origin of animal muscles and locomotion, the evolution of the nervous system and neuronal synapse, and the cellular adaptations enabling colonization of new habitats.
Looking to join our group? We seek fun and motivated students at all levels of experience that are excited to explore animal cell diversity. Check out our lab page for more information and contact Jacob to apply.
Administrative Support: Susan Brady