The Jackson Laboratory

02/25/2026

For Nadia Rosenthal, scientific director at JAX, the lesson is clear: “Rare diseases often give us a clear window into the fundamental workings of biology, and what we see through that window can tell us about much more widespread conditions.” Rare diseases should be prioritized, Rosenthal says, not just for the sake of patients with these conditions, but because they offer unparalleled insight into how human biology and disease really work.

For Nadia Rosenthal, scientific director at JAX, the lesson is clear: “Rare diseases often give us a clear window into the fundamental workings of biology, a...

02/24/2026

The week leading up to is the perfect time to read, watch and share the stories of those living with rare diseases.

Looking for one of those stories? Meet Amber Olsen, who demonstrated extraordinary determination to push the science forward to give her daughter, Willow, and other patients like her, a chance to beat the odds.

Now streaming, "The Zebra and the Bear" is an important documentary that chronicles their journey raising millions of dollars, forging research partnerships and more. It also features the JAX Rare Disease Translational Center's role in conducting research into new treatments, including gene therapy, for the condition.

Amber Olsen’s quest to save her daughter from multiple sulfatase deficiency involved innovative research from The Jackson Laboratory that helped push gene therapy toward clinical trials.

02/23/2026

Kicking off our week-long countdown to with a look back to 2025 and JAX's annual event co-hosted with BioCT, the Connecticut Rare Disease Forum. The event convenes scientists, patients, advocates, legislators and industry leaders to highlight collaborative efforts and technological advances in rare disease research. As our President and CEO, Lon Cardon, said, "When it comes to rare disease, it takes a village. And we are here to work with you toward real solutions."

Read more about last year's event below and for information about the 2026 event, visit the comments.

Scientists, patients, advocates, legislators, industry leaders and investors convened to highlight collaborative efforts and technological advances in rare disease research.

02/20/2026

When you finish a run, your muscles may feel like they did all the work, but new research from JAX and the University of Pennsylvania have discovered that what happens in your brain after a run may determine whether you gain endurance over time.

JAX team helped show that a set of hypothalamus cells are required for mice to improve their endurance in running.

02/19/2026

Colorectal cancer is rising among younger adults, often striking people in their 30s and 40s with little warning. While genetics, diet, and lifestyle all play a large role, scientists increasingly suspect that bacteria in the gut could also be a driver of the disease. JAX early-career scientist Daniel Peñarete-Acosta is working on cutting-edge technology to study the interactions between the immune system and the microbiome in colorectal cancer.

Early-career scientist Daniel Peñarete-Acosta is building new technologies to study the link between cancer and bacteria.

02/18/2026

The JAX-NYSCF Collaborative has announced a five-year strategic research collaboration with GSK focused on advancing human cellular models of neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimer’s disease.

The collaboration reflects a strategic focus that brings together human stem cell research, advanced data science tools, and large-scale research systems to help close a long-standing gap between scientific discovery and the development of new medicines. The goal is to generate disease-relevant cellular models that enable the scientific community to interrogate the underlying human biology of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and accelerate the translation of those insights into potential therapies.

Collaboration advances next-generation, human-relevant research tools to accelerate the development of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions

02/18/2026

Our partnerships — especially those with our generous donors — make us stronger. Read about the many ways that JAX supporters made a difference in 2025:
go.jax.org/impact2025

02/17/2026

To better understand diseases that develop toward the end of life, JAX Postdoctoral Associate Lauren Kuffler looks at the beginning. Read about how she's unlocking clues to aging by studying early development:

To better understand diseases that develop toward the end of life, Lauren Kuffler looks at the beginning.

02/14/2026

🌹 Roses are red, 💙 violets are blue, 💻 virtual hearts are important for me and you. Discover how AI-powered virtual hearts are reshaping drug safety testing this Valentine's Day. go.jax.org/cardioverse

02/13/2026

With an estimated 200 million cases worldwide, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of vision loss in the aging population. JAX scientist Martin Pera is working to change the odds by engineering grafted cells that restore light-sensing cells in the eye, ultimately reversing vision loss related to AMD. Learn more:

A new gene therapy strategy underway at JAX could help reverse vision loss associated with age-related macular degeneration.

02/11/2026

Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S., yet it is still poorly understood despite its huge cost and burden. We sat down with JAX Professor Greg Carter to talk about how he is using data and computational science to connect experimental models to real human disease.

Five questions with JAX Professor Greg Carter

02/06/2026

The appointments of three internationally recognized faculty to endowed chairs at The Jackson Laboratory will shape how diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and age-related immune decline are understood, detected and treated worldwide. Read more: https://bit.ly/3Mf2Mm3

Appointments highlight the value of data science and computational tools that accelerate discoveries in human health.