The Jackson Laboratory

04/25/2026

Today is , commemorating both the discovery of the DNA double helix and the completion of the Human Genome Project.

Curious about genetics or want to learn something new? JAX Genomic Education offers easy-to-follow, self-paced online courses designed for all levels. Learn from experts, explore how genetics shapes our world, and even earn a digital badge to mark the day.

Start learning here: https://www.jax.org/education-and-learning/course-and-conferences/minicourses

04/23/2026

NEW EPISODE DROP 🔥

A conversation with Matt Mahoney, Principal Computational Scientist at The Jackson Laboratory. Matt trained as a mathematician, then moved into the area of systems biology - driven by a lifelong curiosity and the opportune timing of the 2009 financial crisis. He is currently working on two main projects: studying aging biology and understanding mechanisms of cardiotoxicity for drugs.

Streaming everywhere now. Subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

04/20/2026

Aging is different for everyone - it's more than just the number of candles on a birthday cake.

Scientists at The Jackson Laboratory created a landmark atlas revealing how breast tissue changes with age and how those changes may shape the risk of breast cancer.

The research was led by Olga Anczuków, who is chairing a major symposium focused on "inflammaging" and cancer at this week's American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting.

Read more: https://www.jax.org/news-and-insights/2025/june/beyond-the-birthday-candles-aging-and-breast-cancer-risk

JAX researchers create a landmark atlas revealing how breast tissue changes with age and how those changes may shape the risk of breast cancer.

04/17/2026

Join virtually on April 27 for an event from the Edward H. and Connie Birkenmeier Distinguished Lectureship in Genetics and Evolution series: https://form.jotform.com/JAXCourses/birkenmeier-RSVP

04/17/2026

The Jackson Laboratory is proud to announce the 2026 recipients of the Brooks Scholar Award, a philanthropy-funded fellowship for postdoctoral researchers studying the intersection of aging and cancer. The award complements the JAX Cancer Center’s focus on the wide-ranging genetic factors that increase our risk of cancer as we age. From those discoveries, our scientists strive to create cancer treatments that are more effective, personalized and available to all.

Congratulations to Alexander Arnuk, Cristina Baquero Mayo, and James Miller.

The Brooks Scholar Award supports innovative research projects to unravel the connection between cancer and aging

04/17/2026

There's still time to register for Scientifically Speaking on April 21!

Join us for this virtual event to see how young scientists at JAX are reshaping our understanding of disease — one microbe, cell, and gene at a time. This event is open to all.

Learn more and register here:

Scientifically Speaking is a virtual event series designed to highlight JAX's distinctive combination of research, education and resources and our role in empowering the biomedical community to improve the future of human health. Content is intended to be accessible and engaging for all audiences.

04/16/2026

We’re excited to announce that registration is now open for the 2026 JAX–NYSCF Conference.

This milestone event marks the anniversary of the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and brings together leading scientists and innovators to define the next phase of progress in stem cell science and regenerative medicine.

Presented for the first time by The Jackson Laboratory, the conference brings together leading scientists and innovators to share breakthroughs, spark ideas, and shape the future of translational stem cell science.

Join us and be part of what’s next.

Register today: https://go.jax.org/jax-nyscf-conf

04/16/2026

With biomarker testing and Genomic Tumor Boards, JAX’s Maine Cancer Genomic Initiative surrounds community cancer care teams with the expertise they need to make more informed, precise, and personalized treatment plans.

What is biomarker testing? 2-minute crash course below.

Looking to learn more? Check the links in the comments.

04/15/2026

Dozens of unexpected genes may play a key role in type 2 diabetes, according to new research from The Jackson Laboratory (JAX).

Using one of the most detailed genomic atlases of pancreatic cells to date, researchers identified genes linked to beta cell death and vitamin A metabolism—offering new insight into how the disease develops and progresses.

With more than 500 million people affected worldwide, these findings could help guide future therapies aimed at preserving pancreatic cell function.

The research was published in The EMBO Journal (EMBO - excellence in life sciences).

Dozens of unexpected genes are strongly linked to type 2 diabetes, new research from The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) shows.

04/14/2026

Scientists have corrected an extremely rare and life-threatening genetic disease of the liver in mouse models and human patient cells, using the gene-editing approach that served as the basis for the historic, life-saving treatment of Baby KJ Muldoon in 2025.

Led by scientists from the Rare Disease Translational Center (RDTC) at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and the University of Southern California, the research lays the foundation for a potential new therapy for Zellweger spectrum disorder (ZSD), an incurable disease that affects 1 in 50,000 to 90,000 births in North America.

The findings appear today in Nature Biomedical Engineering.

Scientists have corrected an extremely rare and life-threatening genetic disease of the liver in mouse models and human patient cells, using the gene-editing approach that served as the basis for the historic, life-saving treatment of Baby KJ Muldoon in 2025.

04/07/2026

Curious about research underway from early-career scientists at JAX?

Join us virtually on April 21 for Scientifically Speaking, where JAX’s emerging scientists share exciting discoveries — from tissue regeneration to hard-to-treat leukemia. It’s a chance to see how today’s research is shaping tomorrow’s breakthroughs.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3G2AuIe

04/02/2026

A key cancer-fighting gene in leukemia is switched off—not broken—and scientists from The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) found a way to switch it back on.

In a recent study published in Science Translational Medicine and led by JAX Assistant Professor Eric Wang, the team revealed not only a potential new way to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML) without harsh chemotherapy, but also a promising strategy to study more gene-silencing mechanisms in other diseases.

Researchers created a CRISPR-based tool to pinpoint genes the cancer turns off