The Jackson Laboratory, founded in 1929, is an independent, 501(c)3 nonprofit biomedical research institution based in Bar Harbor, Maine, with a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center, a facility in Sacramento, Calif., and a genomic medicine institute in Farmington, Conn. It employs 1,900 staff, and its mission is to discover precise genomic solutions for disease and empower the global biomedical community in the shared quest to improve human health.
Annual Report
Areas of discovery
JAX researchers take an integrated approach to precision medicine, combining expertise in cancer, immunology including diabetes, neurogenetics including Alzheimer’s disease, and life-cycle biology including development, stem cells, aging and regenerative medicine.
- 358 staff hold Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M. or D.Sc. advanced degrees.
- JAX currently supports 60 research teams; that number is projected to expand to 75 teams by 2022.
- Faculty members have 143 active sponsored research collaborative agreements with 98 academic research and clinical institutions.
- Since 1983, JAX has had a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center.
Major contributions to medical science
To date, 26 Nobel prizes are associated with Jackson Labortatory research, education programs and resources. Dr. George Snell won the 1980 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for providing an in-depth understanding of the immune system’s major histocompatibility complex, making organ transplants possible. Three graduates of the Laboratory’s Summer Student Program have gone on to win the Nobel Prize, and another two dozen Nobels have been awarded for research conducted using JAX® Mice. Other historic research highlights include:
- Studies by Douglas Coleman leading to the discovery of leptin, central to obesity and diabetes research.
- Elizabeth Russell’s work leading to new treatments for blood and immunological diseases, including performing the first bone marrow transplants in a mammal.
- Investigations by Leroy Stevens into the mechanisms in cells that allow them to develop into different tissues, leading to modern stem cell research.
- David Harrison’s demonstration of rapamycin as the first pharmaceutical intervention proven to extend the lifespan of a mammal.
Educating the future
The Jackson Laboratory offers educational programs for scientists throughout their careers—from STEM education for high school students and training for science and math teachers to courses and conferences for experienced researchers defining the cutting edge of genomics research and specialized training for physicians interested in incorporating genetics and genomics into their practices.
- The historic JAX Summer Student Program has provided a mentored independent research experience to thousands of talented high school and college students. In 2016 there were 35 Summer Students in Bar Harbor and 13 in Farmington.
- More than 1,000 students, researchers and physicians attend Laboratory courses, conferences and workshops each year.
Resources
JAX empowers the global biomedical community through curation of data and provision of critical research models and services.
Three Campuses, One JAX, One Mission.
Bar Harbor, Maine: Researchers at the Laboratory’s headquarters and mammalian genetics campus study the fundamental genetics underlying cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and many other diseases. JAX’s expertise in developing new mouse models and clinical services supports the work of the international science community.
Farmington, Connecticut: The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine is a new facility located on the campus of UConn Health Center. Internationally recognized experts in areas such as computational biology, immunology, the microbiome and cancer are focused on genomic solutions to many of today’s most prevalent diseases.
Sacramento, California: This JAX facility is dedicated to mouse production and scientific services with a robust offering of genetically unique research mouse models and scientific testing and analysis capabilities.