Jackson Laboratory

The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center

Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center scientists are combining human cancer genomics with mouse biology and genetics expertise to interrogate cancer in clinically meaningful ways.

Cancer Research at The Jackson Laboratory

The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center (JAXCC) is a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center complemented by institutional education, resource and service initiatives that support cancer research worldwide. The NCI designated JAXCC comprises approximately 50 members across three campuses with multidisciplinary expertise who are united in research aimed at understanding and targeting the genomic complexity of cancer.

Three Overlapping Themes

The JAXCC has one research program, Genetic Models for Precision Cancer Medicine. The program’s three overlapping themes collectively drive research toward identifying precise interventions to prevent cancer from progressing to an untreatable state. Research in all three themes requires collaboration with innovators in genomic technologies and computational analyses, cell biology, and mouse-model development.

Cancer Cell Robustness

Identifies genome alterations at a systems level that render cancer cells resistant to new therapies. Learn more →

Genetic and Genomic Complexity

Explores the overall genome architecture of cancer cells and how deviations from normal cells drive cancer biology and can be exploited for novel therapeutic interventions. Learn more →

Progenitor Cell Biology

Addresses the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive progenitor cell transformation and progression. Learn more →

Press Release April 23, 2018
The role of extra DNA in cancer evolution and therapy resistance

New research is providing a better understanding of the processes underlying cell-to-cell differences within glioblastoma tumors — a crucial finding because these differences contribute to therapy resistance.
- Cancer/Tumors
Press Release April 04, 2018
PDX Finder — Free global portal for cancer models

First global online catalog of Patient-Derived Xenograft models helps cancer researchers save valuable time.
- Cancer/Tumors
- Genetic Tools
Research Highlight February 28, 2018
Partners in defense against skin cancer

An invisible ally in the fight against cancer? Researchers find evidence that healthy skin microbiomes contain a bacterial strain that helps prevent cancer from growing.
- Microbiome
- Skin Cancer
Research Highlight June 14, 2017
Genetic factors influence chemo drug toxicity

A cancer patient’s genetic profile may influence whether or not he or she will have a toxic response to a given chemotherapy, Jackson Laboratory researchers report in The Pharmacogenomics Journal.
- Genetic Tools
Research Highlight January 31, 2017
Julia Oh receives American Cancer Society grant for skin cancer research

The possible role of the microbiome — the bacteria, fungi and viruses living on and in us — in cancer is an intriguing area for research.
- Cancer/Tumors
- Microbiome
Research Highlight December 20, 2016
Diversity and collaboration for effective immunotherapy

In a commentary on the paper also appearing in Nature, Jackson Laboratory Professors Karolina Palucka, M.D., Ph.D., and Jacques Banchereau, Ph.D., show how a four-pronged therapeutic strategy led to complete responses for large tumors.

Press Release April 29, 2018
Detecting human genome structural variation with long read sequencing

A research team led by Chia-lin Wei is using technology to more easily detect and classify important types of difficult-to-find genomic alterations, known as structural variants.
- Genetic Tools
Press Release March 26, 2018
Edison Liu elected to Board of Directors of American Association for Cancer Research

The members of the American Association for Cancer Research have elected Jackson Laboratory President and CEO Edison T. Liu, M.D. to serve on the AACR Board of Directors for the 2018-2021 term.
- Cancer/Tumors
Press Release November 03, 2017
Cancer and immunology researcher Lucas Chang is new JAX assistant professor

Chang studies cell metabolism in tumor and immune cells, with the aim of developing new treatment approaches for cancers and immunologic diseases.
- Cancer/Tumors
Press Release March 02, 2017
$2.8 million in federal grants to JAX scientists to target triple-negative breast cancers

Two grants from the U.S. Department of Defense totaling $2.8 million will support Jackson Laboratory (JAX) research in one of the most deadly forms of breast cancer, known as triple-negative breast cancer.
- Cancer/Tumors
Press Release January 30, 2017
Unraveling the mystery of why cancer cells survive and thrive

Cancer cells hijack a mechanism that enables stem cells and germ cells to continue dividing, by reactivating telomerase. A research team led by JAX Professor Roel Verhaak reports on the discovery that, in about 35 percent of cancers, TERT promoter methylation is the key to cancer cells' success in maintaining telomeres and surviving.
- Cancer/Tumors
- Aging
Search Magazine December 01, 2016
Young blood

JAX Assistant Professor Jennifer Trowbridge wants to know why, specifically, older people are more likely to get acute myeloid leukemia.
- Cancer/Tumors
- Precision medicine

About the Three Campuses

The JAXCC encompasses three campuses: the headquarters and research campus in Bar Harbor, Maine, a genomics research campus in Farmington, Conn., and a facility in Sacramento, Calif specializing in preclinical model development, credentialing, and deployment in pre-and co-clinical trials.

The Bar Harbor faculty has deep expertise in mouse biology, complex genetics and computational biology that informs new experimental platforms including genetically defined mouse models bearing humanized disease alleles; improved mouse hosts for patient-derived xenografts (PDX); and novel mouse populations that model the genetic variation of human populations.

The Farmington faculty is expert in human cancer genomics; genome biology; quantitative cell biology; and computational biology and analytics, all centered on developing approaches to precision medicine.

The Sacramento campus has established a large, collaborative resource of PDX models as a major preclinical platform.

Upcoming Education

Aug 16 - 24

Short Course

27th Annual Short Course on Experimental Models of Human Cancer

Endometrial Cancer, Skin Cancer, Breast Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Skin Cancer, Thyroid Cancer, Colon and Rectal Cancer, Cancer/Tumors, Resource Development and Dissemination, Cancer, Genetics and Genomics, Complex Traits

Aug 24 - 31

Workshop

Workshop on Techniques in Modeling Human Cancer in Mice

Endocrinology, Genetic Tools, Rare Diseases, Neurodegenerative Disease, Cancer/Tumors, Genetics and Genomics, Cancer

Sep 03 - 08

Workshop

Workshop on Surgical Techniques in the Laboratory Mouse

Model Development, Genetic Tools, Genetics and Genomics, Resource Development and Dissemination

Sep 09 - 14

Workshop

Workshop on Advanced Surgical Techniques in the Laboratory Mouse

Reproductive Biology, Genetic Tools, Resource Development and Dissemination

Sep 10 - 11

Conference

The Genetics of Neuropathic Pain and its Comorbidities

Addiction, Neuroscience, Genetics and Genomics

Sep 16 - 22

Short Course

Short Course on the Genetics of Addiction

Behavioral and Cognitive Impairment, Neuroscience, Genetics and Genomics, Behavioral Disorders

Online Courses and On-Demand Webinars

Video

The Jackson Laboratory Cancer Center

Cancer Research at The Jackson Laboratory

Three Overlapping Themes

Cancer Cell Robustness

Genetic and Genomic Complexity

Progenitor Cell Biology

The role of extra DNA in cancer evolution and therapy resistance

PDX Finder — Free global portal for cancer models

Partners in defense against skin cancer

Genetic factors influence chemo drug toxicity

Julia Oh receives American Cancer Society grant for skin cancer research

Diversity and collaboration for effective immunotherapy

Detecting human genome structural variation with long read sequencing

Edison Liu elected to Board of Directors of American Association for Cancer Research

Cancer and immunology researcher Lucas Chang is new JAX assistant professor

$2.8 million in federal grants to JAX scientists to target triple-negative breast cancers

Unraveling the mystery of why cancer cells survive and thrive

Young blood

About the Three Campuses

Upcoming Education

27th Annual Short Course on Experimental Models of Human Cancer

Workshop on Techniques in Modeling Human Cancer in Mice

Workshop on Surgical Techniques in the Laboratory Mouse

Workshop on Advanced Surgical Techniques in the Laboratory Mouse

The Genetics of Neuropathic Pain and its Comorbidities

Short Course on the Genetics of Addiction

Online Courses and On-Demand Webinars

Webinar: Using Cre-lox Technology to Model Cancer, Neurodegenerative Diseases and More

Webinar: Humanized NSG™ Mice Revolutionary Models of Human Infectious Disease

Webinar: Modeling Infectious Disease in the Mouse Challenges and Innovations

Webinar: Innovative Preclinical Research Using Humanized NSG™ Mice

Webinar: Selection of Humanized Mouse Models for Biomedical Research

Webinar: Tips and Tricks for Care of NSG™ Mice