The Jackson Laboratory

The Jackson Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution with a foundational mission to discover precise genomic solutions for disease. It is a world leader in mammalian genetics research and is globally renowned as the source for genetically defined mouse models. With campuses in Bar Harbor, Maine, and Farmington, Connecticut, and a facility in Sacramento, California, it employs over 2,500 staff, including hundreds of Ph.D.-level scientists.

History

The institution was founded in 1929 by Clarence Cook Little, a former president of the University of Maine and the University of Michigan, with support from businessmen including Roscoe B. Jackson of the Hudson Motor Car Company. Its original mission was to use genetics to understand and combat cancer, establishing its first home in Bar Harbor. A devastating fire in 1947 destroyed most of the original campus, but reconstruction was supported by a national fundraising campaign aided by figures like Edsel Ford. A major expansion occurred in 1999 with the founding of The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine in Farmington, Connecticut, established in partnership with the state and University of Connecticut Health Center. In 2021, it acquired the Charles River Laboratories' research model and services site in Sacramento, California.

Research and discoveries

Research spans mammalian genetics with a focus on translating discoveries into new therapies and diagnostic tools. Pioneering work includes the development of congenic mouse strains and critical contributions to the Human Genome Project and the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium. Scientists have made seminal discoveries in areas such as immune system function, metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity, neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, and the genetic basis of countless cancers and rare diseases. Its researchers have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Lasker Award, the National Medal of Science, and election to the National Academy of Sciences.

Mouse models and resources

It is the world's primary source for genetically standardized mice, distributing over 11,000 strains to researchers in more than 60 countries. Key resources include the JAX® Mice repository, the Mouse Genome Informatics database, and the JAX Cancer Center. The generation and study of knockout mice through projects like the Knockout Mouse Project have been instrumental in assigning function to specific genes. These models are vital for pharmaceutical and biotechnology research, used by institutions such as the National Institutes of Health, Harvard University, and Novartis.

Education and training

The institution is deeply committed to STEM education and developing the next generation of scientists. It hosts the renowned Summer Student Program, one of the oldest and most prestigious research internships in the world, which has trained thousands of undergraduates, including future Nobel Prize winners. It offers advanced training through the JAX Postdoctoral Program and the JAX Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, which awards Ph.D. degrees in collaboration with the University of Maine. Outreach programs like the Maine State Science Fair and the JAX Cancer Center's education initiatives engage learners at all levels.

Leadership and organization

The institution is governed by a Board of Trustees comprising leaders from academia, industry, and philanthropy. Notable scientific directors and presidents have included Earl Green, Ken Paigen, and Richard Woychik. Current President and CEO Lon Cardon, a geneticist formerly with Biogen and GlaxoSmithKline, leads the organization. It operates with a annual budget derived from research grants, notably from the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute, commercial revenue from its mouse resources, and philanthropic support from organizations like the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Category:Biomedical research institutes Category:Genetics research organizations Category:Organizations based in Maine Category:1929 establishments in the United States