The Jackson Laboratory, an INBRE Research Institution Partner, is a non-profit mammalian genetics research institution founded in 1929 in Bar Harbor. It is a pioneer and leading center in functional genomics and interdisciplinary approaches to biological research, with a focus on the mouse as a basic investigative platform. Located six miles from the MDI Biological Laboratory, the Jackson Laboratory has more than 1,700 employees, including a total research staff of over 500.
The Jackson Laboratory has harnessed the genetic diversity within inbred and mutant strains of mice to study the complex genetics of diseases such as cancers, diabetes, glaucoma, and epilepsy. The collaborative Institute for Molecular Biophysics, established in 2003 with NSF EPSCoR funding, brings together scientists in biology, genetics, physics, chemistry, and engineering to investigate cell structures at the nanoscale. Since 1983, the Jackson Laboratory has been an NCI-designated Cancer Center to pursue basic cancer research. The Laboratory is also a major provider of genetic and information resources to the international community. Comprehensive bioinformatics databases offer online access to the latest mouse genetic information.
The Maine INBRE benefits from the contributions of the Jackson Laboratory, which is a leader of biomedical research in the U.S. and Maine. INBRE expands the presence of the MDI Biological Laboratory and the Jackson Laboratory in Maine by creating opportunities for institutional and investigator collaborations, mentorship of students, sharing research resources and knowledge, and sharing experience which contributes to institutional, investigator, and student development for all involved.
Jackson Laboratory faculty serve as student mentors for summer research fellowships and academic year internships. They also serve as adjunct faculty for the University of Maine’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, which is building a critical pipeline of students becoming the state’s future researchers. Senior faculty act as mentors for INBRE funded investigators at other institutions.
The Jackson Laboratory is proud of its role in helping young people from Maine colleges and universities to prepare for careers in biomedical research, and helping to foster a stronger research community in the state that can provide future jobs for these talented and motivated students.