Breakthrough Lab

In partnership with The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and NIH, The Jackson Laboratory offers a collection of genetically engineered iPS cell lines carrying single nucleotide variants (SNVs) relevant to neurodegenerative disease. Paired with an array of carefully crafted genetic controls, these iPS cell lines offer an efficient and reliable tool set for investigating potential biomarkers and testing therapeutic strategies.

This in vivo mouse platform provides rapid, repeatable assessments of cytokine release markers for preclinical toxicity and anti-inflammatory studies of novel therapeutics, detecting variability across human cell donors with more sensitivity than traditional methods. This platform is ideal for evaluating relative cytokine levels from immunomodulating therapies, and for evaluating anti-inflammatory therapies in infectious diseases, like COVID 19, that progress into cytokine release syndrome.

The HSA-LR20b model of Myotonic Dystrophy (DM) (JR 32031), whose natural history has been documented by the experts at JAX, exhibits myotonia and mRNA splicing abnormalities at a younger age than thought, displays hallmark DM muscle histopathology and quantifiable mechanical dystonia. Importation and characterization of this model was supported by Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation. This model, in combination with the assays standardized and validated at JAX, are core features of the new DM drug testing facility and help you de-risk your preclinical drug studies.