The Jackson Laboratory collaborates with researchers in China to further understand and harness the genetic and biological complexity of disease to improve human health

Shanghai, Chengdu, and Beijing PRC and Farmington, Conn, U.S.A. — The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), a U.S.-based nonprofit biomedical research institution, announced new milestones in China that will further empower the Chinese biomedical research community to advance human health.

“As a pioneer in genetics and mouse model research, JAX has a century-long history of supporting researchers around the world with precisely-applied mouse models of human disease and powerful preclinical research solutions,” said Auro Nair, Ph.D.Responsible for all clinical and scientific research products & services provided to internal researchers at The Jackson Laboratory and external researchers worldwide.Auro Nair, executive vice president of The Jackson Laboratory and president, JAX® Mice, Clinical and Research Services. “Our work in China is integral to our mission to improve human health globally. To do so, not only is it imperative to provide access to models that better represent the genetic and biological complexity of the human condition, but we are also dedicated to delivering educational forums that further the research community’s understanding of human genomics and the use of model systems to uncover cures for disease.”

Our ultimate goal is to help patients through science anywhere in the world.

Harnessing genetic and biological complexity

Selection and usage of models that better recapitulate the genetic and biological complexity of human disease present an opportunity to make significant scientific advances and improvements in drug discovery and basic research. JAX has the world’s largest and best characterized repository of high-quality models including aged mice, the JAX® NSG ™ portfolio, humanized mice, and 11,500 precision research and therapeutic models. These models have the highest health and genetic quality and have the potential to better provide translatable research insights when precisely applied, benefitting scientists and ultimately, patients globally.

In addition to providing improved access to the 11,500+ strains of JAX® Mice, the entire JAX® NSG ™ portfolio will now available to Chinese researchers, including humanized NSG mice, for the first time in addition to the entire Aged portfolio of B6J models. This last resource is a significant platform to study the biology of aging.

Increasing access & timeliness to premium quality research models in China

With the goal of supporting the global research community to accelerate impactful discoveries, The Jackson Laboratory is increasing access for academic and drug discovery scientists in China to research resources of the highest quality and health standards in the world.

The Jackson Laboratory, Shanghai in the Zhangjiang Hi-tech Research Park in Pudong was established in 2018 to better empower scientific researchers in China. The JAX China team provides dedicated, local customer support and professional technical support on a timely basis.

Over the last year, The Jackson Laboratory achieved its goal to establish complete assurance and control of the entire supply chain of JAX® Mice, from production in the U.S. to arrival at clients’ sites in China, thereby ensuring quality and timeliness.

In collaboration with The National Institute of Biological Sciences in Beijing, the exclusive quarantine service provider for JAX in China, and iBio Logistics, authorized for order fulfillment and transportation of its mice in mainland China, The Jackson Laboratory has shortened the logistics time from the United States to China by 50%

Providing JAX educational forums for Chinese researchers

As part of our educational mission, The Jackson Laboratory is hosting educational seminars in China relevant for academic and drug discovery scientists to enhance their understanding of the selection and utility of JAX specialized mouse models as well as the importance of genetic stability and high health status to generating reproducible experimental results.

This fall, The Jackson Laboratory is hosting an educational roadshow, “Modeling Biological Complexity in Mice,” on November 4 in Shanghai, November 8 in Chengdu and November 12 in Beijing. Discussion topics will include the importance of modeling biological complexity in mice and the benefits of specialty models that can be more precisely applied and more accurately reflect the biological complexity and genetic diversity in relation to human disease. Participants will also learn about the importance of selecting the right mouse strains for experiments. For more information, please visit: https://jackson.jax.org/JAX-China-Fall-2019.html.

Advancing the understanding of the genomic basis of human diseases

Significant progress has been achieved with the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) between the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU1AH) and Charles Lee, Ph.D., FACMGThe study of structural genomic variation in human biology, evolution and diseaseCharles Lee , the scientific director of The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine. Using Lee’s expertise in genomic structural variation, the PMI is focused on advancing the understanding of complex genomic structures and variants, gene networks, and uncovering the genomic basis of diseases.

The construction of an 743 m2 (8,000 feet2) Precision Medicine Research Center (PMC), comprised of laboratory, computational, office and meeting space at XJTU1AH was completed this fall. Currently, ten staff are employed at the PMC including faculty, computational and wet lab scientists, under the supervison of Dr. Chengsheng Zhang, and are actively conducting clinical, human genetics and animal models research in cancer biology. Moreover, two JAX-PMC investigators were awarded Young Investigator Grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China in August.

About The Jackson Laboratory

The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution with more than 2,200 employees. Headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine, it has a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center, a genomic medicine institute in Farmington, Conn., and facilities in Ellsworth, Maine, Sacramento, Calif., and Shanghai, China. Its mission is to discover precise genomic solutions for disease and empower the global biomedical community in the shared quest to improve human health.



Founded in 1929, JAX applies its nine decades of expertise in genetics to increase understanding of human disease, advancing treatments and cures for cancer, neurological and immune disorders, diabetes, aging and heart disease. It models and interprets genomic complexity, integrates basic research with clinical application, educates current and future scientists, and empowers the global biomedical community by providing critical data, tools and services. JAX is the world's source for more than 11,500 strains of genetically defined mice, is home of the Mouse Genome Informatics and Mouse Phenome databases, and is a hub for scientific courses, conferences, training and education.



With ever-increasing precision, JAX identifies the genetic and molecular bases of disease and marshals its strengths in genomics and modeling to discover individualized treatments and cures. Their work will make medicine more precise, predictable and personal, improving care, lowering costs and increasing life span and health span.

To learn more about The Jackson Laboratory’s presence in China, please visit www.jax.org/cn.