Cheeseman Lab

Our latest Research Highlights video features three exciting new findings from Whitehead Institute: New work from the Jaenisch lab helps explain bats' impressive resistance to viruses; researchers in the Young lab identify a common denominator underlying chronic disease states; and researchers in the Cheeseman lab identify precise regulatory mechanisms controlling the production of protein variants during mitosis.

Researchers across Whitehead Institute and Massachusetts Institute of Technology joined faculty from Boston Children’s Hospital for a research matchmaking event, aiming to foster collaboration in fields ranging from rare disease and immunology to cancer.

Whitehead Institute Member Iain Cheeseman and colleagues found that cells not only make many variants of known proteins, but that they switch between making different variants to tailor protein function during cell division.

In order for researchers to understand the biology of living organisms, they must consider what is happening across the size scale. Interactions between molecules drive interactions between cells that affect traits and behaviors. Experiences and decisions made by the organism can lead to changes at the cellular and molecular level. In order to understand the full picture, Whitehead Institute researchers study everything from molecules to cells to whole organisms.

Researchers at Whitehead Institute are employing cutting-edge techniques that combine layers of data — from the function of individual genes to the interactions of all molecules within a living organism — to investigate biological phenomena with unprecedented depth and breadth. Their efforts are yielding a richer understanding of the mechanisms involved in health and disease.

Endowed chairs are generally created through philanthropic gifts from individual donors, organizations, or groups of donors honoring a specific person. The chairs — of which Whitehead Institute currently has five — provide steady, predictable funding to support investigations in Members’ labs.

Whitehead Institute Member Iain Cheeseman and colleagues found that the key factor in determining the assembly location of the kinetochore—a cellular machine that helps distribute chromosomes during cell division—is the local concentration of kinetochore proteins.

The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) has elected Whitehead Institute Member Iain Cheeseman as a Fellow of the Society.

In an increasingly interconnected and complex world, collaboration is more important than ever for progress in science. By coming together, scientists can share knowledge and ideas to solve complex problems, learn new skills, and advance their careers. Researchers at Whitehead Institute recognize the importance of collaboration when taking on big challenges in science.