Jaenisch Lab

Explore the latest multimedia piece in the Unusual Labmates series to learn more about how an innovation made studying bat biology in depth possible, and how researchers at Whitehead Institute have made use of bat biology to study questions about viral infection, immunity, cold tolerance, and more. 

Researchers at Whitehead Institute are developing models and approaches that capture more of the rich context in which biological processes are typically immersed, in order to learn more about them and their roles in health and disease. Learn more about how their work is revealing new insights that only become apparent when studying a process within the context of larger systems in which it operates.

Explore the latest multimedia piece in the Unusual Labmates series to learn more about how an innovation made studying bat biology in depth possible, and how researchers at Whitehead Institute have made use of bat biology to study questions about viral infection, immunity, cold tolerance, and more. 

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.

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.