Young Lab

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.

Jesse Platt is a postdoc in Whitehead Institute Member Richard Young’s lab studying mechanisms of insulin resistance. He is also a practicing gastroenterologist and hepatologist. We sat down with Jesse to learn more about him and his experiences in and out of the lab.

Whitehead Institute researchers have uncovered a molecular mechanism underlying type 2 diabetes. The new finding reveals that insulin receptors, the signaling molecules that sense insulin, normally function by clustering together in cells and that this clustering is defective in insulin resistance, the basis of type 2 diabetes. The researchers hope that this work will bring about a better understanding of diabetes at a molecular level and lead to the development of new therapies.

Whitehead Institute research projects continue to provide important insights into human biology, and they are paving the way for future treatments to address developmental disorders and diseases.

Whitehead Institute researchers find a role for condensates, droplets involved in corralling proteins inside of cells, in disease. They provide a catalog of disease-causing mutations that likely affect condensates as a resource for future research.

Alessandra Dall’Agnese is a postdoc in Whitehead Institute Member Richard Young’s lab studying how certain cellular compartments work in health and disease. We sat down with Dall’Agnese to learn more about her and her experiences in and out of the lab.

Unlike our own genomes, the genetic material of the novel coronavirus is RNA — and RNA also makes up some of the vaccines. Learn how the field of RNA biology has been working to meet the challenges of the virus, and what Whitehead Institute RNA researchers have been working on throughout the pandemic. 

Whitehead Institute researchers are studying how RNA molecules group together for the good of the cell and our health — and what happens when these groupings go awry.

Ann Boija is a senior researcher in Whitehead Institute Member Richard (Rick) Young’s lab studying the role of cellular structures called condensates in gene regulation. We sat down with Boija to learn more about her and her experiences in and out of the lab.