Tuesday, August 2, 2011

The Jackson Laboratory - A Leading Genetics Research Laboratory

        Today was very rainy so we went to The Jackson Laboratory for a tour they offer to the public two days a week.  The lab is a world renowned genetics institution.  They have slightly more than 1,200 employees 1/3 being actually researchers.  The Laboratory's mission is to discover the genetic basis for preventing, treating and curing human disease.  They do this through mice... they have more than 1 million at any given time.  They are very careful at how they take care and research using the mice.  It is more complex than this but I can only write so much here!  They are also the world's largest distributer of mice to other scientists and labs using mice to do research.  Right here in Bar Harbor!  The Jackson Lab is also the home of the 4Pi microscope... And this microscope is the worlds most advanced optical microscope, and this microscope is capable of revealing the nanostructure of genetic material within a cell in three dimensions! 


        Some of the genetic diseases they research include cancer, heart disease, diabetes and Akzheimer's.  It was very impressive how hard working, creative and innovative those scientists are.  Who knows, maybe one day soon, the Jackson Laboratory will find the cure to some of these diseases!

Visit them online here!