JAX-NYSCF Collaborative and GSK announce collaboration to advance translational models for neurodegenerative disease research

Collaboration advances next-generation, human-relevant research tools to accelerate the development of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions

2026-02-17

(Press-News.org) The Jackson Laboratory–New York Stem Cell Foundation Collaborative (JAX-NYSCF) today announced a five-year strategic research collaboration with GSK focused on advancing human cellular models of neurodegenerative disease, including Alzheimer’s disease.

The collaboration reflects a strategic focus that brings together human stem cell research, advanced data science tools, and large-scale research systems to help close a long-standing gap between scientific discovery and the development of new medicines. The goal is to generate disease-relevant cellular models that enable the scientific community to interrogate the underlying human biology of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and accelerate the translation of those insights into potential therapies.

“This collaboration is a concrete example of where early stage biomedical research is heading,” said Lon Cardon, president and CEO of JAX, which recently expanded its discovery platform with the acquisition of NYSCF. “Now we have the opportunity to extend those discoveries —and accelerate therapies to patients—by bridging traditional disease models with next-generation patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models that more accurately capture the complexity of human biology at scale.”

Building more predictive models of neurodegenerative diseases

By integrating GSK’s deep knowledge of neurodegeneration, translational science and drug discovery with JAX-NYSCF’s pioneering stem cell technology and expertise, access to relevant patient cohorts, and automation platform, the partners aim to build more predictive models of neurodegenerative diseases for identifying and prioritizing promising drug candidates.

“Establishing a translational biology and scientific discovery collaboration with JAX-NYSCF complements the work we are doing at GSK on cellular models of disease, and offers the potential to yield new insights that may help accelerate therapeutic discovery for devastating neurodegenerative diseases, building on our established expertise in immunology and inflammation,” said Chris Austin, senior vice president and global head of Research Technologies at GSK. “By working together with JAX-NYSCF, we have an opportunity to develop more predictive models and ultimately, to use that better understanding to develop potential new medicines and determine which patients are most likely to benefit from new therapies.”

About The Jackson Laboratory

The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution with a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center. JAX leverages a unique combination of research, education, and resources to achieve its bold mission: to discover precise genomic solutions for disease and empower the global biomedical community in the shared quest to improve human health. Established in Bar Harbor, Maine in 1929, JAX is a global organization with nearly 3,000 employees worldwide and campuses and facilities in Maine, Connecticut, New York, California, Florida, and Japan. For more information, please visit www.jax.org.

END

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Classifying pediatric brain tumors by liquid biopsy using artificial intelligence

2026-02-17

(MEMPHIS, Tenn. – February 17, 2026) Liquid biopsies, which test body fluids that contain cancerous material, including circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), are a noninvasive way to learn about a cancer’s biology. However, technological limitations with the small amount of ctDNA available from pediatric brain tumor liquid biopsies have previously stymied broad use of the approach for those patients. To address this, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists, in collaboration with scientists at the Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), German Cancer Research ...

Insilico Medicine initiates AI driven collaboration with leading global cancer center to identify novel targets for gastroesophageal cancers

2026-02-17

Cambridge, MA, February 17, 2025 — Insilico Medicine (“Insilico”, 3696.HK), a clinical-stage generative artificial intelligence (AI)-driven drug discovery company, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) have entered into a collaborative research agreement aimed at discovering new therapeutic targets for gastroesophageal malignancies. The initiative builds on MSK’s global leadership in this field under the direction of Yelena Y. Janjigian, MD, Carroll and Milton Petrie Chair; Chief, GI ...

Immunotherapy plus chemotherapy before surgery shows promise for pancreatic cancer

2026-02-17

A new UCLA investigator-initiated study sponsored by the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has found that adding immunotherapy to standard chemotherapy before surgery is safe and shows promise for some patients with borderline-resectable pancreatic cancer, a disease that has historically been difficult to treat. The findings, published in Nature Communications, show that while the combination did not produce a clear survival advantage for most patients, a notable subset experienced unusually ...

A “smart fluid” you can reconfigure with temperature

2026-02-17

Imagine a “smart fluid” whose internal structure can be rearranged just by changing temperature. In a new study in Matter, researchers report a way to overcome a long-standing limitation in a class of “smart fluids” called nematic liquid crystal microcolloids, allowing for reconfigurable self-assembly of micrometer-sized particles dispersed in a nematic liquid crystal host. The persistent challenge has been that conventional microparticles can induce strong distortions and topological defects in the liquid crystal, which in turn can drive irreversible sticking and clumping, making ...

New research suggests myopia is driven by how we use our eyes indoors

2026-02-17

New York, NY — For years, rising rates of myopia — or nearsightedness — have been widely attributed to increased screen time, especially among children and young adults. But new research from scientists at the SUNY College of Optometry suggests the story may be more complicated — and more human. In a new study to be published in Cell Reports, researchers propose that myopia may be driven less by screens themselves and more by a common indoor visual habit: prolonged close-up focus in low-light environments, which limits how much light reaches ...

Scientists develop first-of-its-kind antibody to block Epstein Barr virus

2026-02-17

SEATTLE – February 17, 2026 – Fred Hutch Cancer Center scientists reached a crucial milestone in blocking Epstein Barr virus (EBV), a pathogen estimated to infect 95% of the global population that is linked to multiple types of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and other chronic health conditions. Using mice with human antibody genes, the research team developed new genetically human monoclonal antibodies that prevent two key antigens on the surface of the virus from binding to and entering human immune cells. Published in Cell Reports Medicine, the ...

With the right prompts, AI chatbots analyze big data accurately

2026-02-17

In an early test of how AI can be used to decipher large amounts of health data, researchers at UC San Francisco and Wayne State University found that generative AI tools could perform orders of magnitude faster — and in some cases better than computer science teams that had spent months poring over the data. Teams of scientists and scientists paired with AI were given the same task: predict preterm birth based on data from more than 1,000 pregnant women.  Even a junior research duo composed of a master’s student at UCSF, Reuben Sarwal, and a high school ...

Leisure-time physical activity and cancer mortality among cancer survivors

2026-02-17

About The Study: In this analysis of 6 pooled cohorts, higher levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) after a cancer diagnosis were associated with lower risk of cancer mortality among people previously diagnosed with 1 of 7 cancers not commonly studied for their association with MVPA. These findings suggest that it is important for health care professionals to promote physical activity for longevity and overall health among people living with and beyond cancer. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Erika Rees-Punia, PhD, email erika.rees-punia@cancer.org. To ...

Chronic kidney disease severity and risk of cognitive impairment

2026-02-17

About The Study: This cohort study of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) suggests that a more advanced CKD stage was associated with increased incidence of cognitive impairment. These findings underscore CKD severity as a risk factor for cognitive decline across the CKD spectrum. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Tanika N. Kelly, PhD, MPH, email tkelly5@uic.edu, To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.59834) Editor’s ...

Research highlights from the first Multidisciplinary Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Symposium

2026-02-17

PALM DESERT, Ca., February 17, 2026 — New research highlighting the growing potential of radiopharmaceutical therapies (RPT) to improve outcomes for people with cancer will be presented at the inaugural Multidisciplinary Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Symposium, taking place in Palm Desert, California, and online starting today. Studies at the meeting, sponsored by the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), span established uses of RPT and early signals for new indications, while also addressing what clinics need in place to safely offer these treatments as they move into ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Study finds early imaging after pediatric UTIs may do more harm than good

UC San Diego Health joins national research for maternal-fetal care

New biomarker predicts chemotherapy response in triple-negative breast cancer

Treatment algorithms featured in Brain Trauma Foundation’s update of guidelines for care of patients with penetrating traumatic brain injury

Over 40% of musicians experience tinnitus; hearing loss and hyperacusis also significantly elevated

Artificial intelligence predicts colorectal cancer risk in ulcerative colitis patients

Mayo Clinic installs first magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia system for cancer research in the US

Calibr-Skaggs and Kainomyx launch collaboration to pioneer novel malaria treatments