Whitehead Institute Director and President Ruth Lehmann has been named a Foreign Member of the Royal Society. The election recognizes her “pioneering studies of the mechanisms underlying the embryonic development and reproduction of the fruit fly Drosophila.” It honors her work establishing the role of messenger RNA localization in specifying the antero-posterior body axis and germ line development and additionally notes her discoveries that revealed the role of lipid-based signaling pathways in the migration of germ cells to the developing gonads.
Lisa Girard | Whitehead Institute
May 22, 2024
In the whirlwind of activity that occurs simultaneously in a developing embryo, it can be difficult for scientists to pinpoint critical moments of a particular trait. In this Q&A, Pulin Li discusses how her lab ventures beyond mere observation to actually engineer developmental events in a petri dish, and why this approach is vital for understanding health and disease more broadly.
Shafaq Zia | Whitehead Institute
May 1, 2024
Rett syndrome is caused by mutations to the gene MECP2, which is highly expressed in the brain and appears to play important roles in maintaining healthy neurons. Researchers led by Rudolf Jaenisch have used cutting-edge techniques to create an epigenome map of MECP2, which may help guide future research on the disease.
Greta Friar | Whitehead Institute
April 25, 2024
After three years off, the Ragon-MIT course HST.434 returned this January to provide 24 students a once in a lifetime learning experience.
Nick Kolev | Ragon Institute
April 1, 2024
The Whitehead Innovation Initiative launched in April 2024 and, under the expert guidance of President and Director Ruth Lehmannn, will pioneer the melding of AI and biology. The initiative was made possible by a $10 million gift from Michael and Victoria Chambers.
