Hartford Business Journal

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Research advances Farmington is "a great complement" to the nonprofit's other sites — which include locations in New York, Cali- fornia, Florida and Japan — because of its proximity to the UConn School of Medicine, Cardon said. Since opening in Farmington, Cardon said JAX has expanded its research initiatives in several areas. It has partnered with UConn to develop what Cardon described as one of the world's largest databases focused on endometriosis, a condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows elsewhere in the body. The organization is also building a large tissue repository to support additional research into the disease. "It hasn't had, really, the attention that it deserves," Cardon said. JAX is also promoting expanded genetic testing for newborns to iden- tify rare diseases earlier. Cardon said there are between 7,000 and 10,000 rare diseases that can often be detected early through genetic testing, but widespread newborn screening has not been broadly adopted. "It's a real crime, because all the tools are there to do it," he said. "We can detect them early with genetic testing almost perfectly, but we don't do that as a society." Connecticut last year launched a newborn screening program that makes rapid genetic testing available for critically ill newborns covered by Medicaid. "It's right in our wheelhouse to advance that sort of technology," Cardon said. JAX is also focused on developing new models for studying human disease, with ambitions to become a global leader in testing therapies using advanced human-based models. The organization's Maine head- quarters primarily focuses on animal- based studies, but Cardon said JAX is increasingly expanding into human-cell and artificial intelligence applications. AI-driven computational tools can help researchers predict how genetic and environmental factors contribute to disease, he said. After joining JAX in 2021 from BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., where he served as chief science strategic officer, Cardon pushed the organiza- tion to expand work involving human stem-cell models. The process uses human tissue — often skin cells — that are genetically reprogrammed into stem cells and then developed into neurons or organ- like tissue for research. "It's really good, because it has your DNA, so you can form predictions on that," Cardon said. He described JAX's strategy as combining "the power of three" — human-cell studies, animal models and artificial intelligence — to improve disease research. That strategy helped drive JAX's acquisition last year of The New York Stem Cell Foundation, a nonprofit focused on stem-cell research. Jodie Gillon, president and CEO of BioCT, a trade group for the state's life sciences industry, said meetings with JAX officials after she took on her role three years ago led to the creation of the Rare Disease Forum, which held its third annual event in March. "Jackson Laboratory is a world-re- nowned leading research institution revolutionizing genetic medicine in core therapeutic areas in addition to rare (diseases)," Gillon said in an email to Hartford Business Journal. "It was a huge win for Connecticut to land JAX in the state." Weathering the storm JAX also faced uncertainty over the past year because of concerns surrounding federal research funding. The organization relies heavily on federal grants, but also on selling its animal models for scientific research, which is how it subsidizes its own research. When federal funding was threat- ened over the past year under the Trump administration, JAX faced a potential double hit, Cardon said, because organizations losing grants might also reduce purchases of the lab's research tools. "We weathered that storm," he said. "We feel like this will be a rosy year." While its 2025 financial results have not yet been released, JAX saw single-digit revenue growth last year, Cardon said. According to its 2024 financial state- ment, JAX reported $657.8 million in total revenue and $1.03 billion in net assets. Cardon said recruiting scientific talent to Connecticut has not been difficult, citing the organization's hiring two years ago of Mary Dickinson as executive vice president and chief scientific officer. Dickinson previously served as dean of research at the Baylor College of Medicine, a top-tier medical school in Houston, Texas. Cardon said JAX also attracts talent from Boston, one of the nation's largest bioscience hubs. State Rep. David Yaccarino (R-North Haven), co-chair of the legislature's bipartisan Bioscience Caucus, said the state invested more than $200 million in JAX, but he was unsure how much economic impact the lab has generated. Still, he said the state benefits from having JAX in Farmington because it offers high-paying jobs. "I don't think Jackson Labs was ever going to be for spinoffs," he said. "Everything was for research and development. I think (spinoffs) was overplayed in a way. I just think they still benefit that part of the state." Asked whether JAX has fulfilled the expectations tied to Connecticut's investment, Cardon defended the organization's impact. "I don't think it warrants an apology in any way, because the science is going fantastic," he said. " … So, we feel great about the site and the deci- sion, and we're very appreciative of the state support to get us there."

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