Whitehead Institute

Whitehead Institute is a world-renowned, non-profit scientific institution dedicated to improving human health through basic biomedical research.

[Whitehead Institute @WhiteheadInst]

Lehmann Lab postdoc KangBo Ng has received a 2026 Robertson Foundation - Jane Coffin Childs Fellowship.

The award will support his research into how somatic and germ cells exchange resources during early development.

Congratulations, KangBo! #JCCFellow https://t.co/cVjg5T8qrL

[Whitehead Institute @WhiteheadInst]

Weissman Lab postdoc Mohamed El-Brolosy has been named one of @fredhutch's eight recipients of this year’s Dr. Eddie Méndez Scholar Award. Congratulations, Mohamed!
https://t.co/1Z1EMWQzSQ

[Whitehead Institute @WhiteheadInst]

For us, this is a powerful reminder that transformative therapies begin with fundamental discoveries. We're proud to have helped lay the scientific groundwork that made this breakthrough possible 4/4

[Whitehead Institute @WhiteheadInst]

The path from foundational biology research to life-saving therapies is often measured in decades. This year, that journey for one Whitehead discovery reached a remarkable milestone 1/4

[Whitehead Institute @WhiteheadInst]

This year, the experimental drug daraxonrasib, which targets Ras-driven cancers, has shown historic progress against pancreatic cancer — one of the deadliest and most difficult cancers to treat. Researchers call it the most significant advance in cancer treatment in 15 years 3/4

[Whitehead Institute @WhiteheadInst]

“I’ve also really valued the richly collaborative community, and being able to take a lot of risks in how I address the questions I have the opportunity to pursue,” says grad student Giselle Valdes, reflecting on her time at @MIT and Whitehead Institute.

https://t.co/hWGBUUIYNH

[Avik Roy @Avik]

When I was in college @MITBiology, I worked in the @WhiteheadInst lab of the scientist, Bob Weinberg, who discovered the very first oncogene, ras. Decades later, a drug targeting ras has finally made historic progress in pancreatic cancer. A great moment.

[HHMI @hhmi_science]

Wheat, rice & corn feed the world; #HHMIInvestigator Mary Gehring's lab has built a gene expression “map” of seed development in a plant model that could help improve crops' ability to withstand environmental stress: https://t.co/AnbCXtk1aR.

[Whitehead Institute @WhiteheadInst]

Crops are facing increasing stress from heat, drought, and poor soil conditions. Now Whitehead researchers have created a gene expression “map” of seed development that could help guide future efforts to improve crop yield, nutrition, and resilience: https://t.co/lPTAtn8mNw

[Whitehead Institute @WhiteheadInst]

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Brit d’Arbeloff, Director Emerita of the Board and longtime supporter of the Institute. Her legacy is profound and includes advancing our efforts to understand of how sex differences influence health and disease.

https://t.co/vlpAAKSKCg

[Whitehead Institute @WhiteheadInst]

How do organs fight infection while keeping inflammation in check?

Latest research by @Pulin_Li shows lung immune sensitivity is organized in tiers: surface cells respond cautiously, while deeper cells sound the alarm when threats break through.

https://t.co/igx1dWNiP0

[Whitehead Institute @WhiteheadInst]

Congratulations to @nasun818 on receiving the 2026 NIH Director’s Early Independence Award! The award recognizes her innovative research and the strength of the Whitehead Fellows Program, which supports recent MDs and PhDs in launching independent labs: https://t.co/VHaFkSZbQ4

[Whitehead Institute @WhiteheadInst]

Fatigue, appetite loss, and poor sleep — are they just side effects of being sick? Whitehead Institute Member Zuri Sullivan and colleagues argue they may be part of a coordinated immune strategy that helps us fight infection.

https://t.co/xrOLbQms2x

[Whitehead Institute @WhiteheadInst]

Our Spring Lecture Series for High School Students returned for another successful year!

Over the course of three days, 43 students participated in hands-on experiments, interactive lab modules, and had conversations with scientists to get a feel for how research unfolds.

[Aditya Raguram @AdityaRaguram]

Excited to share new work from our lab @WhiteheadInst: a platform for genetically engineering producer cells to improve virus-like particle production and delivery of gene editing cargos!

Congratulations to Diana, Hyewon, @adhiraj_goel, and Arnav! https://t.co/V39N7t7DIK

[HHMI @hhmi_science]

Hibernation is a biological superpower that can extend lifespan. What if we could harness it? #FreemanHrabowski Scholar Siniša Hrvatin has ID'd the neural trigger that induces key features of the state, which could transform how we treat disease, injury & aging: https://t.co/Z1vENgPl7e.

[Whitehead Institute @WhiteheadInst]

Gene editing can target the genetic causes of disease, but getting the editing machinery into the right cells in the body remains a challenge.

Learn how Whitehead Valhalla Fellow @AdityaRaguram and colleagues are tackling this problem: https://t.co/Sx0ggentYy

[Pearl Freier @PearlF]

Cancer biologist Bob Weinberg & @WhiteheadInst
@MITBiology research on molecular & biochem. determinants of neoplastic cell transformation led 2 discovery of the 1st functionally validated human oncogene (Ras) '79-'81. Paved the way 4 this wk’s Phase 3 #pancreaticcancer #pancsm data re: daraxonrasib $RVMD. ≈ 90% of pancreatic cancer cases are KRAS-driven. Amgen’s sotorasib (Lumakras) FDA approval in 2021 was the 1st FDA-approved KRAS inhibitor. Dr. Bob Weinberg is arguably the most influential cancer biologist of the last 50 yrs.

[Whitehead Institute @WhiteheadInst]

Congratulations to Whitehead Institute trainees Elizabeth Black, Juntao Yu, and Tatsat Banerjee for being named as Damon Runyon Fellows — 3 of just 13 selected nationwide!

Learn more about their efforts to advance cancer research: https://t.co/Q925qUz592