Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research is a nonprofit research and educational institution founded in 1982 “to identify and support the finest young minds in science.” It ranks among the world’s top research institutions.

Whitehead scientists are leaders in research on the biology underlying human disease. They have built a legacy of research excellence and academic eminence:

• Contributing to the fight against cancer, heart disease, diabetes, fungal infections and rare genetic disorders
• Developing the biology, mathematics and robotics to identify all human genes
• Unlocking secrets about the ways stem cells operate
• Exploring the regulatory function of micro-RNAs in plant and animal genetics

Whitehead Institute was founded on a novel concept: to operate beyond the boundaries of a traditional academic institution, yet—through a teaching relationship with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology—to offer the intellectual, collegial and scientific benefits of a leading research university. Each year, it hosts more than 200 students, postdoctoral fellows, physicians and visiting scientists from around the world.