How JAX is Making AI Practical in Biomedical Research
Guest: Brendan Arbuckle, Chief Information Officer, The Jackson Laboratory Hosts: Dr. Steven Labkoff & Leon Rozenblit Series: Practical AI in Healthcare – Episode 7When most people think of artificial intelligence in healthcare, they imagine large tech companies with deep pockets and even deeper data lakes. But for Brendan Arbuckle, Chief Information Officer of The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) — one of the most respected genetics research institutions in the world — AI is not about hype or hardware. It’s about literacy, creativity, and practical impact.
A Lab at the Intersection of Genetics and AI
The Jackson Laboratory is a global leader in genomics and precision medicine. With campuses in Bar Harbor, Maine, and Farmington, Connecticut, JAX supports both academic research and commercial operations — from Alzheimer’s genetics to oncology and rare disease discovery.Arbuckle, a chemical engineer turned CIO, approaches AI as a bridge between scientific exploration and operational efficiency. “I’m not an IT person by training,” he notes, “but I’ve always loved moving across disciplines — from semiconductors to biology.” That cross-pollination mindset now drives how JAX brings AI into its daily workflows.
The Three Lanes of AI at JAX
Brendan breaks down JAX’s AI strategy into three clear “lanes”:
- Everyday AI – Practical tools that save time and enhance productivity, from meeting transcription to automated summaries.
- Operational AI – Business process improvements that deliver measurable ROI without compromising security or privacy.
- *Research AI – Cutting-edge applications like gait analysis and image-based phenotyping, where AI helps detect disease markers before symptoms appear. *
This tripartite model ensures that AI serves the organization — not the other way around.
Building an AI-Literate Culture
One of JAX’s most innovative initiatives is its focus on AI literacy. Rather than hiring “AI experts,” Arbuckle invests in internal training: graduate courses through Northeastern’s Roux Institute, weekly workshops, and open office hours where anyone can ask questions.“AI literacy is not about prompt engineering,” he explains. “It’s about understanding what the tools can do, what they can’t, and how to use them responsibly.” It’s also about when to know to trust the LLM’s output and when to suspect it might not be as good as you need or hope.
Safe to Fail: Creating Space for Experimentation
*In an era where organizations fear the cost of failure, JAX embraces it. Its hybrid cloud and high-performance computing clusters let researchers experiment freely without risking large financial losses. “We make it _*safe to fail_,” says Arbuckle. “That’s how innovation happens.”This philosophy mirrors what makes JAX unique — the freedom of an academic lab with the structure of an enterprise. Most organizations these days are gunning for producing things as close to perfection as possible, but the learning really happens when things don’t go well – when failure happens. Understanding the failures helps to sharpen the minds of JAX scientists… it’s an essential part of growth.
Key Lessons for Healthcare Leaders
- *Don’t chase the hype. Focus on value, not vanity metrics. *
- *Invest in literacy. Your people need to understand AI before they can trust it. *
- *Create sandbox environments. Experimentation is the only path to discovery. *
- *Acknowledge AI’s broader role. It’s more than IT — it’s part of a new scientific language. *
Listen Now
*Hear the full conversation with Brendan Arbuckle on _*Practical AI in Healthcare_* — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or PracticalAIinHealthcare.com.*
