Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, MIT, and Harvard

Sending warm wishes from all of us at the Ragon Institute for a wonderful holiday season and a bright new year ahead! 🌟

HHMI Investigator Dr. Bruce D. Walker, was a practicing physician in the earliest days of the AIDS epidemic, which ultimately defined his career. “There are places in the world where this epidemic is still raging,” Walker says, “and I think people don’t fully understand that. A lot of people think that this is a problem that’s been solved, and it’s unfortunately still a problem that needs scientific focus and advancement to ultimately conquer.” Dr. Walker is a professor at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); director of the Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, MIT, and Harvard; and an adjunct professor of medicine at University of KwaZulu-Natal. Throughout the month of December, we’ll be spotlighting HHMI scientists who have contributed to our understanding of the AIDS virus – past, future and present. Today, meet Dr. Walker: https://hhmi.news/3BmCuJr

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of the redesigned Ragon Institute website! Our new website features an updated visual design, improved navigation, and refreshed content that better represents the Ragon Institute’s mission to harness the immune system to prevent and cure human diseases. From groundbreaking research to global collaborations, the new site highlights the breadth and impact of our work like never before. This launch is a significant milestone in showcasing who we are and what we do. Explore the new website and learn more about how we’re advancing science and improving lives around the world. Visit us at www.ragoninstitute.org #RagonInstitute #ScientificInnovation #GlobalHealth

Congratulations to our client the Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, MIT, and Harvard on the launch of their new site! We are incredibly proud of this partnership and the results. You can take a look at the site and learn more about their impressive work at ragoninstitute.org .

A day to celebrate what's next for our ecosystem and our Commonwealth. Today, we gathered at the Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, MIT, and Harvard in celebration of the passage of the #MassLeadsAct which reauthorizes the state’s Life Sciences Initiative over 10 years, providing critical capital funds and expanding the tax credit program to spur job creation and growth. The time is now to work collaboratively and own the #1 global life sciences position, defining the standard for medical research, industry partnerships, and equitable healthcare delivery. 

This morning, the Ragon Institute proudly hosted Governor Maura Healey and other state leaders for the ceremonial signing of the Mass Leads Act (H.5100), a pivotal step in strengthening Massachusetts' economic leadership by investing in climatetech, AI, and life sciences. Gov. Healey was joined by a remarkable group of leaders, including Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao, Senate President Karen Spilka, and House Ways & Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz. The event highlighted the critical role of Massachusetts' life sciences industry in driving innovation, creating jobs, and addressing global health challenges. The Ragon Institute, as a hub of groundbreaking immunology research, exemplifies the transformative impact of the life sciences. Founding director Bruce Walker, MD, additionally emphasized the global importance of our work in his speech introducing Gov. Healey. The Mass Leads Act will empower organizations like ours, along with companies across diverse sectors, to continue making world-changing discoveries right here in Massachusetts. We are honored to have been part of this momentous occasion and look forward to contributing to the future envisioned by this historic legislation. #MassLeadsAct #RagonInstitute #LifeSciences #EconomicLeadership #MAPoli

Mass Leads! MHA was proud to join Governor Maura Healey at Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, MIT, and Harvard to celebrate an economic development law that will support lifesaving medical advances, create jobs for the next generation, and keep the commonwealth at the forefront of innovation. #mapoli Senate President Karen Spilka acknowledged the state’s landmark entry into the Nurse Licensure Compact, which will “help get more nurses, decrease the number of empty beds, and lower the overall costs of healthcare.” Learn more about the NLC here: https://lnkd.in/gsHdwiKx

This week, the Ragon Institute commemorated World AIDS Day with a gathering and moment of silence held in the Ragon lobby near the section of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt gifted to the Institute by Cambridge Cares About AIDS (CCAA). Institute Director Bruce Walker, as well as faculty members Amy Barczak, MD, and Gaurav Gaiha, MD, DPhil, delivered heartfelt remarks honoring the lives lost to AIDS and highlighting the ongoing importance of research, advocacy, and global solidarity in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Thank you to everyone who joined us in this moment of remembrance and commitment. We remain steadfast in our mission to advance science and improve lives worldwide in the fight against HIV/AIDS. #WorldAIDSDay #RagonInstitute #HIVResearch #Remembrance

Earlier this month, the Ragon Institute's Office of Education and Outreach attended the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minoritized Scientists (ABRCMS) 2024, a national event advancing diversity and inclusion in STEM. The team connected with students, postbacs, and faculty to share our educational programs like the Catherine Othieno Sempa Memorial Post Baccalaureate Scholars Program, which provides opportunities for students from HBCUs and Puerto Rico in a comprehensive and immersive two-year program in immunology research. Ragon Early Independence Fellow Sophia Liu, PhD, joined as a faculty representative, meeting with attendees to discuss opportunities at the Ragon Institute and providing insight into what it’s like to work at the forefront of immunology research. We’re proud to support events like ABRCMS that celebrate and empower the next generation of diverse scientists. Thank you to all who stopped by, and we’re excited to continue doing our part in making science more accessible for everyone. #RagonInstitute #DiversityInSTEM #ABRCMS #EducationAndOutreach #Immunology

Collaboration leads to breakthroughs, and this week, the TGH-USF Health and Mass General Brigham teams united to exchange research insights and aspirations for the future! After a full day of thought-provoking presentations and discussions, the visit concluded with a tour of the Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, MIT, and Harvard. This visit highlighted the transformative power of a shared commitment to collaboration, research, and finding cures — values that connect both of our teams. This exchange of ideas was truly inspiring and we look forward to the possibilities this special partnership holds for advancing health care and research! A special thank you to Dr. Charles Lockwood, Executive Vice President of USF Health and Dean of the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, for his leadership and dedication to advancing medical education and discovery. #WeAreTGH #MassGeneralBrigham #RagonInstitute