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Mass General Brigham Research

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Medicine changes lives, research changes the world. @massgeneralbrigham

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It’s October 16, which means it’s Ether Day! But what exactly happened back then?

Lucy Ross, Archivist at Massachusetts General Hospital, takes us back to October 16, 1846, when William T. G. Morton brought the Morton Ether Inhaler into the hospital’s operating theater for the first successful public demonstration of ether for surgical anesthesia.

That historic moment helped usher in the age of anesthesia, transforming surgery and paving the way for patients today to undergo procedures without experiencing the pain of surgery itself.

While newer inhalers soon proved safer and more efficient, the Morton Ether Inhaler remains an enduring symbol of a moment that changed medicine forever.

What medical history story from Mass General Brigham would you like us to explore next? by @mgbresearch

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6 hours ago

What keeps a scientist motivated through more than 30 years of research?

For Susan A. Slaugenhaupt, PhD, the answer is simple: the patients and families whose lives have been changed by discoveries in human genetics.

An investigator in the Center for Genomic Medicine at Mass General Brigham, Dr. Slaugenhaupt has helped identify the genetic causes of rare neurological diseases, advance promising gene and small-molecule therapies, and bring new hope to patients around the world.

Now, as President of the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG), she is helping champion a future where genetic discoveries lead to better treatments, better prevention, and better health for everyone.

Ahead of #ASHG26 happening in Montréal next week, learn about her unexpected path into genetics, the breakthroughs that defined her career, and why she believes every scientist has a role in communicating the value of research. Three young women in graduation gowns and caps proudly hold open Eckerd College diplomas outdoors. The woman on the left wears green, while the other two wear blue and purple, with rows of empty chairs in the background. by @mgbresearch

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2 days ago

During her middle school years, Holly Crowe, MPH, PhD, an epidemiologist at Mass General Brigham, often had to leave school early because of migraine attacks.

Years later, that experience would help inspire her field of research.

Today, Dr. Crowe is an epidemiologist studying a question that affects millions of women: Why are people with migraine more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges, and how do those relationships change throughout life?

Migraine is much more than a headache. Attacks can last for hours or even days and can bring nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound, making it difficult to work, attend school, spend time with loved ones, or participate in everyday activities. Because migraine is more common among women, Dr. Crowe is particularly interested in what happens during hormonal transitions such as menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.

Using data from large, long-term studies, Dr. Crowe examines how headaches, mood, and hormonal changes interact over time. Her research seeks to understand why some women with migraine may be more vulnerable to anxiety and depression, identify who may be most at risk, and ultimately help improve care and quality of life for those living with these conditions.

🎻 And when she's not doing research, Dr. Crowe can often be found playing Irish fiddle at sessions and workshops across Boston's vibrant traditional Irish music scene.

Follow along for a day in Dr. Crowe's life and meet the epidemiologist behind the research. by @mgbresearch

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3 days ago

🔬 Step inside the lab of Leonora Balaj, PhD, with Clinical Research Coordinator Priyanka Jatindra Desai!

The Balaj Lab is exploring minimally invasive ways to identify biomarkers that could help researchers and clinicians better diagnose gliomas, monitor disease progression, and guide treatment decisions.

Follow along for a closer look at the people and science advancing brain tumor research. 🧠 by @mgbresearch

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5 days ago

This image may look like a pile of colorful fall leaves that you are seeing outside this time of year, 🍂 but there’s a whole lot more going on under the microscope

These are human embryonic kidney cells, glowing in different colors based on where they are in the cell cycle; the process cells use to grow and divide. What looks like a fall mosaic is actually a snapshot of cells at different stages of life.

In the lab of Jorge Plutzky, MD, Aspasia Tzani, MD, PhD, and the team are trying to understand when and how endothelial cells actively cycle and what makes them unique. Doing so could help the researchers better understand diseases where cell growth goes awry, including cancer, inflammation, neurological and ischemic diseases and aging. taken in Brigham and Women's Hospital by @mgbresearch

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8 days ago

Mass General Brigham researchers joined partners from Perkins, families, advocates, and policymakers at the Massachusetts State House for Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) Awareness Day to raise awareness of one of the leading causes of childhood visual impairment.

Cerebral visual impairment (CVI) is a brain-based condition that affects how the brain processes visual information. Although children with CVI may have healthy eyes, they can still struggle to recognize faces, locate objects, and interpret the visual world around them. Yet many children are not identified until years after symptoms begin.

Researchers at Mass General Brigham for Children, led by Mohamed El-Dib, MD, are working to change that. In collaboration with Lacey Smith of Perkins School for the Blind, the team developed new guidelines to help clinicians identify infants at risk for CVI while they are still in the NICU, connect families with appropriate resources, and ensure children receive support during a critical period of brain development.

Together, research, education, and advocacy are helping advance earlier identification, intervention, and support for children with CVI and their families. Learn more about their research efforts at the link in our bio.

An additional collaborator on this work was Gena Heidary, MD, of Boston Children's Hospital. A man in a suit and a woman with curly hair smile while holding a blue sign that reads "CVI: Early diagnosis matters." They are in a grand hall with a glass ceiling, adorned with numerous colorful flags and a large clock-like lantern. by @mgbresearch

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11 days ago

What can the blood vessels inside a tumor tell us about colorectal cancer?

Mass General Brigham researchers and collaborators analyzed more than 61,000 tumor blood vessels from 837 colorectal cancer patients using advanced imaging and AI-based machine learning.

They found that higher overall blood vessel density and a greater proportion of smaller microvessels were associated with better colorectal cancer survival, while certain abnormal vessel features were linked to worse outcomes.

The findings suggest that tumor blood vessel characteristics could eventually help researchers better understand cancer biology and develop more precise approaches to treatment.

“Our study demonstrated that vascular features could serve as prognostic biomarkers, biological or clinical signs that signal the likely path of a disease,” said author Shuji Ogino, MD, PhD. “It indicates what might have happened in the past or what may happen in the future, no matter what treatment is used."

Photo credit: Ogino Lab. Image shows A fluorescent microscope image. by @mgbresearch

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16 days ago

🎥🔬 Have you ever wondered what a day in the life of a postdoctoral research fellow looks like?

Step inside the Ragon Institute and meet Nicolás Gálvez Arriagada, PhD, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Balazs Lab, whose work is helping scientists better understand HIV and develop new ways to prevent and treat infectious diseases.

Nicolás studies how HIV evolves and adapts in the body, providing critical insights into why the virus remains so difficult to control. By investigating how HIV interacts with the immune system and evades its defenses, his research is helping advance strategies that could lead to more effective therapies and prevention approaches.

From designing experiments and analyzing data to collaborating with fellow researchers, Nicolás's work is part of a global effort to uncover new ways to outsmart one of the world's most challenging viruses.

Watch the video for a behind-the-scenes look at his day-to-day research and discover how curiosity, innovation, and teamwork are driving progress in the fight against HIV. 🧪🦠🔍 by @mgbresearch

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18 days ago

More than a billion people worldwide live with migraine, a debilitating neurological disorder associated with intense head pain, sensory sensitivity, and other complex symptoms that can last hours, days, or even weeks.

AJ Schick, a sixth-year Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD student in the chemical biology program at Harvard Medical School, who is working with HMS Professor Stephen Haggarty at Massachusetts General Hospital, aims to better understand the molecular mechanisms behind the condition and improve treatment options for patients.

By testing existing medications and other compounds in cell models, he hopes to identify the proteins and biological pathways that regulate the secretion of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a molecule that causes many migraine symptoms. These discoveries could help move migraine treatment beyond trial and error toward therapies that more precisely target the disease’s underlying biology, offering relief to hundreds of millions of sufferers, including Schick’s own mother.

#HarvardGSAS #HarvardMed #migraine by @mgbresearch

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21 days ago

As we wrap up Postdoctoral Appreciation Week, we're reflecting on the incredible researchers who drive discovery across Mass General Brigham every day.

Earlier this month, postdoctoral fellows from across the system came together for the annual Mass General Brigham Postdoc Retreat, a day dedicated to scientific exchange, career development, and community building. The retreat featured keynote speakers, career panels, networking opportunities, and lightning talks showcasing innovative research across a wide range of disciplines. It was a powerful reminder of the impact our postdoctoral fellows have in advancing science and improving patient care throughout Mass General Brigham.

Managed by the MGB Center for Academic Development and Enrichment Postdoc and Grad Student Division and MGB Postdoc Association, the event was designed to celebrate postdocs while fostering connections, exploring career pathways, and highlighting innovative research.

Thank you to our more than 2,400 postdoctoral researchers for your curiosity, dedication, and commitment to tackling some of the world's most pressing health challenges. We're proud to celebrate you this week and every week. Diverse group of people gathered at tables. A woman in a blue top & red glasses speaks with another. Behind them, a bald man and a smiling woman in black work on laptops. A blue banner reads 'Mass General Brigham Postdoc Association' above. Papers and food containers on tables. by @mgbresearch

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21 days ago

Talk about a bright idea for #WorldCancerResearchDay 💡

Losartan, a common blood-pressure medication, is being repurposed as a potential treatment for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). But not every tumor responds to the drug in the same way. So, researchers wanted to see what might be behind the difference.

Heena Kumra, PhD, from the lab of Rakesh Jain, PhD, and colleagues are using a clever glowing trick to visualize AT1—the protein targeted by losartan—inside pancreatic tumors. 🔬

The result? A tumor that literally lights up, giving researchers a rare glimpse at what’s happening beneath the surface.

“It provides a rare, vivid glimpse into hidden tumor biology that may help us improve this repurposed therapy,” said Kumra. A complex, glowing red biological structure is shown in a 3D grid against a black background. The structure has granular surfaces and intricate branching patterns throughout. A scale bar in the bottom left corner indicates 400 µm. by @mgbresearch

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🧬💙 Postdoctoral Research Fellows Appreciation Week is a chance to recognize the scientists whose curiosity, dedication, and innovation are helping shape the future of medicine.

Today, we're featuring Buse Cevatemre Yildirim, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Miyamoto Lab at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute.

Buse studies tumor cells that circulate in the bloodstream to understand why some advanced prostate cancers stop responding to treatment. By investigating these cells and the clues they carry, she hopes to uncover new ways to predict treatment response and develop more effective therapies for patients with metastatic disease.

Originally from Türkiye, Buse combines her passion for cancer research with a love of creativity. Outside the lab, she enjoys traveling, crafting, trying new recipes, following women's volleyball, and using scientific visualization to make complex discoveries easier to understand.

Learn more about Buse and the path that led her to cancer research at the link in our bio.

💙 Give a shoutout below to our postdocs and the incredible work they do to move science forward! by @mgbresearch

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23 days ago