The Mass General Research Institute (MGRI) is home to a research community of 9,500+ individuals working to understand disease and develop solutions to medicine’s most pressing challenges.

But who are they and what do they do when they’re not conducting research? Check out our new blog and social media series, #HumansOfMGRI.

From clinical research coordinators, to postdoctoral fellows, research technicians, graduate students and principal investigators—they are all part of the Mass General Research Institute!

Our next guest in the series is Michelle Garlin Politis, MD, a research fellow in the Center for Systems Biology, talented painter and proud cat owner. We are happy to introduce you to Michelle!

What lab/department do you work in and what is your role?

I work at the Center for Systems Biology (CSB) as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the lab of Hakho Lee, PhD, who is an Associate Professor in Radiology at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Biomedical Engineering Program at the CSB. (Dr. Lee is also a Hostetter Family MGH Research Scholar.)

The lab focuses on developing novel biomedical sensors for clinical applications, especially by combining multidisciplinary fields to implement highly sensitive lab-on-a-chip systems for a variety of health applications, such as molecular profiling of cancer cells.

When and why did you get interested in the work that you are doing? 

I’ve always been full of questions, which has led me to constantly search for solutions to problems.

Since medical school, I just kept going with questions on topics I thought were interesting, such as understanding the causes of diseases and how to diagnose them. However, I found that the connection between the clinical and research side is the best way to achieve advances in health care and finally get some answers.

Since I’m interested in Pathology for residency, I wanted some experience in cancer research and to explore ways to optimize care with innovative approaches. Coming here has been a fantastic experience with outstanding researchers that inspire me daily!

What do you like to do outside of the lab/work? 

I love doing yoga, painting, and teaching art.

Here are a few of Michelle’s stunning paintings!

What is your favorite TV show, podcast, book, or movie? 

My favorite TV show is Scrubs, and my favorite movies are Dead Poets Society and Spirited Away.

Do you have any pets?

I love my cat, Finita. I adopted her eight years ago and she has traveled with me everywhere I have lived.

A fun fact about yourself

I was born in Zulia, Venezuela and have lived in Caracas since I was five. The mountains in my painting below are in Caracas!

About the Mass General Research Institute
Research at Massachusetts General Hospital is interwoven through more than 30 different departments, centers and institutes. Our research includes fundamental, lab-based science; clinical trials to test new drugs, devices and diagnostic tools; and community and population-based research to improve health outcomes across populations and eliminate disparities in care.
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