The MGH Research Scholars program was started by the Mass General Research Institute to provide forward-thinking researchers with the unrestricted funding they need to take their work into new and uncharted territories.

Traditional research funders, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), tend to reward scientific “sure bets,” or principal investigators with well-established laboratories and years of results.

History, however, has shown that when early-career investigators receive flexible funding, they are able to more quickly propel the pace of scientific translation for those patients who need it most.

Each MGH Research Scholar receives $500,000 ($100,000 per year for five years) in unrestricted funds.

Since the program’s inception in 2011, we have been able to provide 79 MGH Research Scholar awards to researchers of all disciplines—from bench scientists to clinician investigators to outcomes and population health experts.

We hope you enjoy this look into some recent accomplishments by our MGH Research Scholars and their research teams.

Drug Overdose the Leading Cause of Death Among Individuals Experiencing Homelessness in Boston

Travis Baggett, MD, MPH, MGH Research Scholar 2021-2026, is the senior author of a new study looking at causes of death by age, gender, race and ethnicity in people experiencing homelessness in Boston. 

Baggett and colleagues found drug overdose was a leading cause of death across all groups. Suicide uniquely affected younger people experiencing homelessness, and HIV and homicide uniquely affected Black and Hispanic/Latinx individuals. The findings could help in developing new interventions that are targeted to high-risk populations. Read more.

Florez Pledges to Lead Department of Medicine with Collaboration and Compassion

Jose Florez, MD, PhD, MGH Research Scholar 2013-2018, has been named the new chair of the Department of Medicine at Mass General.

In his new role as chair of the Department of Medicine, Florez will work to support that culture of collaboration and compassion while keeping the hospital’s mission front and center.

“One of the reasons I took this job is because I was persuaded by everybody I talked to—from Mass General Brigham (MGB) leadership all the way down—that we are committed to our fourfold mission, which includes patient care, research, education and community. And those four pillars are non-negotiable. They’re part of who we are.” Read more.

Could Building Resiliency Reduce the Future Risk of Mental Health Issues?

Daphne Holt, MD, PhD, MGH Research Scholar 2018-2023, was featured for her work on identifying early signs of psychiatric disorders in youth and providing them with tools to help them grow their resiliency and manage their mental health.

So far, this program has been tested and shown success in reducing or eliminating the early signs of mental illness in college students, adolescents and health care workers. Learn more.

Self-Assembling Vaccine Platform Moves Forward with DOD Support

Mark Poznansky, MD, PhD, Steve and Deborah Gorlin MGH Research Scholar 2015-2020, leads a research team at the Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center at MGH that received a significant grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, which will support a three-year program to demonstrate the effectiveness of VaxCelerate 3.0 – a self-assembling vaccine (SAV) platform – in preventing infection by flu and pox viruses in preclinical models. Learn more about the Vaccine and Immunotherapy Center.

Saxena Recognized for Mentorship, Named a Research Leader in Anesthesia

Richa Saxena, PhD, Phyllis and Jerome Lyle Rappaport MGH Research Scholar 2017-2022, received the A. Clifford Barger Excellence in Mentoring Award from Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Saxena was also named the new vice chair of research and innovation for the Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at Mass General. Learn more about Dr. Saxena and her work.

Metformin Extends Lifespan in C. Elegans Worms

Alexander Soukas, MD, PhD, Weissman Family MGH Research Scholar 2018-2023, was the senior author of a new study showing that metformin, the drug most commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes, not only lowers blood sugar levels but also extends lifespan in C. elegans worms – an animal model that shares similar metabolic systems with humans and is often used to model human diseases.

The findings could lead to new therapies to treat aging and aging-related diseases. Learn more.

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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