The following message was sent to the Mass General Brigham research community this afternoon.
Joel Habener, MD
It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Joel Habener, MD, an extraordinary physician-scientist, mentor, and beloved member of our Mass General Brigham community whose discoveries transformed the field of endocrinology and the care of millions of patients worldwide.
Dr. Habener served for decades as director of the Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology at Mass General, where he led pioneering work that uncovered the biology of the glucagon gene and its peptide products.
His seminal studies throughout the 1970s and 1980s, together with Svetlana Mojsov and Daniel Drucker (then at MGH), identified and characterized glucagon-like peptides (GLP1 and GLP2) – a breakthrough that reshaped our understanding of the metabolic regulation of insulin secretion, appetite, nutrient metabolism, gastric emptying, and gastrointestinal physiology.
Building on these discoveries, Dr. Habener and colleagues demonstrated that GLP‑1 augmentation could be used to treat type 2 diabetes, laying the scientific foundation for the GLP‑1–based therapies now widely used to improve glycemic control, promote weight loss, and reduce cardiovascular events.
These therapies, rooted in fundamental insights from his laboratory, continue to impact the lives of countless patients with diabetes and obesity across the globe.
Dr. Habener’s remarkable scientific achievements were recognized internationally, including his receipt of the 2019 Harold Hamm award, the 2021 Gairdner award, the 2024 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, shared with colleagues for their collective contributions to GLP1–based therapeutics.
At the same time, he remained a generous and devoted mentor whose trainees went on to shape the fields of endocrinology, metabolism, and molecular medicine.
Our ongoing work is grounded in a deep commitment to science in all its forms – especially basic science, which drives clinical advances and innovation.
Discoveries like incretins began at the lab bench, made possible by dedicated investigators and sustained support for fundamental research. We continue to champion collaboration between scientists and clinicians, always keeping patients at the center.
Dr. Habener’s work truly reflects our mission at Mass General Brigham: Advancing discovery to improve human health.
We also recognize that meaningful progress takes time. The path from GLP1’s discovery in 1987 to major clinical milestones spanned decades, underscoring the need for patience and ongoing investment.
Dr. Habener’s mentorship brought exceptional talent to our institution, and his generosity has helped support future generations.
His philanthropy served to create an additional slot in the MGH Endocrine Fellowship and the John T. Potts Jr. Pilot Award program in the Endocrine Division.
Even as challenges to funding and support persist, it is a powerful reminder of why we must continue to prioritize our shared academic mission.
We share our heartfelt condolences with Dr. Habener’s family, friends, colleagues, and the many trainees whose lives and careers he shaped.
His scientific vision, mentorship, and enduring influence will remain an integral part of our community.
For those who wish to read more about his life and legacy, you can read the Wall Street Journal obituary.
Sincerely,
Jose C. Florez, MD, PhD
Chair, Department of Medicine
Anand Vaidya, MD, MMSc
Chief, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Paul Anderson, MD, PhD
Chief Academic Officer
Editor's note: Please feel free to leave messages of condolence or memories of Dr. Habener as comments at the end of this blog post, or send them to us via email. We would love to hear your stories as we celebrate the life of this remarkable physician and researcher.
Rare to witness an individual scientist spawn entirely new classes of therapeutic agents to treat many disorders. Dr. Habener’s curiosity and vision and mentorship has changed the field of metabolism, and improved the health of millions of people. RIP Dr. Habener, your legacy will live on forever