The international soccer games bring together countries, cultures, and millions of passionate fans from around the world.
With Mass General Brigham bringing together some of the brightest minds from across the globe, there’s no shortage of opinions on which teams our scientists are supporting—and who they think will ultimately lift the cup in a month or so.
While the action unfolds on the world’s biggest stage, we thought it would be fun to hear from some of the researchers advancing science behind the scenes at Mass General Brigham.
In this special feature, our researchers share a snapshot of their work (because we are a science blog, after all), the team they'll be cheering for, and their prediction for who will take home the trophy.
May the best team win...
Olivier Clerc, MD
Investigator: Olivier Clerc, MD
Research focus: We study new ways to take detailed pictures of the heart in people with cardiac amyloidosis (stiff heart syndrome) using advanced scans such as PET, SPECT, and MRI, along with analyzing proteins in the body.
Our goal is to better understand how the disease develops and to improve how early we can detect it, predict how it will progress, and track it over time.
What team are you cheering for? Switzerland. This is where I come from.
What team do you think is most likely to win? Brazil
Mai Uchida, MD
Investigator: Mai Uchida, MD
Research focus: I study how the brain, behavior, and life experiences interact to shape mental health. By combining neuroscience, clinical research and artificial intelligence, my work seeks to predict who is at risk for psychiatric disorders such as ADHD, depression and bipolar disorder, and identify the treatments that will work best for each individual.
What team are you cheering for? Japan!!
What team do you think is most likely to win? France (but hoping for Japan!)
Jacqueline Seiglie, MD
Investigator: Jacqueline Seiglie, MD
Research focus: My research focuses on the development of digital health tools to support diabetes self-care, particularly among Spanish-speaking populations, as well as on the epidemiology of type 2 diabetes in Latin America.
What team are you cheering for? Netherlands. My husband is Dutch and a huge soccer fan, so this is very relevant in our household 
.
I am from Chile and my husband is from the Netherlands, so since Chile didn’t make it to the World Cup, we are all unified this year cheering the Dutch team on .
Most likely to win? Netherlands
Raul Mostoslavsky, MD, PhD
Investigator: Raul Mostoslavsky, MD, PhD
Research focus: My lab studies how cells respond to their environment without changing their DNA, and how these changes affect how cells use energy. We’re especially interested in how cancer cells take advantage of these processes to grow and survive. By better understanding these hidden mechanisms, we hope to uncover new ways to treat cancer.
What team are you cheering for? Although I've lived in the USA for more than 25 years, my “soccer” heart is still in my home country, Argentina…:)
Most likely to win? I assume this is a rhetorical question, right? :):)
Ruanne Barnabas, MD
Investigator: Ruanne Barnabas, MD
Research focus: My research focuses on interventions for HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) treatment and prevention, with a particular interest in innovative approaches that expand access to care.
What team are you cheering for? I am not a soccer expert, or the World Cup forecaster, but I love team sports and the sense of community, shared purpose, and fun that the World Cup brings.
As a South African, I am supporting South Africa for the World Cup. From the 2010 South African World Cup, I know that team spirit and fan support can take the team further than expected! At home, we still have a beloved World Cup 2010 stuffy and listen to Waka Waka on repeat—go Shakira!—the music is always fun.
Most likely to win? I recently heard that Colombia, although not a leading contender, has everything it takes to win the World Cup. That would be fantastic and a sweet story for victory.
Grit, determination, and joy can rule the day in sports. No matter who wins, Waka Waka is still the all time best World Cup song!
Alexandre Lussier, PhD
Investigator: Alexandre Lussier, PhD
Research focus: My research uses interdisciplinary approaches to investigate the social and biological determinants of mental health, with a focus on identifying when and how early-life environments influence trajectories of depression and resilience across development.
What team are you cheering for? As a French Canadian, I will be supporting Canada for as long as they are in the tournament, and then France, which is my usual team (Allez les bleus!)
Most likely to win? I am biased because they are my team, but France
Show Your Team Some Love
Are you an MGB researcher who wants to see your team represented in our picks list? Email us with a brief description of your work, who you're cheering for, and who you think will ultimately hoist the cup!
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