Mass General Brigham is home to a research community of thousands of 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? Learn more about them in the Researchers Unplugged series!
From clinical research coordinators to postdoctoral fellows, research technicians, graduate students and principal investigators—they are all part of research at Mass General Brigham.
Our next guest in the series is Carlos Huesa-Berral, PhD
Q: What lab/department do you work in and what is your role?
Carlos Huesa-Berral, PhD
A: I work in the Nuclear Medicine Division within the Department of Radiology at Mass General Brigham, where I’m part of the Bertolet Lab.
The lab focuses on using computer models to better understand how different types of radiation affect cells, tissues, and the body, with the goal of making radiation-based treatments, including cancer therapies, safer and more effective.
Over the past three and a half years, I’ve been completing my postdoctoral training, and I am now transitioning into a faculty position.
I lead my own research project while also mentoring trainees at different stages of their careers, ranging from undergraduate students to PhD candidates.
Q: How would you describe your research to someone outside of science?
A: My research focuses on developing mathematical and computational models to optimize radiation treatment for cancer.
One area I focus on is a treatment for liver cancer called radioembolization. In this approach, doctors send millions of tiny radioactive beads through the liver’s blood vessels to target tumors.
I’m developing a model that can predict how these beads move and spread inside each patient’s liver.
The goal is to help doctors plan treatment more precisely—so it’s as effective as possible while minimizing harm to healthy tissue.
Q: When and why did you get interested in the work that you are doing?
A: Shortly after joining the lab, and after spending several weeks reading papers, I realized that treatment optimization for radiation therapy was a largely unexplored field with tremendous potential.
Huesa-Berral and his Principal Invesigator, Alejandro Bertolet, PhD
At the time, there was growing evidence that treatment optimization could substantially improve patient outcomes, yet the tools needed to personalize these treatments were still lacking.
I felt that my interdisciplinary background in biomedical engineering, mathematics and medical physics positioned me to make a meaningful contribution to this challenge.
My long-term goal is to translate the mathematical models we are developing into clinical practice and, within the next five to 10 years, lead a clinical trial in which treatment decisions are guided by these patient-specific computational predictions.
Q: What do you like to do outside of the lab/work?
A: I love playing tennis and soccer. Also, I love spending time at playgrounds with my kids and my wife.
Q: What is your favorite TV show, podcast, book, or movie?
A: My favorite TV series is This Is Us.
Q: Why do you like most about performing research at MGB?
A: The research ecosystem here is truly unique. If you have a question or encounter a challenge in your work, there is a good chance that the leading expert in that specific area is just a conversation away.
This environment not only facilitates learning but also creates countless opportunities for meaningful collaborations across disciplines.
Q: A fun fact about yourself?
A: I participated in an outreach campaign in my hometown of Málaga, Spain, aimed at encouraging teenagers to pursue higher education. As part of the initiative, my story was featured on public buses throughout the city to inspire young students to consider academic and professional opportunities beyond high school.
Q: If you could only eat one dish for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A: Gazpacho and Sardinas, two wonderful dishes from my local city, Málaga in Spain.
Q: If you had to describe your Principal Investigator using a fictional character, who would it be?
A: Rick (from Rick and Morty).
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