Research Highlights Archives

New Study Reveals How Regulatory T Cells Prevent Autoimmune Attacks Without Weakening Immunity

Feb 27, 2025 Research Highlights

A new study published in Science by researchers from the Ragon Institute, NIH/NIAID, and the University of Chicago reveals a critical function of the immune system: how regulatory T cells (Tregs) selectively suppress autoimmune reactions while allowing protective responses against infections. The immune system must constantly balance two opposing forces—attacking harmful invaders while preventing damage to healthy […]

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Vaccine Development: A Ragon-MIT Advancement in T cell Epitope Prediction

Jan 29, 2025 Research Highlights

An exciting collaboration between the Ragon Institute and the Jameel Clinic at MIT has achieved a significant milestone in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to aid the development of T cell vaccine candidates. Ragon faculty member Gaurav Gaiha, MD, DPhil, and MIT Professor Regina Barzilay, PhD, AI lead of the Jameel Clinic for AI and Health, […]

Shalek Co-Authors Nature Immunology Study on Nasal Immunity and SARS-CoV-2 Variants

Jan 27, 2025 Research Highlights

A recent study published in Nature Immunology, co-authored by Ragon Institute faculty member Alex K. Shalek, PhD, provides critical insights into how SARS-CoV-2 variants and vaccination status shape immune responses in the nasal mucosa. This research, which utilized advanced single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) approaches, explores how cellular responses in the human nasal cavity differ across […]

Ringel Lab Study Reveals Age-Related Decline in Tumor-Fighting T Cells and Its Impact on Cancer Treatment

Oct 1, 2024 Research Highlights

Researchers at the Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, MIT, and Harvard have uncovered critical insights into how aging impairs the immune system’s ability to fight cancer. A study led by the Ringel Lab at the Ragon Institute and published in Cancer Immunology Research shows that as the body ages a type of immune cells called CD8+ T cells, essential for […]

New Research from the Ragon and Broad Unveils the Protective Role of CD4+ T Cells in Tuberculosis Reinfection

Sep 24, 2024 Research Highlights

Researchers from the Shalek Lab at the Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, MIT, and Harvard, in collaboration with the Broad Institute, have uncovered key insights into how prior Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection primes the immune system for enhanced protection against reinfection. This study, published in Immunity on August 30, used a non-human primate model to demonstrate that […]