Ragon Institute Initiatives
Our initiatives aim to inspire and engage students from surrounding communities with economic need, providing them with opportunities to explore careers in medical research, immunology, and STEM fields. By partnering with local schools, organizations, and community groups, we create pathways for students to gain hands-on experience, mentorship, and exposure to cutting-edge scientific research. Our commitment extends beyond education; we also focus on building strong community connections, ensuring that science becomes accessible and impactful beyond the walls of the Ragon Institute.
Ragon Institute Summer Experience (RISE)
The Ragon Institute Summer Experience (RISE) internship program engages high school and undergraduate students who are interested in learning about immunology and related fields. RISE aims to inspire young people from the Greater Boston area to consider a career in medical research and immunology by offering a paid, structured, and mentored internship with extended supports. Applications for Summer 2025 will be available in late January.
Catherine Othieno Sempa Memorial Post Baccalaureate Scholars Program
This two-year program engages talented graduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Puerto Rican universities in immersive immunology research experiences. Participants work as full-time research technicians under the mentorship of Ragon Institute Principal Investigators or Post-Doctoral Research Fellows, receiving a competitive salary, benefits, and a $3,000 travel allowance. In addition to hands-on research, scholars benefit from academic and professional development activities, including scientific communication training, seminars, workshops, and graduate school preparation. This program aims to enrich the field of academic research by providing recent graduates with the skills and knowledge necessary for successful careers in scientific research.
The Program of Ragon and IMES in Science and Medicine (PRISM) Science Club
The PRISM Science Club, for high school students from surrounding communities with economic need, meets on Saturdays in March and April. PRISM is a joint effort between the Ragon Institute, MIT’s Institute for Medical Engineering and Science (IMES), and the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology (HST), housed at IMES which launched in 2022.
Each week features a different program, with a talk, discussion, and an activity. The club is facilitated by graduate students from IMES/HST.
Other Programs
STEM Scholars
STEM Scholars is an after-school program in collaboration with the Cambridge Housing Authority. Ragon scientists and staff have the opportunity to volunteer by assisting students in grades 8-12 with their homework in STEM subjects and providing mentorship over two hours each week during the school year. STEM Scholars aims to foster a supportive learning environment and build strong relationships with students, giving back to the community around us and helping mold the scientists of tomorrow.
Support Our Vital Research
As a non-profit institution, the Ragon relies on the generosity of our benefactors to advance our world-changing research. Whether giving to labs at the Ragon, outreach programs in the Boston area, or research programs in South Africa, one of the greatest catalysts in going from novel ideas to treatments and cures is flexible philanthropic support from donors — and your gift could make all the difference.
Ragon News
Schmidt Honored with HMS Everett I. Mendelsohn Excellence in Mentoring Award
Apr 15, 2025 Features
The Ragon Institute is delighted to congratulate Aaron Schmidt, PhD, a core member at the Ragon and an associate professor of Microbiology at Harvard Medical School, on being selected as one of the honorees of the 2024-25 Everett I. Mendelsohn Excellence in Mentoring Award. Presented annually by the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of […]
Global Ragon-Africa Scholars Program Launched for Internal Community
Apr 8, 2025 Features
The Ragon Institute is proud to announce the launch of our new initiative, the Global Ragon-Africa Scholars Program (GRASP), generously supported by the Virginia Wellington Cabot Foundation. GRASP provides scholarships of up to $5,000 in travel and seed funding, offering Ragon-based graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, research scientists, and administrative staff opportunities to directly engage with […]
New Study Offers Hope in Reducing HIV Risk for Young Women in South Africa
Apr 4, 2025 Features
A healthy vaginal environment dominated by Lactobacillus crispatus is associated with a lower risk of HIV acquisition among women. However, only a fraction of women worldwide, and even fewer in Africa, have vaginal microbiomes dominated by Lactobacillus crispatus. Now, a groundbreaking study led by Drs. Anke Hemmerling and Craig Cohen from UCSF’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive […]
Lingwood Honored with MGH Research Scholar Award
Apr 3, 2025 Features
The Ragon Institute is proud to announce that faculty member Daniel Lingwood, PhD, has been selected as a 2025 MGH Research Scholar. The MGH Research Scholars program provides exceptional scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital with unrestricted funding, enabling visionary research into new scientific frontiers that traditional funding avenues might not readily support. Funds can be used […]