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 2026 are open now.
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.
Application: December 15th, 2025
Application Deadline: January 18th, 2026
Program Dates: Saturday, March 7th, 2026 – Saturday, April 25th, 2026
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
Gaurav Gaiha Named the 2026 Giammaria and Sabrina Giuliani MGB Research Scholar
Jun 4, 2026 Features
Mass General Brigham has officially named Ragon faculty member Gaurav Gaiha, MD, DPhil, as the 2026 Giammaria and Sabrina Giuliani MGB Research Scholar, as part of the inaugural class of MGB Research Scholars. This award recognizes work that represents the very best of innovation, rigor, and promise across the MGB research community. He will hold […]
Ragon Scientific Director Facundo Batista, PhD, Elected Fellow of the Royal Society
May 27, 2026 Awards
Facundo Batista, Scientific and Associate Director of the Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, MIT, and Harvard, has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, the United Kingdom’s national academy of sciences and one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious scientific institutions. Batista joins a 2026 cohort of more than 90 researchers from […]
Bridging Science Between Mexico and the United States – An Interview with Ragon Postdocs and Inaugural FEMSA Fellows Jonathan Padilla Gómez and Jennie Ruelas Castillo
May 18, 2026 Features
Earlier this year, the Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, MIT, and Harvard welcomed Jennie Ruelas Castillo, PhD, and Jonathan Padilla Gómez, PhD, as the inaugural recipients of the FEMSA Fellowship. The fellowship, part of a broader partnership between the Ragon Institute and Tecnológico de Monterrey, supports postdoctoral researchers who have completed studies at research […]
Ragon Institute Welcomes Carlos Casquero as Ramón Areces Foundation Research Fellow
May 12, 2026 Features
The Ragon Institute is pleased to announce Carlos Casquero as the latest recipient of the Ramón Areces Foundation Research Fellowship at the Ragon Institute. The fellowship supports researchers with ties to Spain in pursuing immunology research at the Ragon in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Ramón Areces Foundation Research Fellowship is supported by a partnership between the […]