Ragon Institute
May 22, 2019
Ragon Institute study findings could pave the way to vaccine development CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Instituting combination antiretroviral (ART) treatment at the earliest stages of HIV infection may allow the generation of functional CD8 “killer” T cells and preservation of the CD4 helper T cells that are the virus’s primary target. Investigators from the Ragon Institute […]
May 20, 2019
Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading infectious cause of death worldwide, and is caused by the slow growing bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Because the time between infection and disease can be long – years or even decades – a major challenge for public health is knowing who is at risk for becoming ill so that they […]
May 16, 2019 Features
Five Traditional Healers from KwaZulu-Natal – who are central to an innovative program run in partnership with a local South African NGO and the KZN Department of Health – traveled to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where they were hosted for five days and honored for their work by the prestigious Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and […]
May 2, 2019 Features
T-cell targeting of essential amino acids may underlie spontaneous HIV suppression, define path to a vaccine CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Investigators at the Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard have used a novel approach to identify specific amino acids in the protein structure of HIV that appear critical to the ability of the virus […]
May 2, 2019
Largest gift in hospital history will bolster the Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard BOSTON – Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) announced it has received the largest gift in the hospital’s history – $200 million – to endow the Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard. This landmark contribution from philanthropists and longtime […]
Apr 26, 2019
We are thrilled to let you know that the MGH has received the largest philanthropic gift in its history – a $200 million contribution to support the Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard. This extraordinary gift comes from Phillip (Terry) and Susan Ragon, long-time supporters of the hospital, whose transformational contribution will ensure […]
Apr 3, 2019
The availability of a variety of free, user-friendly statistical software packages has enabled many scientists to perform their own analyses and generate results without a formal knowledge of programming languages. This democratization of data science can be hugely important to researchers wishing to analyze and interpret their research data, but can be risky without sufficient […]
Feb 28, 2019
Sri Gowtham Thakku and Avilash Cramer | Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology This past January, we traveled to South Africa as part of the IAP class HST.434: Evolution of an Epidemic. The class, taught by Ragon Institute Director Dr. Bruce Walker and Dr. Howard Heller and offered to MIT undergraduates, examines the medical, scientific, […]
Nov 27, 2018
At the Ragon Institute, the communities and individuals affected by HIV and AIDS are the driving force behind the science. While much of our work focuses on the epicenter of the epidemic in Durban, South Africa, we know the importance of engaging communities in Boston as well. On Tuesday, November 20th, 2018 a team of […]
Sep 17, 2018 Features
Ragon Institute initiative addresses socioeconomic factors affecting HIV risk in young women in South Africa A program established by investigators from the Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), MIT and Harvard is addressing the persistently elevated risk of HIV infection among young women in South Africa from two angles – first, investigating biological factors […]
Sep 7, 2018
Vivian Chou | Harvard University The search for a safe and effective HIV vaccine is a major scientific and clinical challenge. In an exciting new Nature Medicine paper published earlier this week, researchers at the Ragon Institute and their collaborators uncover important insights into how antibodies provide protection following vaccination. These findings bring researchers […]
Aug 31, 2018
Bronwyn Gunn and Galit Alter | Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard From 2013–2016, West Africa faced the deadliest Ebola outbreak the world has ever seen. By the time the outbreak was declared over, 11,325 people had died. Antibody therapy is considered among the most promising treatments for the Ebola virus infection, […]
Aug 23, 2018
Findings suggest mechanisms for the persistence of nasal polyps and possible new treatment strategies. Anne Trafton | MIT News Office Chronic rhinosinusitis is distinct from your average case of seasonal allergies. It causes the sinuses to become inflamed and swollen for months to years at a time, leading to difficulty breathing and other symptoms […]
Jul 13, 2018
Vivian Chou | Harvard University The immune system plays the crucial role of defending the body against pathogens that can cause dangerous and deadly infections. How the immune system performs this incredible function has spurred numerous research questions, many still unanswered. In a recent study published in Immunity, researchers at the Ragon Institute in […]
Jun 8, 2018
Bright and early on Sunday, June 3rd, 2018, the members of Team Ragon arrived on the Boston Common for the 33rd Annual AIDS Walk and 5K Run. Representing the Ragon Institute with more than 30 walkers and runners and a combined team fundraising total of $66,145.66, Team Ragon secured its place as the event’s top […]
Mar 20, 2018 Awards
Alex Cusson, Administrative Manager at the Ragon Institute of Mass General, MIT, and Harvard, was nominated for the March 2018 Suggestion of the Month in recognition of a comment he submitted via Isuggest, a platform which aims to implement changes to operational processes across Massachussets General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Partners HealthCare based […]