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Thobakgale Recognized by Wellcome and South African Academy of Science

Jan 6, 2014 Ragon Culture

Dr. Christina Thobakgale, senior lecturer and researcher at the Ragon-affiliated HIV Pathogenesis Programme (HPP) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, was recently recognized for two prestigious awards.   In November, Dr. Thobakgale was nominated into the South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS). Every year, only 10 new members are selected from across South […]

Alter Receives Grant to Research New Strategies for Curing HIV Infection

Jan 2, 2014

Dr. Galit Alter, Assistant Professor at the Ragon Institute, was awarded an NIH grant to identify new strategies to eliminate reservoir cells by a “shock and kill” approach.   In her grant application for which she was awarded $2 million in research funds, Dr. Alter proposes to test whether a class of monoclonal antibodies specific […]

Tully Awarded amfAR Fellowship

Dec 4, 2013 Awards

Ragon Institute Research Fellow Dr. Damien Tully has been awarded the amfAR Mathilde Krim Fellowships in Basic Biomedical Research.   The Krim Fellowship program is an annual research initiative which supports young scientists seeking innovative solutions to HIV/AIDS.  This years six recipients, will each be awarded $150,000 over two years to support their research.   Dr. […]

Byrne Awarded Rhodes Scholarship

Nov 26, 2013 Awards

Ragon Institute undergraduate Elizabeth Hockfield Byrne is one of 32 American men and women chosen as Rhodes Scholars this year.   The Rhodes Scholarship, created in 1903 by the will of British philanthropist Cecil Rhodes, is the oldest and most prestigious international graduate scholarship program in the world.  Each year, a class of 83 students […]

Ragon Volunteers at BLC Celebration of Life

Nov 26, 2013 Ragon Culture

Every November, the Ragon Institute looks forward to volunteering at the Boston Living Center’s Celebration of Life, which provides a full Thanksgiving dinner and entertainment for anyone living with HIV/AIDS, their family and loved ones, as well as raising money for Boston’s HIV positive community.   The Boston Living Center (BLC) is a non-profit community […]

Ragon Hosts Section of AIDS Memorial Quilt

Nov 13, 2013 Ragon Culture

For the month of November, the Ragon Institute is proud to host a section of the internationally celebrated AIDS Memorial Quilt, the 54-ton, handmade tapestry that memorializes more than 94,000 individuals lost to AIDS.   The AIDS Memorial Quilt was conceived of in November 1985 by long-time San Francisco gay rights activist Cleve Jones, and […]

Monoclonal Antibodies Show Promise As Effective HIV Therapy

Oct 30, 2013

BOSTON – A research team led by investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) has demonstrated that a group of recently discovered antibodies may be a highly effective therapy for the treatment of HIV. Published on-line today in the journal Nature, the findings encourage the development of these monoclonal antibodies as a novel therapy […]

Targeting Reactivated HIV

Oct 16, 2013

Dr. Eileen Sully discusses her research strategy to use Natural Killer (NK) cells to to recognize and eliminate reactivated HIV viruses. Watch her interview with Fred Schaich of the International Foundation for Alternative Research in AIDS (IFARA) via The Body Pro: The HIV Resource for Health Professionals.       Video:  The Body Pro’s interview […]

Nanoparticle vaccine offers better protection

Oct 1, 2013

Ragon Program Leader for Technology Development, Dr. Darrell Irvine discusses a new type of nanoparticle vaccine delivery system which is being researched in his lab.   The nanoparticle system protects the vaccine long enough to generate a strong immune response  in mucosal surfaces far from the vaccination site.   “This is a good example of […]

Thobakgale Recognized as Top African Female Scientist

Sep 12, 2013 Awards

South African newspaper The Mail & Guardian, recently named Dr. Christina Thobakgale second runner up in the field of distinguished young women in the life sciences for 2013.   Dr. Thobakgale graduated with a PhD from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in 2012 and was a post-doctoral fellow at the Ragon Institute and at UKZN […]

Porichis Named Director of International Programs

Aug 27, 2013 Awards

The Ragon Institute is happy to announce that Dr. Filippos Porichis has been appointed the new Director of International Programs at Ragon.  This position was previously held by Dr. Marylyn Addo who vacated the position this summer to accept a position as  Director of the Division of Emerging Infections, Department of Medicine, at the University […]

Aspinwall and Friends hold fundraiser for FRESH

Jul 31, 2013 Features

On the evening of July 18, 2013,  a benefit show was held in Boulder, Colorado to benefit the FRESH Study,  an HIV prevention and education program in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.   The musical evening, held at Nissi’s, an award-winning restaurant and music venue, raised nearly $1,500 in support of FRESH!  With this gift, FRESH will […]

Slavin and Ragons Recognized for Philanthropy

Jul 23, 2013 Awards

Terry and Susan Ragon and Peter Slavin have been selected by Boston Magazine for their list of Boston’s 25 most powerful philanthropists.   Dr. Peter Slavin, Massachusetts General Hospital President, is recognized at number 18 for establishing the Campaign for the Third Century of MGH Medicine to raise money for research and patient care.   […]

Allen Receives MGH Research Scholar Award

Jul 18, 2013 Awards

This year, Dr. Todd Allen was one of nine Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers chosen to receive the MGH Research Scholar Award.   The Research Scholar Award, established at MGH in 2011 by means of a $10 million anonymous donation, provides $500,000 of unrestricted funding over the course of five years to innovative investigators, giving […]

AIDS Walk 2013 Breaks All Records

Jul 15, 2013

This year’s Ragon AIDS Walk Team broke all records for team members and amount of money raised for local support for Massachusetts HIV/AIDS services.   Team Ragon walkers and runners: Colin Ogilvie, Kim Hassell, Jessica Johnson, Meghan Hart, and Molly Amero The team had a record 118 members made up of persons both from the […]

FRESH program empowers African women

Jun 24, 2013 Features

A new Ragon study in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa is enrolling its sixth cohort of women this month in a longitudinal study in order to identify and analyze participants immediately after they are infected with HIV.  Project staff is simultaneously providing job and life-skills training to the women in order to provide support to a community […]