Ragon Institute, 600 Main Street, Cambridge, MA (2025)

11/07/2025

A new study led by the Bryson Lab at the Ragon Institute and published in Science Translational Medicine lays out a practical roadmap for making better tuberculosis (TB) vaccines by starting from what infected human immune cells actually show to CD4 T cells. Bryan Bryson, PhD, a core member of the Ragon Institute and an associate professor of biological engineering at MIT, was one of the authors.

Put together, the study gives TB researchers two key things: a set of TB antigens that human cells are known to actually present and that are common across many TB strains, and a proven mRNA method to make human cells present them well. That directly addresses one of the current bottlenecks in building a better TB vaccine and reflects significant progress in fighting the disease.

Read more: https://ragoninstitute.org/2025/11/bryson-lab-study-defines-tb-vaccine-targets-directly-from-infected-human-cells-and-shows-how-to-deliver-them-with-mrna/

11/04/2025

Triet Doan is a research technician in the Barczak Lab at the Ragon Institute, where he studies Mycobacterium tuberculosis. His research focuses on the host-pathogen interface, exploring how immune cells—specifically macrophages—fight back against tuberculosis infection. For Triet, research isn’t just about science—it’s about visual storytelling. The microscopy images he carefully crafts don’t just reveal cellular interactions; to him, they are “not just data, but works of art.”

Triet’s passion for infectious disease research is fueled by a larger goal: to become a physician-researcher—someone who not only advances scientific discoveries but also applies them directly to patient care.

Outside the lab, Triet was a former Broadway show choir member, and now is part of the Ragon choir while also teaching himself acoustic guitar. He loves all kinds of music, from slow R&B to hip-hop rap, and is always keeping up with interesting new releases!

Triet radiates positivity. Raised to value empathy and human connection, he puts this into practice as a volunteer for Samaritans’ national lifeline, providing a compassionate ear to those in need.

"That’s something I practice every day—just listening to people. Everyone has a story, and sometimes they just need someone to validate them and help them realize what’s going on."

With his compassion, resilience, and drive, there’s no doubt that Triet is on his way to making a profound impact—both in science and in the lives of others.

10/30/2025

A large international study, published in Nature Microbiology and led by the Kwon Lab at the Ragon Institute and the Xavier Lab at the Broad Institute, shows that HIV infection and common antiretroviral drugs change the gut microbiome in distinct, geography-dependent ways.

These changes notably may help explain ongoing inflammation and heart-disease risk in people living with HIV. The team analyzed whole-metagenome data from 327 people with HIV and 260 controls in Uganda, Botswana, and the United States.

Read more: https://ragoninstitute.org/2025/10/kwon-and-xavier-labs-map-how-hiv-and-antiretroviral-treatment-alter-the-gut-microbiome-across-continents/

10/28/2025

A new study co-led by the Batista Lab at the Ragon Institute and Scripps/IAVI shows that a single mRNA-based vaccine mix can jump-start the early steps toward several promising HIV-fighting antibodies at the same time. Because HIV is extremely diverse, a successful vaccine would likely need to train the immune system along multiple routes, not just one.

The team tested “germline-targeting” mRNA vaccine ingredients which are molecules designed to wake up the rare B cells that can later mature into broadly neutralizing antibodies. In mouse models built to mimic how rare these cells are in people, the mRNA mix activated starting cells for four well-studied HIV antibody targets on the virus’s Envelope protein.

Read more: https://ragoninstitute.org/2025/10/ragon-scripps-collaboration-shows-single-mrna-shot-can-start-several-hiv-blocking-antibody-paths-at-once/

10/23/2025

A new JCI Insight study led by the POSITIVES team and the Barczak Lab at the Ragon Institute followed people with mild COVID-19 to see whether newer Omicron subvariants behave differently over time. Despite ongoing viral evolution, the team found core features—how much viral nucleic acid is found in the nose and how long people shed live virus—were broadly similar across the BA.1x, BA.2x, BA.4/5x, XBB.x, and JN.x subvariants.

Together, these results show that while Omicron continues to diversify, the basic virologic timeline for mild infections has remained steady—and that symptom-only rules can miss periods when some people are still shedding live virus particles.

Read More: https://ragoninstitute.org/2025/10/barczak-lab-leads-study-showing-omicron-subvariants-shed-virus-for-similar-periods-and-symptoms-alone-do-not-signal-safety/

10/21/2025

We’re proud to share that our Scientific Director, Facundo Batista, PhD, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine—one of the highest honors in health and medicine. The Academy recognized Batista for pioneering work that has transformed our understanding of antibody-producing B cells and how the immune system responds to infectious diseases.

His lab’s discoveries have advanced pre-clinical vaccine development for globally important diseases and contributed to a best-in-class monoclonal antibody to prevent malaria.

Congratulations Dr. Batista!

10/16/2025

Operated by Bright Horizons, the Ragon Child Care Center offers early childhood education and care right at the heart of our community. With programs tailored for infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children, this center aims to support our employees’ work-life balance by providing a convenient and high-quality child care solution.

This initiative is a testament to our commitment to supporting our employees’ diverse needs and fostering a supportive, inclusive environment.

Five additional spots are also reserved for neighbors of the Ragon from the Cambridge Housing Authority residents.

10/14/2025

The Garcia-Beltran Lab at the Ragon Institute, led by Wilfredo Garcia-Beltran, MD, PhD, has received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) High-Risk, High-Reward Research (HRHR) Program award to propel a new project that retools natural killer (NK) cells to better locate, enter, and destroy solid tumors.

The HRHR program, part of the NIH Common Fund, backs unusually bold, creative ideas with the potential for broad impact across biomedicine.

Read more: https://ragoninstitute.org/2025/10/garcia-beltran-lab-awarded-nih-high-risk-high-reward-award-to-engineer-nk-cell-therapies-for-solid-tumors/

10/10/2025

A prestigious grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation to Ragon Core Member Alison Ringel, PhD, will support groundbreaking healthy aging research at MIT.

Ringel, also an Assistant Professor of Biology at MIT, will draw on her background in cancer immunology to create a more comprehensive biomedical understanding of the cause and possible treatments for aging-related decline.

“It is such an honor to receive this grant,” Ringel says. “This support will enable us to draw new connections between immunology and aging biology. As the U.S. population grows older, advancing this research is increasingly important, and this line of inquiry is only possible because of the W.M. Keck Foundation.”

Read more: https://biology.mit.edu/w-m-keck-foundation-to-support-research-on-healthy-aging-at-mit/

10/02/2025

A new paper by Ragon Institute biostatisticians in the Ghebremichael Lab introduces and tests a flexible way to grade medical tests like blood-based biomarkers so scientists can more confidently tell which ones truly separate “sick” from “healthy.” That clearer yardstick matters for immunology, where research teams must decide which candidate markers deserve scarce time and funding.

This study could have significant implications for future testing. With a more flexible, transparent scoring model, scientists can make cleaner calls about which biomarkers truly help patients in the future.

Read More: https://ragoninstitute.org/2025/09/ghebremichael-lab-study-offers-a-fairer-way-to-judge-medical-tests-helping-spot-reliable-biomarkers/

09/30/2025

Meet Lindsey Adams: a scientist, adventurer, and puzzle enthusiast. As a graduate student working in the Lingwood Lab at the Ragon Institute, Lindsey spends her days studying autoimmune diseases and antibody output, diving deep into the molecular world of protein interactions.

Her fascination with immunology began in college, where she became captivated by the complexities of virology. While studying the same virus from multiple perspectives, she realized that "viruses aren’t just friend or foe—they exist somewhere in between, and could even be manipulated as potential therapeutics." 🦠

Lindsey grew to love the lab environment, where experiments are precise, controlled, and repeatable—finding excitement in both the routine of science and the unexpected results that drive discovery.

Outside the lab, Lindsey finds balance through puzzles and outdoor adventure. She religiously completes The New York Times’ daily games, often finding them more frustrating than failed experiments—since, unlike in the lab, there are no second chances. Raised in Utah, she grew up skiing, mountain biking, and climbing, and although she now lives in Boston, she hasn't slowed down. She bikes to work daily and takes full advantage of New England’s mountains, trails, and coastlines. If you plan to join her on a mountain biking excursion, remember: being on time is part of the adventure.

Despite her love for high-adrenaline activities, Lindsey approaches them with the same analytical mindset she applies to research—always planning meticulously, carrying the right supplies, and assessing risks to ensure a safe but exhilarating experience. Her favorite part of Ragon’s new building? The bike room—where she can store, maintain, and tinker with her bike, blending her love for science and activity into her daily routine. 🚴‍♀️🔬

09/25/2025

This past Sunday, the Ragon Institute returned to this year's Cambridge Science Carnival, offering families an exciting chance to explore our research and learn about our vital scientific work.

The Cambridge Science Carnival is an annual, family-friendly science extravaganza. With over 150 activity booths, this beloved community-focused event makes science accessible, interactive and fun, highlighting the impact of STEAM in all our lives.

We are grateful to our amazing volunteers and everyone who stopped by our booth. This was a fantastic opportunity to inspire future scientists and share our work with the wider Cambridge community.

Ragon Institute

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