Ragon Institute

Ragon Institute Harnessing the immune system to prevent and cure disease.

A small number of people living with HIV are able to durably suppress the virus after stopping antiretroviral therapy, a...
04/22/2026

A small number of people living with HIV are able to durably suppress the virus after stopping antiretroviral therapy, a phenomenon that has long interested researchers searching for a functional cure. A new study from the Gaiha Lab at the Ragon Institute, published in Science Translational Medicine, helps explain why, and points to a specific type of immune cell that could be the key to designing better therapies.

“We are excited to show that people who naturally suppress HIV after stopping treatment are able to do so because of this highly expansive and potent CD8+ T cell response," said corresponding author Gaurav Gaiha, MD, DPhil. "The reduced level of variability in the viral reservoir of these individuals also plays a key role, which we believe further supports therapeutic strategies of rational CD8+ T cell-based immune targeting."

Read More: https://ragoninstitute.org/2026/04/gaiha-lab-identifies-t-cells-with-robust-expansion-capability-that-help-a-rare-group-of-people-naturally-control-hiv-after-treatment-interruption/

A new study from the Dang Lab, published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, has found that the body's immune syste...
04/20/2026

A new study from the Dang Lab, published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, has found that the body's immune system inadvertently protects a dangerous fungus from being destroyed, helping to explain why certain infections linger in the lungs for years and can reactivate with life-threatening consequences.

Using advanced imaging and gene-mapping technology, the team studied the granulomas that form during dormant infection. They found that a specific branch of the immune response, called the type 2 response, was actively working against the body's ability to kill the fungus. Immune cells called Th2 cells were sending chemical signals that reprogrammed nearby defensive cells. These reprogrammed cells formed a visible ring around the core of the granuloma, essentially creating a barrier that shielded the pathogen.

Read more: https://ragoninstitute.org/2026/04/dang-lab-study-shows-why-the-immune-system-fails-to-eliminate-a-dangerous-fungal-pathogen/

04/16/2026

In honor of Earth Day next week, we're taking you inside the design of the Ragon Institute building — a space shaped by the principles of biophilic design.

Biophilic design is an approach to architecture that weaves the natural world into the built environment. That can mean the obvious such as living plants, water features, abundant daylight, and fresh air, but also subtler choices: organic patterns, natural materials, sightlines that draw the eye outward, and forms that echo shapes found in nature.

The architects at Payette designed our Cambridge home with these principles at its core, creating a place where scientists are surrounded by the natural world even on the most demanding research days. Decades of research show that biophilic environments deliver real, measurable benefits:

- Sharper cognitive function and focus
- Faster recovery from illness and surgery
- Healthier development in children
- Stronger sense of community and quality of life
- Reduced rates of health and social problems

Hear from the Payette team on how they brought this vision to life.

This past weekend, Ragon Institute founding director Bruce Walker, MD, and core member Hernandez Moura Silva, PhD, joine...
04/14/2026

This past weekend, Ragon Institute founding director Bruce Walker, MD, and core member Hernandez Moura Silva, PhD, joined the Brasil Project at Harvard & MIT for a panel titled "How Breakthroughs Happen: Lessons from HIV for Global Health," moderated by Juliano Ribeiro, a PhD Candidate in the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Program.

Walker's decades of work on HIV, from elite controllers to longstanding partnerships in South Africa, has helped shape the global response to the epidemic. Moura Silva, an assistant professor of Biology at MIT and HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar, brought a new generation of immunology research with deep roots in Brazil, where he earned his PhD before joining MIT and the Ragon.

Together, they reflected on what four decades of HIV science can teach us about how scientific breakthroughs actually happen, and what those lessons mean for the future of global health.

Learn more about the Brasil Project: brasil-project.com

This week is Graduate Student Appreciation Week, and on Tuesday we celebrated with a brunch in honor of our Ragon Instit...
04/09/2026

This week is Graduate Student Appreciation Week, and on Tuesday we celebrated with a brunch in honor of our Ragon Institute grad students.

With breakfast sandwiches, munchkins, and a mocktail mimosa bar, it was the perfect chance for our students to step away from the bench, connect with one another, and be celebrated for everything they bring to our community.

Meet Ted Lawrence, one of our Plant Operators!Ask Ted what his favorite thing about working at the Ragon is, and he'll t...
04/07/2026

Meet Ted Lawrence, one of our Plant Operators!

Ask Ted what his favorite thing about working at the Ragon is, and he'll tell you without hesitation: the people. After a quarter century in the field, he found himself in a position he never anticipated, and rather than take that lightly, he's used his depth of experience to help keep our Institute running and keep people laughing.

As a Ragon Plant Operator, Ted and his team are the unseen force behind the Ragon Institute. Day and night (literally) they're here. Plant Operators maintain the boilers and chillers, manage the equipment that keeps the lights on, and ensure the building stays safe and operational around the clock.The team is here 24/7—holidays and weekends included—quietly keeping everything running so that the science can happen.

When Ted steps away from the plant room, you'll find him outdoors hiking, camping, kayaking, or simply being out in nature. It's a fitting counterpart to a job that's all about staying vigilant so others can focus on what matters.

We are pleased to welcome Jennie Ruelas Castillo and Jonathan Padilla Gómez as the inaugural FEMSA Fellows at the Ragon ...
04/03/2026

We are pleased to welcome Jennie Ruelas Castillo and Jonathan Padilla Gómez as the inaugural FEMSA Fellows at the Ragon Institute. This fellowship, part of our partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey and supported by FEMSA, allows postdoctoral researchers who have conducted studies in Mexico to pursue immunology research at the Ragon in Cambridge, MA.

Ruelas Castillo is a member of the Barczak Lab, where she focuses on tuberculosis immunology, while Padilla Gómez is part of the Bryson Lab, where he is studying how TB persists within human immune cells. Both bring deep expertise in microbiology and infectious disease research.

This partnership reflects our shared commitment to strengthening research ties between Mexico and the United States and building the next generation of leaders in global health.

Learn more here: https://ragoninstitute.org/tecnologico-de-monterrey-fellowship-at-the-ragon-institute/

Last week we welcomed 9th grade students from the Cambridge Housing Authority to the Ragon for career conversations. Vol...
04/01/2026

Last week we welcomed 9th grade students from the Cambridge Housing Authority to the Ragon for career conversations. Volunteers from across the institute sat down with students for informational interviews, sharing what they do, how they got here, and lessons learned along the way.

Thank you to the CHA team, our Office of Education & Outreach who organized this event, and all our volunteers for making this a great afternoon.

A new study from the Kwon Lab at the Ragon Institute, published in Cell Host & Microbe, provides the most detailed pictu...
03/27/2026

A new study from the Kwon Lab at the Ragon Institute, published in Cell Host & Microbe, provides the most detailed picture yet of how a promising bacterial therapy works to prevent recurrent bacterial vaginosis (BV) and why it works better for some women than others.

BV is the most common vaginal condition worldwide, affecting more than 25% of reproductive-age women and disproportionately impacting women of lower socioeconomic status and members of racial and ethnic minority groups.

“This study’s results offer key insights for vaginal health,” says Seth Bloom, MD, PhD, the paper’s co-first author who began the research as a postdoctoral trainee in the Kwon Lab and has since established his own lab. “Our results offer a roadmap to guide development and use of LACTIN-V and similar live biotherapeutic products to improve the health of the millions of women worldwide who experience BV.”

Read More: https://ragoninstitute.org/2026/03/kwon-lab-study-reveals-how-a-live-bacterial-therapy-reshapes-the-vaginal-microbiome-and-identifies-predictors-of-treatment-success/

The Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, MIT, and Harvard is seeking exceptional early-career scientists to join our...
03/24/2026

The Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, MIT, and Harvard is seeking exceptional early-career scientists to join our mission to advance immunology and global health research.

We currently have three postdoctoral positions available:
◾ Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Barczak Lab
◾ Research Fellow in Computational Biology – DeKosky Lab
◾ Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Yu/Lichterfeld Labs

Our fellowship programs are designed to foster innovation and professional development through interdisciplinary collaboration with renowned researchers across our founding institutions. If you are a recent PhD graduate ready to push the boundaries of immunology and global health, we encourage you to apply.

Applications are handled by individual labs. Visit the link here to learn more: https://ragoninstitute.org/fellowships/

The Ragon Institute is proud to announce the 2026 Giuliani Scholars: Amy Barczak, Gaurav Gaiha, Douglas Kwon, and Sophia...
03/18/2026

The Ragon Institute is proud to announce the 2026 Giuliani Scholars: Amy Barczak, Gaurav Gaiha, Douglas Kwon, and Sophia Liu.

Supported by the Giammaria and Sabrina Giuliani Faculty Support Fund, these four scientists are advancing critical research in HIV vaccine development, post-infectious lung disease, the vaginal microbiome's role in HIV prevention, and immune cell coordination within tissues. We are grateful to the Giuliani family for their continued partnership in driving global health forward.

Read More: https://ow.ly/jqsS50YvxC1

We are excited to welcome Caroline Sokol, MD, PhD, to the Ragon Institute as a new faculty member!A physician-scientist ...
03/13/2026

We are excited to welcome Caroline Sokol, MD, PhD, to the Ragon Institute as a new faculty member!

A physician-scientist and leader in allergy and immunology, Sokol studies how the immune system recognizes and responds to allergens, with the goal of developing new therapies to treat and prevent allergic disease. Her lab investigates the neuroimmune circuits underlying allergic disease, with a focus on how sensory neurons detect environmental allergens and coordinate immune responses.

At the Ragon, Sokol will lead the Sokol Lab while also serving as an Assistant Physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Sokol to the Ragon community.

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