Anthony Aggouras is a sophomore at the Rochester Institute of Technology and is studying biomedical engineering. This summer, he is working with Nicholas Leigh, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow working in the Whited Lab. This lab focuses on genome classification and the biology of limb regeneration in axolotls. Anthony is interesting in improving the medical field and forming connections between research and clinical work. He hopes to make a positive impact on his lab and gain experience in understanding the nuances of research. He is especially excited to study the biological factors of regeneration and witness the biological phenomena of limb regeneration among highly skilled and knowledgeable researchers. He hopes to continue research after graduation with the goal of creating improved medical treatments.
Author: Ali
Anna Nachbor is a junior at Carleton College majoring in biology. This summer, she is working in the Shadick lab under the guidance of Nancy Shadick, MD, MPH, and focusing on rheumatoid arthritis. Specifically, she is working on the BRASS project, which assesses genetic markers as a means of predicting how severe a case of arthritis is or will be and how individuals will respond to different treatments. Her interests include both the clinical and research aspects of immunology and epidemiology, and she hopes that through this internship, she will gain invaluable and tangible research experience. She anticipates that the most difficult part of her internship will be mastering the already-established workflow. However, she is excited to explore the patient aspect of research and plans to pursue an MD/PhD program after graduation, focusing on medical research.
Adel Andemeskel is a senior at Stanford University majoring in biology. This summer, she is working with Karen Costenbader, MD, MPH, a rheumatologist at the Brigham. They are working together to study biomarkers that help identify the development of rheumatoid arthritis and the effects of psychosocial factors, such as stress and depression, on the outcome of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Adel is interested in the effects of disparities, such as ethnicity as socioeconomic status, on a patient’s overall health and well being and is excited to work at the Brigham, which attracts such a diverse patient population. She is most excited to attend the various conferences and events that Brigham offers and challenge herself in the clinical setting. In the future, Adel hopes to work in a community clinic, working with undeserved populations and doing research.
Isaac Donnell, a third year chemistry major at Carleton College, is working with Jeffrey Duryea, PhD, researching quantitative musculoskeletal imaging group (Q-MIG) to provide a more quantitative analysis of osteoarthritis severity. He is interested in medical research and surgery and hopes throughout his internship that he will gain insight into the field and learn more about the inner workings of the hospital and research laboratories. Having not had much experience with osteoarthritis and the process of medical imaging, Isaac is excited to learn more about both through hands-on experience. Before applying to medical school (or possibly an MD/PhD program), Isaac hopes to work in a research laboratory for at least a year, but is open to other options as well.
The Brigham Musculoskeletal (MSK) Internship Program, launched for the first time this summer, offers undergraduate students the opportunity to gain experience working in cutting-edge musculoskeletal research laboratories under the guidance of experienced mentors.
Five undergraduate students were chosen to participate in this 8-week program, which began in late June, each of whom was assigned a Brigham researcher as their mentor.
Each day this week, we will be introducing our MSK interns, their scientific interests, what they have been researching with their mentors, and what they hope to have gained from this experience at the completion of their internship.
Above is a photo from the MSK Welcome Luncheon featuring (from left to right): Adel Andemeskel, Anna Nachbor, Anthony Aggouras, Janis Lee, Isaac Donnell, and Jeffrey Duryea, PhD.
Wednesday, June 1, 2016, 5PM, Cabot Atrium
The Brigham Research Institute (BRI) capped off a decade of supporting discovery and innovation last week with a celebration honoring its community and accomplishments. At a reception in Cabot Atrium on June 1, 2016, members of the research community gathered to share food and drink and hear remarks from the BRI’s past and current directors.
“The Brigham Research Institute was originally conceived of as an experiment. Today, it is a powerful force of collaboration.”
Thomas Kupper, MD, Chair, Department of Dermatology, Inaugural Director of the Brigham Research Institute
Kupper highlighted research funding programs, such as the Fund to Sustain Research Excellence (FSRE), which provides interim support to sustain research projects that are likely to receive federal funding in the future. Through the FSRE, the BRI has distributed more than $6 million to 95 investigators. In turn, award recipients have used that to attain more than $200 million in funding.
“I’m proud to have launched the Fund to Sustain Research Excellence (FSRE) and to have been on the committee that hired our Executive Director, Jacqueline M. Slavik, PhD, MMSc.
Thomas Kupper, MD, Chair, Department of Dermatology, Inaugural Director of the Brigham Research Institute
In total, the BRI has distributed more than $10 million in awards since 2006 through the FSRE, micro-grants and other competitive funding programs, such as the BRI Director’s $500K Transformative Award, BRIght Futures Fund and BWH Health & Technology Innovation Fund.
Slavik, who has served as executive director since the BRI launched, introduced each of the BRI’s past and present directors, including Kupper, Cynthia Morton, PhD, Joseph Loscalzo, MD, PhD (in absentia), Christine Seidman, PhD, and Richard Blumberg, MD, who highlighted milestones and achievements from their tenure as directors.
During the celebration, attendees were encouraged to submit one-word answers to the question, “What does the BRI mean to you?” By providing this feedback to the BRI, attendees could be entered into a raffle for prizes.
Poster Winners
- Adel El-Boueiz, Research Fellow, Medicine PCCM
- Ho Pan Sham, Postdoctoral Fellow, Medicine
- Cristian Valenzuela, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Thoracic Surgery
The Brigham Research Institute (BRI) at Brigham and Women’s Hospital hosted a symposium on “The Immune System Awakens: The Force Behind Allergies” highlighting the science behind allergies to food, medication, and the environment.
Speakers included: Andrew MacGinnitie, MD, PhD, Juan Cardet, MD, and Paige Wickner, MD.
View their presentations below
Poster Awardees
Jessica Hall, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, Alexander Banks Laboratory, Department of Medicine
Caroline Maguire, Research Assistant, Victor Navarro Laboratory, Department of Medicine
AKM Wara, PhD, Research Associate, Mark Feinberg Laboratory, Department of Medicine
Junior Faculty Selections
Alexander Banks, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
Alban Longchamp, PhD, Research Fellow, Department of Surgery
Lydia Lynch, PhD, Instructor, Department of Medicine
The Brigham Research Institute (BRI) has announced that Richard Blumberg, MD, chief of Brigham’s Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, has assumed the mantle of BRI director with Elizabeth Henske, MD, of Brigham’s Pulmonary Division, stepping into the role of co-director. Christine Seidman, MD, of the Brigham Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, who served as BRI director from 2012 to 2014, will continue to advise and offer leadership in her formal role as past director.
“Dr. Blumberg is not only a renowned researcher who is highly regarded in the field of mucosal immunity, but is also a proven innovator with a track record of translating basic discoveries into therapeutic agents that benefit patients.”
Joseph Loscalzo, MD, PhD, Chair, Department of Medicine, Past BRI Director
“Dr. Blumberg is not only a renowned researcher who is highly regarded in the field of mucosal immunity, but is also a proven innovator with a track record of translating basic discoveries into therapeutic agents that benefit patients. Likewise, Dr. Henske, who founded and directs the Center for Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) Research and Clinical Care, had taken groundbreaking discoveries about pathways involved in LAM and translated those into new treatments for patients. As such, both are well positioned to help the BRI achieve its goal of bringing the Brigham research community together to accelerate discoveries to improve human health.” said Joseph Loscalzo, MD, PhD, chairman of the Department of Medicine, who recently rotated off the BRI Executive Committee after nine years of service.
Dr. Henske, who founded and directs the Center for Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) Research and Clinical Care, had taken groundbreaking discoveries about pathways involved in LAM and translated those into new treatments for patients.
Joseph Loscalzo, MD, Chair, Department of Medicine, Past BRI Director
Each leader of the BRI makes a six-year commitment to serving on the BRI Executive Committee, first as co-director for two years, then director for two years and finally as past director for two years. “This helps preserve continuity and institutional memory,” said Jacqueline Slavik, PhD, BRI executive director.
The BRI is organized around ten disease-focused research centers and three resource- and technology-based programs and serves the entire Brigham research community; all Brigham researchers are members. It sponsors a variety of events to encourage collaboration and communication among investigators from across the Brigham community, including the annual Research Day, Clinical Innovation Day, Research Connection LIVE Lunch Series, and more with an average of eight to 10 events per month. In addition, the BRI offers funding opportunities such as the Health & Technology Innovator grants, BRIght Futures Prize, bridge funding and more.
The BRI is governed by the Research Oversight Committee (ROC), which is comprised of department representatives, co-chairs of the BRI centers and programs, the BRI Executive Committee, elected representatives and ad hoc members. Established to foster transparency and accountability, the ROC meets monthly and serves as a conduit for all members of the Brigham research community interested in the BRI’s strategic initiatives. To find out more or to contact your department’s representative, please visit the web page.