Voting will be open until Friday, August 16, 2024. All members of the BWH research community are eligible to cast a single vote.
The Research Oversight Committee (ROC) was established to foster transparency and accountability in the decision making process for the research enterprise and to plan new strategic initiatives. In addition to standing members from various departments, centers, and research entities, the ROC includes elected representatives from across the research community, who serve for two-year terms. The categories in this year’s elections are:
Fundamental Research – Junior Faculty
Fundamental Research – Senior Faculty
Clinical Research – Junior Faculty
Clinical Research – Senior Faculty
Population Research – Junior Faculty
Population Research – Senior Faculty
Research Administrator (2 positions)
Role & Responsibilities
Representatives will participate in discussions, promote the interests of their community within the Brigham Research Institute, and report back to their respective communities on items of interest. Representatives are expected to attend monthly meetings, held virtually on Zoom, typically on the third Thursday of each month, for a two-year term.
Fundamental Research - Junior Faculty
Assistant Professor, Surgery
I am deeply honored by the nomination and enthusiastic about the opportunity to serve as the next Fundamental Research Junior Faculty Representative on the BRI Research Oversight Committee. My focus will be advocating for early career researchers, ensuring they have the necessary support systems to thrive, including providing streamlined access to the exceptional resources available at BWH and across MGB institutions. I am committed to integrating all junior faculty and early career scientists into our vibrant research community, in part by advocating for targeted research groups, enhancing mentoring opportunities, and facilitating collaborations crucial for their career development. By understanding and articulating the needs of new investigators, I aim to foster an inclusive environment where they can successfully build their research programs.
Throughout my academic journey, I had the privilege to serve as a student, postdoctoral, and faculty representative on multiple committees focused on research oversight, early career support, and women’s advocacy. These roles have allowed me to effectively communicate faculty needs to leadership, manage shared resources, and mentor the next generation of scientists. They’ve also enabled me to cultivate a broad network of colleagues and collaborators, providing insight into the challenges faced by trainees and early career researchers in fundamental research. My involvement with the BRI has been particularly rewarding, participating annually in key events such as the Women in Science and Medicine Symposium and the Connors-BRI Symposium. I was honored to receive a Research Excellence Award at Discover Brigham in 2020.
I graduated from the University of Bordeaux in France with a PhD in vascular physiology and completed my postdoctoral research at the Cardiovascular Research Center of the University of Virginia. Following this, I held a Research Assistant Professor position in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. In 2020, I joined Brigham and Women’s Hospital as Lead Investigator and Assistant Professor in the Division of Cardiac Surgery, and I am currently a member of the Connors-BRI Center for Research on Women’s Health and Sex/Gender Medicine. My expertise centers on the physiology of small and large blood vessels, particularly how cardiovascular diseases impact their structure and functions at multiple levels. Working closely with cardiac surgeons, my research program addresses clinical needs in aortic disease. Utilizing human specimens from the operating room, my group investigates the interplay between cellular metabolism and extracellular matrix remodeling in aortic aneurysms, focusing on sex differences. I also lead our division’s tissue banking efforts, coordinating with pathologists, research assistants, data managers, and collaborators. This role bridges clinical and fundamental research, uniquely positioned within the dynamic environment of BWH.
I am eager to serve as the next Fundamental Research Junior Faculty Representative, dedicated to advocacy and community building within our research community at BWH. I look forward to collaborating on initiatives that support junior investigators with a scientific and/or medical background across clinical, translational, and fundamental research. I am excited to represent you during this transformative period as we prepare for new strategic plans and the evolution of academic medical centers across MGB.
Instructor, Neurosurgery
I am honored to be nominated for the position of Fundamental Research Junior Faculty Representative on the BRI Research Oversight Committee. Since joining the Center for Stem Cell and Translational Immunotherapy (CSTI) under the leadership of Dr. Khalid Shah in 2019, I have advanced from a research fellow to an Instructor in the Department of Neurosurgery. My journey, which began in Malaysia and led me to complete a PhD at the University of Queensland, has been driven by a commitment to developing innovative cancer therapies. My current efforts are focused on advancing these therapies toward clinical application.
As an early career investigator, I am acutely aware of the challenges faced by junior faculty in balancing the demands of research, career development, and personal growth. Throughout my PhD, I often pondered why scientists need to be proficient in so many areas, including writing, presenting, graphic design, public speaking, student mentoring, communication with peers, PIs, and collaborators, laboratory techniques, critical thinking, and more. I believe that leveraging individual specialties and capabilities could enhance productivity. Instead of spending years becoming proficient in all aspects, distributing tasks according to strengths can lead to more efficient and impactful research.
In addition to my research, I have actively contributed to the BWH community in various capacities. As a co-chair of the Career Development Committee of the BWH Postdoc Association from 2021 to 2022, I worked to support the professional growth of our postdoctoral fellows. My role at CSTI has also allowed me to gain extensive experience in lab management, including financial oversight, human resources, hiring, administrative tasks, and compliance with animal protocols (IACUC) and controlled substances regulations.
I believe that a career in science should be driven by passion rather than money. This principle has guided my journey, as I do not rely on science to earn a living or achieve wealth. It saddens me that many scientists focus primarily on securing grants and publishing in high-impact journals without considering the necessity of their research. I advocate for a shift in focus towards meaningful and necessary research rather than merely impressive projects.
As a member of the Research Oversight Committee, I will bring forward the diverse needs and concerns of my colleagues, especially those of early career investigators. I am passionate about fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and ensuring that our research community has a strong voice both within BWH and externally. I am committed to raising the profile of our research, engaging in mission-centric collaborations, and supporting the BRI’s overarching mission to accelerate discoveries that improve human health.
I look forward to the opportunity to serve and advocate for the interests of our junior faculty and the broader research community at BWH.
Assistant Professor, Neurology
I am excited and honored to be nominated to join the BRI ROC as a representative for fundamental research junior faculty. This is a great responsibility I am eager to embrace. As an Assistant professor at the Neurology Department, Movement Disorders Division, I am dedicated to translational pre-clinical research. My work focuses on validating and de-risking genetic therapies and stratifying neuroimmune targets for neurodegenerative diseases, with the ultimate goal of improving the specificity and safety of novel therapeutics.
I’ve been an active member of the Joint Committee on the Status of Women (JCSW) for nearly 6 years. For the last two years, I’ve been a co-chair of the JCSW Community Engagement subcommittee, working to support women’s voices in leadership and policymaking at HMS. Last year, together with amazing women from various Harvard organizations, our subcommittee organized a large Harvard-wide panel and networking event called “Cultivating Connections” with the mission to bring women back together across Harvard in the post-COVID era. I also volunteer with Bridges to Mom’s BWH organization, where our aim is to help food- and house-insecure single moms become healthy and independent. As an Assistant Professor at BWH, I am one of five faculty members on the Department of Neurology Postdoc Advisory Committee, where we address postdocs’ concerns regarding work equity and career development. Based on these exciting collaborations, I have been nominated for the 2024 Nancy J. Tarbell Dean’s Leadership Award for an Emerging Leader in Women’s Careers.
I completed my PhD from Vrije University of Amsterdam, where I specialized in modeling cellular dysfunction that contributes to axonal degeneration in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Before joining Brigham 4 years ago, I was an Instructor at McLean Hospital, where I utilized PD patient-derived fibroblasts and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models as powerful tools for studying early disease phenotypes and validating novel antisense oligonucleotide therapeutic strategies. Currently, I am continuing to use iPSC-based disease modeling systems to investigate cellular pathologies and to validate and de-risk genetic therapeutics for heritable neurodegenerative movement disorders.
As a prospective junior research representative at the BRI Research Oversight Committee, I look forward to the opportunity to support BRI by stimulating the diverse research environment at BWH and to help my colleagues, especially the junior faculty colleagues, with their needs and concerns to successfully bring the most cutting-edge and creative work forward to improve today’s patient care.
Assistant Professor, Pathology
I am Assistant Professor of Pathology at Harvard Medical School and a physician-scientist in the Department of Pathology here at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and am excited about the opportunity to serve the research community here on the BRI Research Oversight Committee. Over the past 11 years, first as a trainee and then as a principal investigator, I have participated in BWH research activities and developed relationships with other members of the community and the leadership. On the ROC, I hope to build on this role, to advise the BRI and strengthen communication with researchers. Among other areas, I plan to advocate for the interests of junior investigators and trainees, as well as for research-focused human resources here at BWH and MGB.
My research laboratory focuses on the mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease, which we study using single-cell genomics approaches and through the lens of somatic mutation. I also have a clinical practice in diagnostic neuropathology here at BWH, and through this perspective, I will also advocate for the priorities of physician-scientists at the BRI. Our research links to both basic and translational scientific perspectives, and I seek to represent the interests of researchers across this spectrum, with a particular focus on fundamental research.
I obtained my undergraduate degree at Grinnell College in biological chemistry and Spanish, followed by MD-PhD training at the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine with a thesis in biochemistry of prion diseases. I then came here to BWH for residency in anatomic pathology and clinical fellowship in neuropathology, followed by postdoctoral research based at Boston Children’s Hospital, before starting my laboratory here at BWH.
Fundamental Research - Senior Faculty
Associate Professor, Medicine
Division of Hematology
As a physician scientist with a translational laboratory focusing on the intersection of hematology and malignancy, I am honored and excited to be nominated for the position of fundamental research senior faculty representative on the Brigham Research Institute Research Oversight Committee (BRI ROC).
Having bridged research and clinical roles within Brigham and Women’s Hospital since joining the faculty in 2009, I will be a strong advocator for the interests of our research community. Having mentored many research fellows, I am focused on creating an environment that supports the career goals of our junior faculty and providing opportunities for their growth within our institution. I am particularly aware of the acute needs of our research faculty given recent funding constraints. My goals as your representative would be to advocate for the needs of the research community with a specific focus on enhancing research funding opportunities, improving research institutional infrastructures and administrative support. Given the ongoing transitions within the MGB, I am particularly interested in preserving and strengthening our research community at Brigham and Women’s Hospital within the Network. We need to provide a supportive environment that provides access to our resources across the Network to support the research interests of our Principal Investigators. We also need to build more collaborative relationships across the research community to complement our current research programs and expand our work in novel directions. Collaboration is key to our continued growth bringing together our diverse research programs and individual strengths.
I am currently the Associate Chief of Hematology Research at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. In this role I lead a group of Principal Investigators including Ph.D. scientists and M.D./Ph.D. physician scientists. Our group has a diverse array of research interests, and it has been a focus of mine to find ways to bring our research interests together to create a cohesive team of collaborators with the purpose of furthering the research goals of our entire Division and provide for continued growth. One major component of the activities is regular research meetings where we focus on collaboration and teamwork to ensure that our research goals are being fully supported within the Institution.
I received my bachelor’s degree from Harvard University; an M.Sc. degree from Oxford University, and my M.D./Ph.D. from Boston University School of Medicine. I completed my Residency training at Boston Medical Center and a Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. In addition to serving on the Hematology Faculty, I also am the Clinical Director of the MGB Special Coagulation Laboratory. I also serve a variety of editorial roles for peer-reviewed hematology journals including Associate Editor for Journal of Thrombosis and Hemostasis and serving on the Editorial Boards for Blood Advances and Blood Vessels, Thrombosis and Hemostasis. I have previously served on the Editorial Board of the Blood. In addition, I currently serve as an active member of the American Society of Hematology Committee for Scientific Affairs which is specifically focused on supporting the research community.
My research focuses on understanding the role of platelets in malignancy with the goal of harnessing the platelets contribution to tumor growth to hinder metastatic spread of disease. We have recently identified that platelets are key to tumor immunity via upregulation of PD-L1 expression on tumor cells. We have also demonstrated that the presence of malignancy reprograms megakaryocytes, the precursor cell of the platelet to produce platelets that are fueled to drive metastasis. Our goal is to develop novel ways of blocking the communication between platelets and tumor cells to provide innovative therapies for cancer.
It would be a true honor to be a representative on the BRI Oversight Committee to embody the interests of our research community to support growth, collaboration and creating an environment focused on innovation.
Associate Professor, Pathology
I am a practicing physician-scientist in the Department of Pathology and have been at BWH since medical school. One of BWH’s greatest attributes has been its sustained and unwavering commitment to scientific investigation. To have such a diverse and successful research enterprise existing alongside world-class clinical care creates an exceptionally stimulating and productive environment where both endeavors support each in other in a synergistic way. The Brigham Research Institute plays a central role in the hospital’s research enterprise and I would be honored to help support its mission by serving on the Research Oversight Committee. I will do everything I can to support BWH’s research community and our shared mission of fundamental and applied discovery to push medicine forward and to develop the best treatments for our patients.
My service on other local and national committees gives me a unique perspective that will inform my work on the Research Oversight Committee. These include the American Society of Cell Biology’s Public Policy Committee, the American Society of Investigative Pathology’s Meritorious Awards Committee, and HMS’s MD-PhD Admissions Committee.
My lab is focused on the basic mechanisms of protein degradation, a fundamental area in cell biology which is relevant to many diseases including most neurodegenerative diseases and some cancers. We use a multidisciplinary approach that includes structural biology (cryo-EM), biochemistry, and genetics. Innovation and therapeutic development are an important part of our work, and we have been focused on the development of new small molecule inhibitors of the proteasome, which is the molecular machine that destroys proteins. I also have a separate investigative program focused on the molecular basis of skin and soft tissue tumors.
I received my M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Harvard, pursued residency and fellowship training at BWH, and joined the BWH faculty in 2013. My lab has been continuously NIH funded since 2014 and our work has received national recognition including the 2014 NIH Early Independence Award, the 2019 Cotran Early Career Investigator Award from ASIP, and the 2021 Sanfilippo-ASIP Visiting Lectureship. I was named a BWH President’s Scholar in 2024.
Associate Professor, Surgery
I am excited to be nominated as a fundamental research senior faculty representative on the BRI Research Oversight Committee (ROC). I am currently an Associate Professor of Surgery. Throughout my career, I have benefited from tremendous research mentorship. As a member of the ROC, I would strive to represent the interests of our basic science research community, facilitate dialog amongst researchers to promote collaboration, and engage scientists to understand how BRI can maximally assist scientists within the Brigham. As a past recipient of the BRI Pilot Award, I also understand how impactful the BRI can be in supporting research endeavors. By increasing visibility of the BRI, I hope that others will benefit as well.
I completed my Undergraduate Degree at the University of California Berkeley and Medical School at the University of Michigan. I then enrolled in the Harvard Plastic Surgery Training Program, during which I spent two dedicated years at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute. Throughout Medical School and Residency, I have been involved in basic science research labs. My research interests focus on differentially regulated pathways in skeletal muscle with aging that lead to loss of muscle mass, as well as the use of biomaterials to regenerate skeletal muscle following traumatic injuries. My independent research program has been continuously funded by the NIH. In addition, I have garnered both DoD and Industry funding. Last year, I founded a company to commercialize some of our lab’s research. With this broad experience, I am optimistic that I can learn to represent the diversity of research performed by our faculty.
I have been a member of the Research Oversight Committee within the Department of Surgery since 2019 and have been Director of Research within Plastic Surgery since 2021. In these roles, I contributed to many intramural funding reviews, participated in departmental events to enhance research visibility, and established an annual conference to highlight research of our faculty and trainees. With regards to extramural activities, I am the Chair of the Basic Science Study Section within my National Society and have been a part of multiple NIH and DoD Study sections. These activities demonstrate the interest and commitment I have in promoting basic science research and the scientists who perform it.
Clinical Research - Junior Faculty
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry
I am humbled and honored to be nominated for the Brigham Research Institute Research Oversight Committee (BRI ROC) as a Clinical Research Junior Faculty Representative. I am a psychiatrist and neuroscientist with expertise in brain stimulation. Since joining BWH in 2020, I have grown from Research Fellow to Instructor to Assistant Professor. This period of my career has prepared me well to serve as your representative. Here, I will highlight two aspects of my experience that are directly relevant to the work of the BRI ROC.
First, I serve in clinical, research, and educational leadership positions. Clinically, I am Medical Director of the BWH Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) service. Scientifically, I am Director of Clinical Trials in the Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics and Director of the BWH Interventional Psychiatry Research Program. Educationally, I am Assistant Program Director and Research Track Co-Director of the BWH/HMS Psychiatry Residency Program. These roles have taught me critical lessons about the tripartite mission of academic medicine. As your representative, I would bring all three perspectives into discussions about how best to support our trainees and faculty. Like me, many of them are asked to juggle different roles with different pressures, incentives, and leadership structures.
Second, I have experience working across departments. My primary appointment is in psychiatry, but I am also Core Faculty in the Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics. Daily, I work with trainees, faculty, and administrators across psychiatry, neurology, neurosurgery, and radiology. This interdisciplinary experience will serve me well as I humbly learn about other departments with their own unique set of circumstances, goals, and challenges. I have also worked with hospital leadership on initiatives such as Brigham360, the Connors Center for Women’s Health and Gender Biology IGNITE Award Review Committee, and space negotiations for faculty retention and recruitment. These experiences have given me unique insights into system-level issues that transcend any one department.
My leadership experience across the tripartite mission and across departments has prepared me to represent a broad range of individuals on the BRI ROC. Thank you for considering me for this position.
Clinical Research - Senior Faculty
Associate Professor, Psychiatry
I am honored to be nominated for the BRI Research Oversight Committee (ROC). I have been on faculty in the Department of Psychiatry since 2017 and currently direct our department’s Wellbeing and Cancer Research Program. As your ROC representative, I will advocate for resources for early and mid-career investigators regarding leveraging our institutional resources for career development, funding, mentorship, and collaboration. In a large academic medical center like ours, with several talented investigators doing impactful work, researchers can still feel isolated. I will work with the BRI to create infrastructure to bolster resources for career crosstalk and transdisciplinary collaborations.
I received all my medical training at Harvard Medical School (HMS). I am a graduate of HMS, Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard Chan School of Public Health, the Massachusetts General Hospital Adult Psychiatry Residency Training Program, and the BWH/DFCI Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry/Psychosocial Oncology Fellowship Training Program. My program of research aims to understand the wellbeing needs of vulnerable cancer populations to develop innovative and practical psychological and digital therapeutics for patients with cancer and their caregivers. The National Institute of Health and several foundations have consistently funded my research program.
Associate Professor, Pediatrics
I am honored to be nominated to run for clinical research senior faculty representative to the BRI Research Oversight Committee (ROC). As a ROC representative, I would be pleased to represent the interests of the clinical research community at a hospital level. Currently, I serve as the Associate Chief for Research in the Department of Pediatrics. In this role, I chair the Research Executive Committee and oversee clinical research operations and other aspects of our departmental research program. My laboratory conducts NIH-funded epidemiologic, clinical, and translational projects and I collaborate across disciplines with investigators within and outside of BWH and Harvard. Overall, our work seeks to uncover the early-life origins of adverse health conditions such as neurodevelopmental impairment, cardiometabolic risk, and respiratory disease among very preterm born children, so that we can inform new preventive strategies–particularly ones that involve diet-based interventions. A dedicated mentor, I enjoy promoting the career development of trainees and early career faculty members; this year, I was recognized with a Barger Mentoring Award from Harvard Medical School. I have served on numerous grant review panels both locally and nationally. I am grateful for the support that my team and I have received from the BRI including a bridge grant, a BRIght Futures Award, and the 2024 Brigham President’s Scholar Award. I received my BA (psychology) and MD from the University of Pennsylvania, followed by pediatrics residency and neonatology and pediatric health services research fellowships at Harvard. I joined BWH in 2015 after spending the first 9 years of my faculty career at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Associate Professor, Anaesthesia
It is an honor to be nominated to represent the Brigham Faculty as a Clinical Research Senior Faculty Representative on the BRI Research Oversight Committee, to support the BRI’s mission to accelerate discoveries that improve human health, by supporting strategies that include the fostering of groundbreaking, interdepartmental, and interdisciplinary research, ranging from basic fundamental studies to clinical innovations.
I am an associate professor of Anaesthesia at Harvard Medical School, a clinical researcher with a background in biostatistics, epidemiology, and clinical trial design/methodology, and direct Translational Pain Research in the Department of Anesthesiology. We conduct Phases Ia (First-in-Human), Ib/2a POC, and IIb/III clinical trials in refractory pain syndromes associated with chronic diseases, CNS trauma, and neurodegeneration. Locally, I have served and/or currently serve as a member of the Partners Human Research Committee, the BRI/BWH Research Management Task Force, the MGB Human Research Affairs Education Advisory Committee, and the BWH Clinical Investigation Committee; I am an ad hoc reviewer for the Harvard Catalyst. I have served as an FDA Special Government Employee and am currently an NIH Special Government Employee. I serve as a standing member of two NIH review committees (Neurological Sciences and Disorders A Subcommittee, Translational Research Review, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/NIH; and Early Phase Pain Investigation Network, Helping to End Addiction Long-term Initiative/NIH). As a scientific member of the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee at HHS/NIH, I am honored to serve and interact with the leaders of each federal agency involved in pain and addiction research. Over the past seven years, I served as a director of the Praxis Spinal Cord Institute (Vancouver, BC; as chair of the Governance Committee and board member of both the Commercialization and the Praxis Advisory Committees), a non-profit organization that advances global collaboration in spinal cord injury research and innovation through networks of international researchers, health care professionals, clinical trials, entrepreneurs, investors, and people with lived experience. I am also committed to advocacy, as founding chairman of the Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee of the United Spinal Association, the largest advocacy group in the US that serves all Americans requiring wheelchairs and assistive devices. I am, most of all, deeply committed to mentoring and supporting junior researchers, within the BWH, across MGB, and beyond MGB, as a member of the Association of University Anesthesiologists’ Scientific Advisory Board focused on mentoring initiatives, and as a member of the Academy of Research Mentors in Anesthesiology, Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research, among other efforts.
It would be a privilege to serve all clinical researchers, and all clinicians interested in pursuing clinical research, at the BWH as a Faculty Representative on the BRI ROC, to help them accelerate their breakthroughs to improve human health by carefully listening to, advocating for, engaging, empowering, and promoting those in our own BWH community to pursue their research questions; by optimizing the accessibility of resources for our researchers to leverage; by fostering interdisciplinary and interdepartmental collaborations and partnerships both internal and external to our own institution; and to engage the community in fundraising, in a way that aligns with the BRI’s overarching mission.
Professor, Pathology
I am honored to be nominated to serve on the Brigham Research Institute Research Oversight Committee. I have worked closely with BRI Ignite Brigham Executive Steering Committee and through my role as Co-Director of the MGB Center for COVID Innovation, so I am quite familiar with BRI.
It is essential to support the research faculty at BWH. Our institution’s strength and reputation rests on our research prowess and it is critical that we actively and generously support our research faculty. Research is the cornerstone of how we will continue to lead patient care. From basic research to technology development to translating discoveries and technologies to the clinic, we must support the full spectrum of work that encompasses our research enterprise. Deep collaborations across the institution between basic scientists, technology developers and clinicians will provide both our patients and our clinical staff with the means to improve care for BWH patients but also patients around the globe, as advances we make here enable better treatments for patients everywhere. I will be the strongest possible advocate for researchers at all levels to ensure that BWH is able to both attract and retain researchers who will be able to solve the most pressing problems in healthcare.
My laboratory focuses on the development of novel technologies to create diagnostic tests that address unmet clinical needs. The lab has expertise in biomarker discovery, assay development, and translation to clinical testing. We have a track record of successes in translating research discoveries to the clinic. I am the scientific founder of Illumina, the global leader in genetic analysis, and Quanterix, the global leader in ultrasensitive protein measurements. I run a vibrant laboratory with an ideal mix of postdocs, graduate students, and clinical fellows. The lab has a strong mentoring culture with experienced researchers mentoring those who are less experienced. All researchers are given significant responsibilities and provided with ample guidance to enable them to become productive independent researchers and nurturing mentors. All the projects in my laboratory are collaborations between multiple members of the research group as well as many clinical collaborators. We have a longstanding focus on developing diagnostics for cancer (breast, ovarian, pancreatic), infectious diseases (TB, HIV, COVID-19), and neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s). These assays have been used to uncover a multitude of underlying molecular mechanistic details and applied in multiple clinical studies.
Population Research - Junior Faculty
Instructor, Medicine
Channing Division of Network Medicine
As a faculty biostatistician at the Center for Clinical Investigation (CCI) within the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital who primarily collaborates closely with investigators in the Department of Radiology, I am honored and excited about the possibility of serving as the Population Science Junior Faculty representative on the Brigham Research Institute Research Oversight Committee (BRI ROC).
As an early career biostatistics investigator with wide collaborations, my everyday work allows me to hear the voices of investigators from different academic backgrounds. These include clinical faculty vs research faculty, PhD vs MD/PhD vs MD, etc. The key component that makes Brigham and Women’s Hospital uniquely successful is that it can bring investigators from diverse backgrounds for cutting-edge research, enhancing a variety of disciplines, including population science.
In this regard, as your representative, I will advocate for the interests of young investigators to develop strategies for fostering high-quality and in-depth interdisciplinary and interdepartmental collaborations, specifically.
- Discuss and develop the optimized mechanism for fostering interdisciplinary and interdepartmental collaborations. This may include organizing talks introducing typical successful interdisciplinary and interdepartmental collaboration examples and panel discussions.
- Introduce a public/accessible data registry within and across the MGB system. This may include workshops introducing data registries, including EPIC, biobank data, etc.
- Promote possible commercialization of innovative interdisciplinary inventions. This may include possible organizing talks introducing typical successful cases of commercialization and workshops.
My personal background makes me a completive candidate for this position. At BWH, I am an instructor in medicine (biostatistics) and advocate for interdisciplinary and interdepartmental collaborations. This includes publishing papers as leading authors in both scientific journals and statistical journals, actively securing NIH funding with good records, and providing service for organizing international conferences and internal seminars (e.g., Ferenc Jolesz First Monday Research Seminars). Primarily, I collaborate closely with investigators in the Department of Radiology with 0.6 FTE. I Lan earned his Ph.D. in Statistics from North Carolina State University and received the Paige Plagge Award. I have advanced knowledge of diverse statistical techniques such as spatial statistics, Bayesian computing, and longitudinal data analysis with applications to neuroimaging and clinical/epidemiological studies. His primary research focuses on developing statistical methodologies for MRI data. He has several papers published in many journals (JAMA Open Network, Biometrics, Bioinformatics, Canadian Journal of Statistics, Nanomedicine, etc.). Over the next 3-5 years, I will develop an investigative program in conjunction with the CCI and Radiology inclusive of teaching trainees and other faculty about statistical methods and analyses, and construct a robust funding portfolio for medical imaging analysis.
Population Research - Senior Faculty
Associate Professor, Medicine
Channing Division of Network Medicine
I would be excited to serve as your Population Science Senior Faculty representative to the BRI Research Oversight Committee. I am an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Channing Division of Network Medicine (CDNM), with a secondary appointment in the Division of the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. As a clinician-investigator in these research and clinical divisions, respectively, I have a deep understanding of the challenges faced by physician-scientists, which has led to a decline in national numbers over recent years. Fortunately, the physician-researcher community remains robust at BWH.
I am well-aware of the unique opportunities and rewards of combining a clinical and research career. My research focuses on improving precision in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other severe lung diseases. I find great value in starting with relevant phenotypes and subtypes observed in the clinic, then applying the tools of epidemiology, omics and biomarkers to answer the clinical questions. In my work, I combine clinical phenotyping with big data analysis, which is clearly the future of population science.
In the CDNM and through internal and external collaborations, I have numerous interactions with PhD scientists and other non-clinician researchers, and in general these collaborative projects with investigators with different expertise have been the most scientifically fruitful and personally rewarding. As your representative, I will look for ways to bring together BWH researchers of all backgrounds working on common themes to generate new ideas and cross-departmental collaborations. It is especially important to bring together junior and senior investigators from across BWH, to allow both groups to broaden their research directions and to provide wider mentorship for the next generation. I will work to solicit your input for the BRI and to advocate for research in general during these changing times.
I have been at BWH since starting my fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine in the Harvard Combined Program in 2000, and I continue to look for ways to serve the BWH community. I have served on several committees in the BRI, including the Invitational Awards Review Committee and the Advances in Clinical Lung Research Steering Committee within the BRI Lung Center. I would be pleased to continue to work on behalf of BWH investigators as your Population Science Senior Faculty representative.
Associate Professor, Medicine
Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension
Dear BWH Research Community,
I am running to be your representative on the Brigham Research Institute Research Oversight Committee. I am asking for your vote so I can represent your needs and concerns and advocate for stronger support of our investigators.
As a faculty member in the Division of Endocrinology since 2005, I am looking to give back to the Brigham community. I will actively solicit your ideas for ways BRI can support you and your colleagues in the ever more competitive academic landscape. As your representative, I will work to improve investigator access to shared institutional resources; expand availability and affordability of research infrastructure, including core facilities, Research Computing and Center for Clinical Investigation; increase internal funding for innovative pilot studies; and develop new channels for BWH researchers to disseminate their findings.
As an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Division of Endocrinology, I have a diverse population and data science research portfolio that includes artificial intelligence, digital health, and epidemiology of treatment and outcomes of chronic cardiometabolic conditions. Over the course of my career I have also worked in basic science and clinical research; at the BRI I will advocate for broader opportunities for networking and collaboration between Brigham investigators of all disciplines. I will also draw on my institutional experience as a member of BWH Research IT Advisory Board, Director of Quality at the Division of Endocrinology and a long-standing member of Mass General Brigham IRB to support my colleagues, their research and their careers. I will be honored to be able to represent Brigham faculty at the BRI with a strong voice and thoughtful leadership.
Research Administrator (2 positions available)
IS Director of Data Dismemberment, Medicine
Channing Division of Network Medicine
I began my career as a research data coder at the Nurses’ Health Study in 1995. Over the past 30 years, I have had a rare and privileged opportunity to work with a diverse set of HSPH and HMS faculty and Principal Investigators who are committed to investigating the risk factors associated with major chronic diseases in women and men.
Initially, my work focused on the basics of study management for a large longitudinal health study, including processing incoming questionnaires and preparing them for scanning,data validation, and the creation of data sets. Since then I have worked in various roles across the NHS studies, from contacting participants who were lost to follow-up, obtaining and managing death records, data management, and basic data analysis.
Some Key Highlights:
- 2005 – Spearheaded Online Surveys
- Building secure online servers, updating survey software and servers, developing participant login portals, and managing address updates
- Now all the Nurses’ cohorts are using online questionnaires and now online consent for obtaining medical records and tissue samples.
- 2010 – Launched new NHS3 cohort
- A committee was formed for the creation of a new Nurses’ cohort, the NHS3, which would be entirely online. For 10 years I managed this cohort and created all the questionnaires, oversaw recruitment efforts, and worked with PIs to plan and execute this huge endeavor.
- 2020 – COVID online surveys
- Rapid response to worldwide pandemic, created multi year follow-up questionnaires with a team of diverse researchers, with focus on mental health, healthcare worker burden/stress, nutrition, and much more. Coordinating with international efforts to better capture the impacts of COVID but in physical and mental health.
- 2022 – Documentation- meeting new NIH guidelines
- something that has been a long held focus, but more recently back a major focus has been
- This growth has allowed me to focus my work on the creation of a documentation process for all of our studies, ensuring that we have adequate resources and accessible versions of all of our prior questionnaires and data.
Throughout the past 30 plus years, I have been incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to work with RAs, primarily recent graduates in Public Health, to teach and mentor them on what it means to work on a large research study.
I have always been a voice for our participants, feeling that the research we do would not be possible without them. The participants tirelessly answer our questionnaires, donate various tissue samples (blood, urine, stool samples, semen, and saliva). These donations are allowing us to create a large database for future analyses, as we are also collecting information on pregnancy, environmental exposures and lifestyle factors.
My formal education may be less than others who are applying to be on this committee, but I feel that my years of experience and knowledge are an important contribution to our community.
Director, Radiology Research Programs
I am excited to be nominated to run in the election for research administrator representative on the Brigham Research Institute Research Oversight Committee (BRI ROC). I am the Director of Radiology Research Programs at the BWH Department of Radiology, a position that combines my scientific and administration backgrounds with my passion for healthcare and research. My role affords me the opportunity to work closely with our multiple Labs and Investigators, helping them drive their own passions, push the edge of innovation, and contribute to our collective general scientific knowledge, ultimately improving patient care. There is a lot we do well in Radiology Research, and undoubtedly, there is a lot we can learn from across the Brigham. I want to serve on the ROC to share some of our Research Administration best practices and take back what we can do better.
I am eager to serve the broader community of researchers at the Brigham. Most importantly, I want to serve on the ROC to help be a clear voice for the entire BWH research community, help raise the profile of research at BWH, develop mission-centric collaborations with external entities, and engage the scientific community in fundraising. Health is the greatest of human blessings. It’s not a mistake that you and I chose to work in healthcare, to commit to learning to perform tasks big and small so we can provide care to others, and through research, to advance our knowledge, skills, and careers, to better serve and improve the health of those around us. I am asking for your vote so I can continue the great work done by previous ROC members of championing our research mission as MGB and passionately advocating for support for our Brigham investigators.
Research Administrative Manager, Psychiatry
I am honored to receive a nomination to serve as a research administrator representative on the Brigham Research Institute Research Oversight Committee, and if I am selected my goal will be to serve and advocate for the needs of everyone in our research community.
I believe it is essential that investigators, especially new investigators, have access to adequate research administrative infrastructure in their departments to support to their search for funding and the management of their awards to carry out their innovative research projects. I am particularly passionate about finding creative solutions for recruiting and training individuals with an aptitude for finance and problem solving to become new grant administrators to fill the many empty grant administration positions that exist and the future vacancies as our most experienced grant administrators continue to retire. Another area that I believe has opportunity to provide value to the research administrative infrastructure is considering ways to give mentoring and career development for BWH research staff while they assist in our research labs.
I am currently the Administrator for Research for the Department of Psychiatry. I have been a Certified Research Administrator since 2018, with nine years total experience in research administration. My research administration background includes working with investigators at Yale University Department of Medicine, McLean Hospital, and Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center.
Senior Research Administrator, Orthopaedic Surgery
For the 20+ years that I have been a Research Administrative Director, I have been passionate about devoting my time and energy to improve processes not only for the Dept. of Orthopedic Surgery but also for the Brigham research community as a whole. I am not afraid to bring forth issues that need to be addressed while simultaneously offering my time to create workable resolutions for the impacted stakeholders. As the AMC’s merge into one, I have been invited to represent research on several of the MGB’s Strategic Plan’s sub-committees. I have also been selected to represent research on the Workday implementation groups. Directly related to the topic of the AMC merger, I have been a part of the setup of MGB Sports research endeavor. 3 years ago, Sr. MGB leadership joined forces to create MGB sports. I have worked tirelessly with MGB to establish a joint research program as well as an annual MGB Research Retreat. I believe this model will be looked at going forward as more and more departments merge across the AMC’s.
The BRI / ROC is the lynchpin between so many things that happen throughout BWH Research. In the immediate and foreseeable future, it will be critically important to have representatives from all areas of research as working members of the BRI / ROC. In early 2021, I approached Jackie Slavik of the BRI and asked why there were not members of the general research community as part of the BRI / ROC. It is at that table where many decisions are made. Those decisions will need to be implemented by someone in my position within the research community. Administrative directors need a seat at that table to ensure the plausibility of the execution of those decisions as they flow downstream.
The BRI / ROC took my suggestion and decided to have administrators as part of the team. I have been part of the BRI / ROC since November of 2021, and I am proud to say I have over 95% attendance at the meetings and have been an active participant in all that I have attended.
I would like to nominate myself for another appointment to this important committee. It has been an honor to be part of such a hard-working task force, but our work is nowhere near finished. I look forward to the committee’s consideration of my request to continue as a member of the BRI / ROC.
