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Utilizing the capabilities of two premier research establishments, MIT and Mass General Brigham (MGB) recently commemorated the initiation of the MIT-MGB Seed Program. The innovative effort, which receives backing from Analog Devices Inc. (ADI), will finance collaborative research endeavors led by experts from MIT and Mass General Brigham. These joint initiatives aim to progress research in human health, aspiring to develop next-generation therapies, diagnostics, and digital solutions that can enhance lives on a large scale.
The program signifies a distinctive chance to significantly expedite innovations that tackle some of the most pressing issues in human health. By promoting interdisciplinary teams from MIT and Mass General Brigham, encompassing both researchers and clinicians, the seed program will encourage groundbreaking efforts that integrate skills in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and measurement and sensing technologies with cutting-edge clinical research and patient care.
“The strength of this initiative lies in its combination of MIT’s prowess in science, engineering, and innovation with Mass General Brigham’s exceptional scientific and clinical research. With the support and motivation to collaborate, researchers and clinicians will possess the liberty to address significant challenges and discover innovative methods to surmount them in order to realize transformative improvements in patient care,” states Sally Kornbluth, president of MIT.
“The MIT-MGB Seed Program will facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration to promote transformative research and advanced science. By merging the collective strengths and expertise of our esteemed institutions, we can revolutionize medical care and propel innovation and discovery at an accelerated pace,” remarks Anne Klibanski, president and CEO of Mass General Brigham.
This initiative is financed by a contribution from ADI. Over the coming three years, the ADI Fund for Health and Life Sciences will support approximately six collaborative projects each year, with funding divided between the two organizations.
“The converging fields of biology, medicine, and computing herald a new era of health-care effectiveness, efficiency, and accessibility. ADI has a longstanding and productive history of partnership with MIT and Mass General Brigham, and we are thrilled by the potential of this new initiative to reshape the future of patient care,” adds Vincent Roche, president and CEO of ADI.
Apart from funding, teams chosen for the program will have access to entrepreneurial workshops, including some facilitated by The Engine — a venture firm established by MIT focused on challenging technology. These sessions will connect researchers with company founders, investors, and industry leaders, assisting them in navigating the journey from breakthrough discoveries in the laboratory to real-world impact.
The program will soon issue an open call for proposals to researchers at MIT and Mass General Brigham. The initial cohort of funded projects is anticipated to commence in the fall of 2025. Recipients will be nominated by a joint review committee composed of experts from both MIT and Mass General Brigham.
As per MIT’s faculty lead for the MIT-MGB Seed Program, Alex K. Shalek, forming collaborative research teams with leaders from both institutions could help bridge critical gaps that frequently hinder innovation in health and life sciences. Shalek also acts as director of the Institute for Medical Engineering & Science (IMES), holding the J. W. Kieckhefer Professorship in IMES and Chemistry, as well as being an extramural member of the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research.
“Clinicians often notice where existing interventions do not succeed, yet may lack the scientific tools or engineering knowledge needed to create new solutions. On the other hand, MIT researchers might not completely comprehend these clinical issues or have access to pertinent patient data and specimens,” explains Shalek, who is also associated with the Ragon Institute of Mass General Brigham, MIT, and Harvard. “By facilitating bilateral collaborations and fostering a community across disciplines, this program is well-positioned to instigate critical advancements in diagnostics, therapeutics, and AI-driven health applications.”
Emery Brown, an active anesthesiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, will join Shalek as Mass General Brigham’s faculty lead for the program.
“The MIT-MGB Seed Program creates an ideal storm. It affords MIT faculty the opportunity to introduce innovative science and engineering solutions to tackle and resolve significant clinical issues,” adds Brown, who is also the Edward Hood Taplin Professor of Medical Engineering and Computational Neuroscience at MIT. “The endeavor to find solutions to vital and challenging clinical issues by physicians and scientists at Mass General Brigham will undoubtedly motivate MIT scientists and engineers to create new technologies or discover novel applications for existing ones.”
The MIT-MGB Seed Program stands as a flagship initiative within the MIT Health and Life Sciences Collaborative (MIT HEALS). It embodies MIT HEALS’ fundamental mission to establish MIT as a central hub for health and life sciences innovation and translation, while leveraging partnerships with other distinguished research entities in the Boston region.
“This program illustrates the transformative power of interdisciplinary research,” states Anantha Chandrakasan, MIT’s chief innovation and strategy officer, dean of engineering, and head of MIT HEALS. “It forges a vital connection between clinical practice and technological advancements — two realms that must be deeply intertwined to promote practical solutions.”
The launch of the program was celebrated at a distinctive event at MIT’s Samberg Conference Center on March 31.
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