Ragon Early Independence Fellows Program

The newly created Ragon Early Independence Fellows Program seeks applications from talented PhD, MD, and MD/PhD candidates who have recently completed their graduate training and are pursuing any area of biology that synergizes with the mission of the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard.

The Institute is a highly collaborative, diverse, interdisciplinary, mission-driven research institute and community that bridges the best in biomedical and clinical science to harness the immune system to prevent and cure human diseases. We provide state-of-the-art research facilitates in Kendall Square, at the heart of the MGH, MIT, and Harvard communities, and are deeply committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable environment that values all aspects of diversity and celebrates individual differences.

The Fellowship will support, train, and elevate creative, talented, and collaborative scientists for up to five years. It includes a generous start-up package with salary support, fringe benefits, dedicated laboratory and office space, research support, administrative support, and access to state of the art core facilities including advanced flow cytometry, microscopy, BSL-3 facilities, and an extensive clinical specimen repository. Clinician-scientists will have the opportunity to be part of leading academic clinical divisions. Fellows are additionally eligible to apply for external funding and additional internal Ragon Institute funds (Strategic Initiatives funds.)

A mentorship committee composed of Ragon Institute senior faculty and MGH, MIT, and Harvard faculty will advise the Fellow on their research program, trainee mentorship, and long-term research strategy. Fellows will also join the community of Kendall Square Fellows from the Whitehead, Broad, McGovern, and Koch Institutes.

Applicants with a PhD or MD/PhD and no postdoctoral training, including PhD students in their last year of graduate school, should apply to the Basic Science track. Applicants with an MD or MD/PhD who have completed clinical subspecialty training within the past 2 years, with demonstration of excellence within their subspecialty, should apply to the Clinician-Scientist track.

All candidates should demonstrate a record of exceptional achievement in basic or translational research and the potential to develop an outstanding independent research program aligned with the mission of the Ragon Institute. Candidates should have the ability to work collaboratively with other scientists and the scholarly qualities required to mentor trainees. Innovative scientists working in translational or basic biomedical research bringing novel approaches from engineering, physical sciences, computation and structural biology, as well as those with unique experience in microbiology, virology or immunology will be strongly considered. Expertise in the HIV field is not required.