Samuel Zinga, left, a student trainee in the Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program, discusses his research at a poster session held during the program's 50th anniversary celebration Nov. 15, 2024. Image: Gretchen Ertl
In late 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made a landmark decision by approving two gene therapies for sickle cell disease, an inherited red blood cell disorder affecting millions globally. Notably, one of these therapies became the first FDA-approved treatment to use the CRISPR gene-editing tool, marking the culmination of decades of scientific discoveries.
Vijay Sankaran, PhD ’09, MD ’10, the Jan Ellen Paradise, MD Professor of Pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital, played a pivotal role in one such discovery back in 2008, when he was a student in the Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program.
“The program’s exposure to cutting-edge human genetics through exceptional teachers like Joel Hirschhorn (AB ’86, MD ’95, PhD ’95) and David Altshuler (MD ’94, PhD ’94)—both MD-PhD Program alumni—directly inspired our use of genetic studies to decipher fetal hemoglobin regulation, culminating in the discovery of BCL11A as a key regulator of fetal hemoglobin, which prevents red blood cells from sickling,” Sankaran says.
This dedication to pioneering research that impacts patients exemplifies the ethos of the Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program, which has provided dual clinical and research training for over 50 years, preparing students to become leading physician-scientists. Sankaran highlights the program’s incredible community, which unites world-class faculty from Harvard Medical School and its affiliated hospitals, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Harvard’s main campus with a diverse, creative, and innovative student body.
The donor’s extraordinary commitment to supporting MD-PhD students in the basic sciences empowers this next generation of physician-scientists to push the boundaries of discovery and innovation at the interface of science and medicine, driving advancements in patient care.
Loren Walensky
Three key players—David Altshuler, Stuart Orkin, and Vijay Sankaran—share how fundamental discoveries in the laboratory became a first-of-its-kind therapy that promises to have a monumental impact on sickle cell disease patients. Video: Rick Groleau
Basic Science Impact |
The Harvard/MIT MD-PhD program’s students have been at the forefront of new technologies such as CRISPR-based gene editing and brainwave monitoring. Two recent graduates have co-founded biotechnology companies based on the discoveries that emerged from their PhDs in the basic sciences: Winston Yan, AB ’10, PhD ’17, MD ’22, head of translational strategy at Arbor Biotechnologies, and Jacob Donoghue, PhD ’19 (MIT), MD ’21, CEO of Beacon Biosignals. A majority of graduates pursue dual physician-scientist careers as faculty members at premier academic institutions. The list below illustrates the remarkable spectrum of basic science disciplines in which Harvard/MIT MD-PhD students train:
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