Ragon Institute Initiatives
Our initiatives aim to inspire and engage students from surrounding communities with economic need, providing them with opportunities to explore careers in medical research, immunology, and STEM fields. By partnering with local schools, organizations, and community groups, we create pathways for students to gain hands-on experience, mentorship, and exposure to cutting-edge scientific research. Our commitment extends beyond education; we also focus on building strong community connections, ensuring that science becomes accessible and impactful beyond the walls of the Ragon Institute.
Ragon Institute Summer Experience (RISE)
The Ragon Institute Summer Experience (RISE) internship program engages high school and undergraduate students who are interested in learning about immunology and related fields. RISE aims to inspire young people from the Greater Boston area to consider a career in medical research and immunology by offering a paid, structured, and mentored internship with extended supports. Applications for Summer 2026 are open now.
Catherine Othieno Sempa Memorial Post Baccalaureate Scholars Program
This two-year program engages talented graduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Puerto Rican universities in immersive immunology research experiences. Participants work as full-time research technicians under the mentorship of Ragon Institute Principal Investigators or Post-Doctoral Research Fellows, receiving a competitive salary, benefits, and a $3,000 travel allowance. In addition to hands-on research, scholars benefit from academic and professional development activities, including scientific communication training, seminars, workshops, and graduate school preparation. This program aims to enrich the field of academic research by providing recent graduates with the skills and knowledge necessary for successful careers in scientific research.
The Program of Ragon and IMES in Science and Medicine (PRISM) Science Club
The PRISM Science Club, for high school students from surrounding communities with economic need, meets on Saturdays in March and April. PRISM is a joint effort between the Ragon Institute, MIT’s Institute for Medical Engineering and Science (IMES), and the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology (HST), housed at IMES which launched in 2022.
Each week features a different program, with a talk, discussion, and an activity. The club is facilitated by graduate students from IMES/HST.
Application: December 15th, 2025
Application Deadline: January 18th, 2026
Program Dates: Saturday, March 7th, 2026 – Saturday, April 25th, 2026
Other Programs
STEM Scholars
STEM Scholars is an after-school program in collaboration with the Cambridge Housing Authority. Ragon scientists and staff have the opportunity to volunteer by assisting students in grades 8-12 with their homework in STEM subjects and providing mentorship over two hours each week during the school year. STEM Scholars aims to foster a supportive learning environment and build strong relationships with students, giving back to the community around us and helping mold the scientists of tomorrow.
Support Our Vital Research
As a non-profit institution, the Ragon relies on the generosity of our benefactors to advance our world-changing research. Whether giving to labs at the Ragon, outreach programs in the Boston area, or research programs in South Africa, one of the greatest catalysts in going from novel ideas to treatments and cures is flexible philanthropic support from donors — and your gift could make all the difference.
Ragon News
Single Immunization Produces Broad HIV Neutralization in Preclinical Model, Pointing to Simpler Vaccine Strategies
Feb 18, 2026 Features
A multi-institutional study published in Science Immunology, led by the Batista Lab at the Ragon Institute, in collaboration with researchers at University of Pennsylvania, Scripps Research Institute, Columbia University, MIT, and others, demonstrates that a single immunization can rapidly generate antibodies capable of neutralizing a broad range of HIV strains, thereby offering a potential path toward simpler HIV […]
Batista Lab Study Reveals How Local Antibody Feedback Regulates B Cell Competition and Promotes Immune Diversity
Feb 13, 2026 Features
A collaborative study published in Immunity from the Batista Lab and Liu Lab at the Ragon Institute, together with the Schief Lab at Scripps Research Institute, has uncovered a previously unrecognized mechanism that shapes how immune cells are selected during an immune response. When the immune system encounters a pathogen or vaccine, B cells that […]
Scientific Director Facundo Batista Selected for Prestigious AAI-BioLegend Herzenberg Award
Feb 2, 2026 Awards
Facundo Batista, PhD, Scientific Director of the Ragon Institute, has been named the 2026 recipient of the AAI-BioLegend Herzenberg Award by the American Association of Immunologists (AAI). The award recognizes investigators who have made outstanding contributions to the field of B cell biology. Established to honor the memory of the late Leonard A. Herzenberg, PhD—a […]
An Interview with Eric Sun, PhD – A Computational Biologist Decoding the Mysteries of Aging
Jan 26, 2026 Features
The Ragon Institute recently welcomed Eric Sun, PhD, a computational biologist whose research sits at the intersection of machine learning and the biology of aging. Joining Ragon from Stanford University, where he completed his PhD, Sun brings a uniquely interdisciplinary approach (spanning chemistry, physics, applied mathematics, and biomedical informatics) to understanding why and how we […]