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February Updates from the Mongan Institute
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Reflections from the Director:Equity and Disability
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The recent passing of a remarkable civil rights leader in the United States brings to mind the challenges that remain in achieving health equity across the full spectrum of health disparities. Judy Heumann, who is recognized as an important leader of the disability rights movement in the United States, was a passionate, persistent, and effective advocate for individuals with disabilities. Her extraordinary legacy includes ensuring implementation of Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, followed by advancing the 1990 Americans for Disabilities Act, and redefining what it means to have a disability. A glimpse of the beginnings of the disabilities rights movement can be viewed in the “must see” Oscar-nominated 2020 documentary “Crip Camp, A Disability Revolution” that includes compelling footage of the 26-day occupancy of federal buildings by over 100 people with disabilities in 1977 and Judy Heumann’s inspiring words as a spokesperson and civil rights leader.
In my own family, I recall with great fondness many conversations with my late cousin Elmer Bartels who implored me as an early career investigator to consider the importance of research on the impact of physical and mental disabilities. After sustaining a spinal cord injury while playing hockey in college resulting in quadriplegia, Elmer went on to pursue an advanced degree at Tufts and successful career in computer science, while working tirelessly as a local advocate for wheelchair access and housing for people with disabilities. Subsequently as Director of the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission under seven Governors spanning 30 years, he joked with pride that he was “the longest seated commissioner in the United States”. Elmer never missed an opportunity to tell a joke or to advocate—including during dinners with his family at our home and in conversations with me as a developing physician and health services researcher.
At the same time that we honor the accomplishments of Judy Heumann and colleagues in arms like my cousin Elmer, the persistence of health disparities for people with disabilities remains a tragic and largely unaddressed reality. People with physical, mental, and intellectual disabilities experience among the greatest disparities in life expectancy compared to the general population. However, in research funded by the National Institute of Health, people with disabilities are not formally designated as a health disparity population, which would support more research in this important area. Within the Mongan Institute, Dr. Lisa Iezzoni is working to promote reforms to increase the representation of disabled people among the scientific workforce and as research participants (recommendations to achieve these goals are presented in a report, approved by an Advisory Committee to the Director of NIH on Diversity - read here).
Across the Mongan Institute we are fortunate to have extraordinary faculty conducting research aimed at advancing health equity across the full spectrum of health disparities, including race/ethnicity; age, sexual orientation/gender identity, mental health, socioeconomic status, vulnerable populations, and disability. In closing, I am reminded of the following adage: there are those of us who have a disability, and the rest of us who will … if we are fortunate to live long enough. Through research and policy reforms addressing and including disabilities, we all benefit.
- Steve Bartels, MD, MS
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Nneka Ufere, MD named 2022 Sojourn Scholar
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| Congratulations to Nneka Ufere, MD (Cancer Outcomes Research and Education) for being named a 2022 Sojourn Scholar by the Cambia Health Foundation. This award recognizes palliative care leaders who demonstrate a commitment to whole-person care for patients with serious illness.
The program seeks to include physicians, nurses, social workers, physician assistants, chaplains, psychologists, pharmacists and other emerging health system leaders by investing in their professional development. Each Sojourns Scholar receives $180,000 in funding ($90,000 per year over a two-year grant) to carry out an innovative and impactful project in the field of palliative care and execute a leadership development plan designed to support the individual's growth as a national leader in the field.
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American Society for Clinical Investigation
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Jennifer Manne-Goehler, MD, ScD
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| Congratulations to Jessica Haberer, MD, MS (Center for Global Health) for being elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), a nonprofit medical honor society composed of more than 3,000 physician-scientists from all medical specialties. The ASCI is one of the nation’s oldest medical honor societies and is among the few organizations focused on the special role of physician-scientists in research, clinical care and medical education, as well as leadership positions in academic medicine and the life sciences industry.
Congratulations to Jennifer Manne-Goehler, MD, ScD (Medical Practice Evaluation Center) for being selected as a recipient of the ASCI's 2023 Young Physician-Scientist Award. The ASCI Council Young Physician-Scientist Awards (YPSA) recognize physician-scientists who are early in their first faculty appointment and have made notable achievements in their research.
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2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee
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Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, MBA
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| Congratulations to Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, MPA, MBA (Health Policy Research Center Affiliate Faculty) for being appointed to the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee by the United States Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA). Along with 19 other nationally recognized nutrition and public health experts, Stanford will examine the current body of nutrition science and develop a scientific report that includes advice for the HHS and USDA to consider.
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American College of Psychiatrists
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| Congratulations to Alexander Tsai, MD (Medical Practice Evaluation Center) for being elected to membership in the American College of Psychiatrists. Election to membership is reserved for psychiatrists who have demonstrated outstanding competence in the field of psychiatry, and who have achieved national recognition in clinical practice, research, academic leadership, and teaching.
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Implementation Science Center for Cancer Control Equity Request for Applications
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ISCCCE leadership will host an orientation webinar to share more about the center’s infrastructure, existing pilots, and answer any questions about the RFA on March 9th from 3-4pm (no registration required, attendance is strongly encouraged). As part of the grant application process, we will also offer Community Engagement Studios to provided applicants with direct feedback and guidance on their research concepts via a facilitated conversation with community health center partners.
To learn more and apply, head to the ISCCCE website to find the full RFA here.
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| Examples from Mongan Science Minute
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The Mongan Science Minute is a social media initiative designed to better communicate the extraordinary research that is being published by Mongan Institute leaders, faculty and investigators.
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|  Psychological mobile app for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML): A pilot randomized clinical trial. El-Jawahri A, Luskin MR, Greer JA, Traeger L, Lavoie M, Vaughn DM, Andrews S, Yang D, Boateng KY, Newcomb RA, Ufere NN, Fathi AT, Hobbs G, Brunner A, Abel GA, Stone RM, DeAngelo DJ, Wadleigh M, Temel JS. Cancer. 2023 Jan 18. doi: 10.1002/cncr.34645. Online ahead of print.PMID: 36655338
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|  Provider beliefs in effectiveness and recommendations for primary HPV testing in 3 health-care systems. Kruse GR, Lykken JM, Kim EJ, Haas JS, Higashi RT, Atlas SJ, McCarthy AM, Tiro JA, Silver MI, Skinner CS, Kamineni A.JNCI Cancer Spectr. 2023 Jan 3;7(1):pkac086. doi: 10.1093/jncics/pkac086.PMID: 36469348 Free PMC article.
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Please visit our website to stay updated on all open positions at the Mongan Institute and our centers/programs. To apply, visit the MGH Careers website and search the job number listed.
- Senior Data Analyst - 3209899
The Mongan Institute in the Department of Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital is seeking a full time Senior Data Analyst to manage its Data Management and Analytic Program. Reporting to and working closely with the Institute Director and Administrative Director, the candidate will lead the development of a new Data Management and Analytics Program (DMAP) that will support the Institute’s 13 research centers and programs. Once established, the program will offer a range of data management and analysis services, including statistical and study design consultation, research protocol development, web-based survey development, data management plans, analysis and interpretation of data, and assistance in presenting and disseminating results. - Clinical Research Assistant - 3228573
The Mongan Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) (https://www.monganinstitute.org/) seeks to hire a full-time Clinical Research Assistant to work under the supervision of the Director of the Mongan Institute and research project management team to provide research assistant support on a federally funded research project and to support new and existing dynamic programs in research and training. The Mongan Institute is an innovative transdisciplinary research institute at MGH consisting of 13 centers and programs spanning data science to delivery science with over 145 faculty, over 30 research fellows, as well as medical students and undergraduate trainees.
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