On January 20th, Did Caravaggio Catch Malaria? Diagnosing Infectious Disease in Artwork was presented by Thomas Heyne, MD, MGH Department of Medicine.
Artists have been creating historical representations of disease and illness in their works since early humans first chalked pictures on cave walls. Dr. Heyne examined how artists such as Caravaggio used art to examine infectious diseases prevalent in their times, and how art served as a reflection of society’s reaction to these captured representations of disease. Watch now
On February 10th, The Fairy Godmother of Health Information Management: Grace Whiting Myers was presented by Lucy Ross, Mass General Archivist.
Grace Whiting Myers presided over MGH’s Treadwell Library for nearly 30 years at the turn of the 20th century. She founded the profession of medical records librarianship, began the first training program and professional association in the field, and trained many librarians at MGH and beyond, earning the title of “Fairy Godmother” from her colleagues. Ross discussed the evolution of medical recordkeeping through the lens of Myers’s career and legacy. Watch Now
On March 10th, Public Health and the Courage to Lead was presented by Robbie Goldstein, MD, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
The history of public health in Massachusetts is a story of innovations. Leaders in this new arena emerged early during the Revolutionary War and advanced significantly over the next 250 years. Commissioner Goldstein examined the trajectory of public health, research and treatment developments, as well as the state of public health across the country today. Watch Now
On May 12th, The staff at the Center for Comparative Medicine discussed why laboratory animals remain crucial in the search for cures to human disease and detailed the work that goes into their care. Watch Now
On September 8th, Jennifer Shearer, MPH, vice president of MGB Emergency Preparedness and Business Continuity discussed how climate change is reshaping the threats to human health, from extreme heat and worsening air quality to more frequent disruptions caused by storms, flooding, and wildfires. This presentation explored how these evolving hazards affect individuals, communities, and healthcare systems, while highlighting practical strategies to build resilience and prepare for the health challenges of a changing climate. Watch Now
2025
“Simulation-Based Education: Quality & Safety Imperative in Modern Healthcare,” was presented by James A. Gordon, MD, MPA, MGH vice president of Education and Chief Learning Officer on March 11.
He discussed how improving education can lead to better healthcare outcomes, and why medical simulation plays a crucial tool in training healthcare professionals and enhancing patient care. Watch now
“Current State and Future Direction of Obesity Treatment,” was presented by MGH physician Jennifer Mulligan, MD of the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Management Center.
Obesity is a complex, chronic, treatable disease. For many patients, a multidisciplinary treatment approach is key. Find out how changes to obesity treatment have evolved and how current research is informing future therapeutic and management options. Watch now
The annual MGH Poetry at Work event, co-sponsored by the MGH Writer-in-Residence program. “Creativity After COVID: Five Years Later” explored poetry, art and music that came out of the pandemic. Watch now
The Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Mass General is one of the world’s premier research centers devoted to development and application of advanced biomedical imaging technologies. In this lecture, center director and radiologist Bruce Rosen, MD, PhD, discussed how the center’s research has led to better understand, treat and prevent disease. Watch now
Whereas Major General Joseph Warren is well known as a Revolutionary War hero, lesser known was his advocacy for organized health care for the poor along with his brother John.
John’s son Dr. John Collins Warren would build upon those ideals in co-founding MGH. Dr. Samuel Forman explored the continued influence of these three men. Watch now
Gene editing holds an array of possibilities but at what cost? How far should this technology go before it goes too far? In The Promise and Peril of CRISPR, editor and physician Neal Baer presents a collection of essays authored by ethicists, geneticists and others exploring CRISPR through the lens of ethical, policy and moral challenges today and for future use. Watch Now
Nearly 50 years ago then-teenagers Joe, Christos and Charlie became friends while recovering from paralyzing spinal cord injuries on White 9, a medical floor at Massachusetts General Hospital. They and others with similar injuries helped spur the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act 35 years ago and the development of the independent living movement.
Please note: This documentary film screening that explored the evolution of the independent living movement and the Americans with Disabilities Act was NOT recorded at the behest of the filmmaker.
In the early 1900s, research in the U.S. began to mature with the emergence of clinical research centers: hospital units designed, equipped, and staffed to advance medical knowledge. At MGH, that unit, opened in 1925, was known as Ward 4.
Dr. David Nathan discussed the century-long history and continued work of the unit, now called the Translational and Clinical Research Center, and its impact on clinical research around the world. Watch now.
When Isabella Stewart Gardner arrived in Boston in the late 19th century, friends such as MGH physician Henry J. Bigelow heartily invited her into their social circle. Other Bostonians, however, were aghast at her somewhat unconventional ways. When Gardner opened the doors to her museum-home to the city in 1903, they were positively agog.
Author Natalie Dykstra examined Gardner’s life through an exploration of the treasures she curated and chose to display in her Venetian palace on Boston’s Fens. These objects continue to inform her biography. Watch now.
2024
MGH cardiologist Jag Singh’s book Future Care: Sensors, Artificial Intelligence, and the Reinvention of Medicine examines the need for understanding and adapting to a health care future centered on sensor-aided virtual care that is powered by artificial intelligence. Watch now
Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder that is most commonly seen in people of color. For decades, this patient population has suffered bias that has affected federal funding for research into this life-threatening disease, leading to a lag in treatment options. Dr. Sharl Azar discussed the effects of this bias on patients and what the future holds for treatment of this devastating disorder. Watch now
During the early days of COVID-19, MGH surgeon Cornelia Griggs was on the front lines as case numbers grew, medical supplies dwindled, and health care providers pushed themselves and medicine beyond known limits to take care of their patients, and ultimately, themselves. Griggs discussed her harrowing personal experiences with MGH Writer-in-Residence Suzanne Koven, MD. Watch now
The Paul S. Russell, MD Museum of Medical History and Innovation at Massachusetts General Hospital and the MGH Writer-in-Residence Program marked their 6th Annual MGH Celebration of National Poetry Month – “Poetry at Work: The Costs of Caregiving.” Watch now
Practicing medicine is a particular challenge in environments where resources are limited — from urban disaster settings to the Arctic to outer space. MGH Wilderness Medicine division chief N. Stuart Harris, MD, MFA, described the latest in care at the final frontiers. Watch now
Evidence supports the idea that brushing and flossing saves lives and prevents more costly health care. On June 11, Leonard Brennan, DMD and Denise O’Connell, MSW, LCSW, of the Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine’s MOTIVATE Program discussed the implications of oral health care on the overall health of older adults. Watch now
On October 1, 1824, two young doctors named Edward Reynolds, MD, and John Jeffries II, MD, took it upon themselves to treat the eye diseases of the Boston poor at a free public clinic in a small, rented room in Boston’s West End. Two centuries later, the Mass Eye and Ear continues to welcome patients from all over the world and is a recognized leader in clinical care, research, education and community service for those with eye, ear, nose and throat ailments. Watch now
Melissa Pritchard’s biographical novel “Flight of the Wild Swan” tells the story of Florence Nightingale, a woman determined to fulfill a calling to serve the sick and suffering. Through her work with this population, Nightingale would become the founder of modern-day nursing.
Pritchard and MGH’s Writer in Residence Suzanne Koven, MD, MFA, explored how Nightingale broke through Victorian mores to transform the role of women in medicine. Watch now
Gout, once considered a disease of the affluent, has been making a comeback, affecting approximately 8 percent of Americans annually. This form of arthritis presents a host of acute onset symptoms that often appear at night.
Dr. Michael Barry of the Mass General Division of General Internal Medicine discussed the disease, its causes, and what new methods are being used to diagnose and treat this age-old condition that Benjamin Franklin referred to as his “cruel suffering.” Watch now
At the start of the 19th century, few nurses worked in hospitals, and patients were often cared for by untrained female relatives. In 1873, the Boston Training School for Nurses, based on the model established by Florence Nightingale, was founded to provide professional nursing care. Mary E. Larkin, MS, RN, CRN-BC, chair of the MGH Nurses’ Alumni Association’s History Committee, discussed the school’s relationship with MGH and its extraordinary worldwide influence. Watch now
2023
Author and BWH cardiologist Haider Warraich has lived with chronic pain for many years. In his book, “The Song of Our Scars: The Untold Story of Pain,” he examines the ways our concepts of pain have been shaped throughout history through the prisms of science, culture, politics and power. Dr. Warraich talked with MGH Writer in Residence Suzanne Koven, MD, MFA, about pain and how modern medicine’s failure to understand it has made care less effective. Watch now
City of Boston Archaeologist Joe Bagley explored the underrepresented and diverse histories of Boston and its centuries of citizens through archaeology and community collaboration. Watch now
Is the powerful and overwhelming bond connecting mothers with their newborns borne of maternal instinct, or is the connection grounded far more deeply in science? Author Chelsea Conaboy explores the myths, neuroscience, psychology and reality of how changes in our brains help us adapt to parenthood in her new book “Mother Brain: How Neuroscience is Rewriting the Story of Parenthood.” She and MGH Writer-in-Residence Suzanne Koven, MD, MFA, discussed this emerging science. Watch Now
A reading of an excerpt from King Lear was performed by MGH staff members followed by a discussion of family, duty, and end-of-life issues. Watch now
In 2010, lawyer Sonia Vallabh watched her 52-year-old mother die of a rapid, mysterious, undiagnosed dementia. After learning that her mother’s disease had been genetic prion disease and that she herself was at risk, Vallabh and her husband left their careers and retrained as scientists. They now devote their lives to finding a way to stop her disease before it starts. Watch now
Sufficient sleep is vital for normal function; insufficient sleep and/or sleep disorders are associated with increased risk of hypertension, obesity, mood disorders, errors and accidents. It is also one of the most obvious rhythms affected by the circadian clock. Dr. Klerman discussed her research on the role of sleep; why you need it, how to improve it, and why night is the best time to sleep. Watch now
Marginalized populations face health disparities in research, diagnosis and treatment at a higher rate of incidence than many other groups. Dr. Saadi discussed the potential for improving health outcomes for these patients through action-oriented and policy-relevant goals. Watch now
In 1923, the New England Journal of Medicine began publishing the “Case Records of the Massachusetts General Hospital.” The records are based on conferences established at the hospital in the late 1800s, in which clinicians puzzle out diagnoses of unusual cases. Case Records editor Dr. Eric Rosenberg moved through a century of diagnostic mysteries. Watch now
The MGH Rural Medicine Program, in partnership with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota, works to strengthen the local health care system. Since 2016, Sioux leaders and MGH caregivers have worked together to continuously address the health care gaps in rural and reservation-based communities. Watch now
In 2022, there were more than 48,000 gun deaths and 600 mass shootings in the U.S., yet funding for gun violence prevention research is difficult to obtain and most doctors are not taught how to approach the topic with patients. MGH Hospitalist Chana Sacks, MD, is a general internist at MGH. She co-founded the Mass General Gun Violence Prevention Center and formed the Mass General Gun Violence Prevention Coalition following a gun tragedy that profoundly affected her family. Dr. Sacks discussed why she has become a vocal advocate for gun violence prevention research and why she views gun violence as a solvable problem.
While this talk wasn’t recorded, we encourage you to visit the site of Transforming Narratives of Gun Violence, a collaboration by Sacks with Emerson College.
2022
Winifred W. Williams, MD, associate chief of the MGH Division of Nephrology and deputy editor of the New England Journal of Medicine discussed the challenges he has faced as both a physician and as an editor at one of the oldest peer-reviewed medical journals in the country. Dr. Williams is the founding director of the MGH Center for Diversity and Inclusion, and the first African American physician to be appointed deputy editor at the Journal. Watch now
At age 19, Emily Maloney was hospitalized following a suicide attempt. Some months later and left with a five-figure medical bill, she encountered the reality of medical debt following a life-changing medical event. She and Mass General primary care physician and writer in residence Suzanne Koven discussed these observations and other issues around health care covered in her memoir “Cost of Living: Essays.” Watch now
MGH’s fourth annual “Poetry at Work: Hope and Healing” in celebration of National Poetry Month, was co-sponsored by the MGH Russell Museum and MGH Writer-in-Residence Suzanne Koven, MD, MFA. Members of the MGH staff, including MGH president David F.M. Brown, MD, and others, read their favorite poems. Watch now
When writer Meghan O’Rourke was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, she was inducted into a membership of millions of Americans who suffer from chronic illnesses. These diseases are often invisible and misunderstood by both peers and the medical community. She and MGH primary care physician and writer in residence Suzanne Koven, MD, MFA, explored this silent epidemic as they discussed her New York Times best-selling book, “The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness.” Watch now
In 1821, Mass General Hospital’s first patient entered what is now known as the Bulfinch Building. Twenty-five years later, medicine would change forever with the first successful public demonstration of anesthesia in the building’s operating theater. Even now, as the hospital has expanded around it, the building remains relevant to patient care. How do we celebrate its 200 years of history with few visitors allowed on campus during the COVID pandemic? Russell Museum Director Sarah Alger described the creation of a virtual tour of the building and lessons learned along the way. Watch now
David N. Louis, MD, Pathologist-in-chief at MGH presented on a physician-scientist who influenced all of medicine, particularly American medicine, in major ways and on his intriguing connections with Massachusetts General Hospital from the 1830s to the present day. Watch now
“Examining CRISPR: The Power and Promise of a Gene Editing Tool” was presented by J. Keith Joung, MD, PhD, of the MGH Department of Pathology. Watch now
2021
Koven’s memoir, “Letter to a Young Female Physician: Notes from a Medical Life” is an unflinching reflection upon her personal journey to becoming a primary care physician in the 1980s. Nimura’s biography, “The Doctors Blackwell,” examines the lives of sisters Elizabeth and Emily Blackwell. While Elizabeth is recognized as the first woman in America to receive her MD in 1849, Emily also became a physician and with her sister battled the male medical establishment through the foundation of the first hospital staffed entirely by women. Watch now
Looking for older lectures? Go to our Lecture Archives: 2014–2020