Wednesday night in downtown Boston, leaders from various fields gathered to celebrate the release of the 2024 STATUS List, featuring 50 prominent individuals in the life sciences. The event featured keynote speakers and panel discussions that showcased insights from honorees and past recipients on the key issues facing their respective fields.
One of the central themes that emerged during the event was equity and inclusion in medical science. Jonathan Jackson, an honoree from 2023 and the executive director of the Community Access, Recruitment, and Engagement Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, emphasized the importance of moving research beyond elite institutions in order to achieve true equity. He highlighted how marginalized populations are often overlooked in research and advocacy efforts, and stressed the need for a more inclusive approach to scientific discovery.
Stuart Orkin, a professor at Harvard Medical School, echoed this sentiment by pointing out how powerful institutions like the National Institutes of Health and pharmaceutical companies have underinvested in sickle cell research for decades. His own research has laid the groundwork for Vertex’s groundbreaking gene therapy for sickle cell disease, which predominantly affects Black individuals. Orkin has become an advocate for equity in research and healthcare, emphasizing that addressing disparities in health outcomes among different populations is essential to improving overall healthcare outcomes.