Boston Medical Center is among the contenders competing in STAT Madness 2026— a bracketed competition from STAT News to find the most innovative research in the country. Four teams of BMC researchers, led by Vipul Chitalia, MD, PhD, Lucy Marcil, MD, MPH, and Gintas P. Krisciunas, PhD, MPH, MA and Gregory Grillone, MD,are competing.
Dr. Chitalia’s research, published in Science Translational Medicine, identified the first clear biological pathway driving calciphylaxis—a life-threatening complication of advanced kidney disease—and suggests that existing medications targeting inflammation may offer a promising new treatment approach where none currently exists, bringing new hope to patients and families affected by this condition.
Dr. Marcil’s research, published in Pediatrics, designed a service within pediatric primary care where financial navigators can help families sign up for nutrition assistance programs, free tax preparation, and more, supporting healthier starts for children.
In collaboration with Boston University College of Engineering, Dr. Gintas and Dr. Grillone’s research, published in American Journal of Otolaryngology, found that a technique called Elastic Scattering Spectroscopy (ESS), which deploys light to distinguish healthy and cancerous tissues, can accurately identify malignant tissue in real time. For patients, this could mean fewer operations, less functional impairment, and improved survival rates.
The first of six rounds of popular voting ends March 9 at 4:00 a.m. EST. Vote now