May 19, 2000

For Mary McNaughton Collins, MD, and Christene Huang, PhD, a busy day consists of balancing their research, teaching or clinical responsibilities with the demands of a young family. Both at a time of growing challenge and opportunity in their careers, Collins and Huang felt a need for a resource that could help them continue to grow as researchers while maintaining their family lives. They found this resource through the Claflin Distinguished Scholar Awards.

Established by the Women in Academic Medicine Committee to help address work and family issues, the Claflin awards are funded by the Executive Committee on Research (ECOR) and are given to junior faculty women to support their ability to continue research careers while raising families. The Claflin awards are a two-year, $30,000 grant, which may be used to hire a technician, postdoctoral fellow or graduate student.

McNaughton Collins began her MGH career in 1995 as a fellow in General Medicine under the mentorship of Michael Barry, MD, and then joined the staff of Internal Medicine Associates as a primary care physician in 1997. She also is an instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and works with the Center for Innovative Minimally Invasive Therapy.

McNaughton Collins with daughter, Katherine

With such a tight schedule, McNaughton Collins wanted to ensure continuous work on her research in prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate gland. The Claflin award will provide her with funding to hire a project coordinator to help manage the study.

"This award has come at a great time in my career, as I face the demands of my practice, research and teaching as well as the needs of my thriving 11-month-old daughter, Katherine Maeve," says McNaughton Collins. "This grant will help me keep the research aspect of my career on track without sacrificing any other important aspects of my life."

Huang with Nicole, right, and Melissa

Huang, an investigator at the MGH Transplantation Biology Research Center (TBRC), also is an instructor at HMS. For four years, Huang has worked as a postdoctoral fellow in the TBRC at CNY under the direction of David H. Sachs, MD. Huang's funded research, entitled "Characterization of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) in miniature swine after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation," was recognized not only by the Claflin award, but also with a grant from the Cure for Lymphoma Foundation.

With Huang's recent achievements, she will be able to support a research technician for her project.

"I have two daughters — Nicole, who is 7 and Melissa, who is 3 — and I am often unable to work extended hours in the lab," says Huang. "With the assistance of a research technician supported by the Claflin award, I hope to have more time to complete manuscripts and prepare grant applications, which are critical to further my career development."

For more information about the next Claflin awards, call Suzanne Metallo at 4-3693.