We’re excited to announce that the Mother and Infant Research Institute is now the Woman, Mother + Baby Research Institute! This new name reflects our expanded focus on women’s health throughout life and its impact on pregnancy and beyond. We’re committed to improving health outcomes for women, mothers and babies across generations.
Connecting pregnancy to lifelong health for moms + babies
We take a multidisciplinary approach to understanding how pregnancy shapes lifelong health for women, mothers and babies.
Research shows that events in the womb can impact the risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis and inflammatory conditions like asthma in both childhood and adulthood. The in-utero environment influences gene expression, affecting long-term health. Pregnancy also serves as a “stress test,” revealing potential health risks for mothers, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
At the Woman, Mother and Baby Research Institute, we foster collaboration among researchers to reduce health inequities and improve outcomes across generations.
Our mission
Woman, Mother & Baby Research Institute aims to enhance the lifelong health of women, mothers and babies by building, growing and training a community of collaborative researchers with a multidisciplinary perspective. Our holistic view of patients, their families and communities uniquely positions us to reduce inequities and improve health outcomes across generations.
Our vision
We believe in a future where every parent can make informed decisions for their and their children's long-term health through advanced diagnostics and personalized treatments.
Our clinical trials
Our physicians, scientists and researchers are devoting their careers to improving the health of pregnant women and their babies. Working with our colleagues at Tufts University, we use "bench to bedside" research to advance knowledge and make new treatments available in less time.
We offer both large and targeted trials to patients. Our clinical trials usually fall into one of two categories:
- Investigator-initiated clinical trials – researchers design research studies and apply to major federal institutions like the National Institutes of Health for funding to conduct the study.
- Multi-center clinical trials – nationwide or international projects that hospitals and other groups around the world can join and enroll patients into.
If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial, our staff will assist you and your family every step of the way. We rigorously follow all federal regulations and requirements for conducting clinical trials. We also recruit patients and work directly with them and their families throughout the process.
Often, you or a family member may be unsure about deciding if you should enroll in a trial. We help you understand the options and give you all the information needed to make a well-informed decision about participation.
Once you've enrolled in a trial, our research teams are here with you and your family throughout the process. We're always here to answer any questions about the trial and help with coordinating appointments.
Our new name—the Woman, Mother + Baby Research Institute—reflects our expanded focus on women’s health across the lifespan, while staying true to our roots in intergenerational research. This change began with conversations across departments and grew from a shared commitment to collaboration. WoMB is a reflection of Tufts Medicine's innovative spirit and a reminder that we’re stronger together.
Perrie O'Tierney-Ginn, PhD, Executive Director
Contact
Woman, Mother + Baby Research Institute
Tufts Medical Center
800 Washington, Box 394
Boston, MA 02111
Our office location
Located in the Tupper Research building, 9th floor, 15 Kneeland St., Boston, MA. The building is locked and accessible from the street only with a Tufts Medical Center ID badge.
For visitors with scheduled appointments, call 617.636.1468 and a member of our staff will meet you at the entrance.
Celebrating our new name
Upcoming events
Jun
4
8:30 am-3:00 pm
From discovery to impact: MIRI’s year of progress in 2024
MIRI made great strides in 2024, expanding our leadership team, securing major grants and strengthening collaborations—all while staying true to our mission to improve lifelong health for mothers and babies.
We also saw a remarkable rise in employee engagement, reflecting our strong, supportive team. With a growing group of investigators and new interdisciplinary programs, we're building a bright future for MIRI.
Recruiting study participants now
Produce prescriptions on maternal and birth outcomes: A food is medicine intervention among pregnant women, aims to evaluate the feasibility of implementing produce prescriptions in our prenatal care clinics at Tufts Medical Center.
Our news
In the News
Elizabeth Yen, MD, Receives the Mont Liggins Early Career Award
March 13, 2025
Mention of Elizabeth Yen, MD, Neonatologist at Tufts Medical Center, in an article about her receiving the Mont Liggins Early Career Award, presented to an early career researcher who has achieved “distinguished recognition in the field of perinatology and developmental biology”.
Press Releases
New Guidelines Released To Govern Self-Collection for HPV Screening
February 21, 2025
Recommendations pave the way for integration into clinical practice
Articles
Produce Rx Sows the Seeds of Nutritional Health for Generations
April 15, 2024
Poor nutrition is devastating the health of American families. A prescription produce program, from Tufts Medicine’s Mother Infant Research Institute and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, is delivering nutritious foods and a healthy start to Massachusetts families.
Our clinical trials
Infant Vision Health and Prenatal Drug Exposure
Vision health
All genders
0-5
Recruiting now
Placental function in early pregnancy
Pregnancy
Female
18-45
Recruiting now
MAMMA Study
Pregnancy
Female
18-45
Recruiting now