The Wellman Center
at Massachusetts General Hospital
Who We Are
The Wellman Center is an MGB thematic research center at Massachusetts General Hospital that specializes in the development and application of new technologies to advance medical science and solve clinical needs.
The Center has historic strength in optics and photonics but also utilizes a broad spectrum of engineering, chemistry, physics, advanced biological techniques and computational approaches to bring solutions to patients.
Every discovery is a step toward healing. At Wellman, science meets compassion —
and innovation becomes hope.
Problems Worth Solving
Cancer – enhance cancer diagnosis and treatment outcomes with improved in vivo imaging, genetic profiling, and innovative therapeutics. Treat skin cancer and neurofibromatosis tumors.
Cardiovascular Disease - improve early detection and management of coronary artery disease, circulatory shock, and heart failure using new imaging and diagnostic technologies
Circulatory Shock - improve real-time diagnosis and monitoring of critical physiological parameters like tissue perfusion, oxygenation, and respiratory function
Infections and Infectious Disease – improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases including influenza, sepsis, and multi-drug resistant infections with better vaccination and novel therapeutic strategies including blue light anti-microbial therapy
In vivo Imaging – develop high-speed, high-resolution in vivo microscopy techniques to enable functional imaging at the single-cell and subcellular level, including endoscopic and intravascular applications
Light-based therapies - Improve protocols, delivery mechanisms and thereapeutic parameters of photodynamic therapy (PDT), photobiomodulation, and fractional laser treatments for consistent and reliable patient outcomes.
Pain Management – develop non-opioid approaches to manage acute and chronic pain safely and effectively
Performance & Recovery – enhance rehabilitation medicine and injury recovery protocols to improve physical readiness and long-term performance, with a focus on military populations
Precision Surgery – improve precision of surgical repair of nerves, tendons, and blood vessels with greater precision with advanced imaging and therapeutic techniques
Skin conditions and vascular anomalies – treat “port wine” birth marks, improve therapy for inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis and vitiligo, remove unwanted tattoos and hair, minimize scarring
Sleep Apnea - improve real-time diagnosis and monitoring of critical physiological parameters like tissue perfusion, oxygenation, and respiratory function
Transplantation - increase transplant success and reduce rejection using tissue replication, autologous transplantation methods, and sensor technologies
Trauma – triage patients, address and minimizing hemorrhage, detect and treat traumatic brain injury, and hearing loss
Vision – improve and protect vision with treatments for wet macular degeneration and glaucoma
Wound Healing - accelerate wound healing, improve functional outcomes, and minimize long-term scarring
News
2026-07-24 - Summer Student Spotlight: Simon Viroulaud:
This summer, the Wellman Center welcomed Simon Viroulaud, a visiting student from France working in the laboratory of Brett Bouma, PhD. Simon is contributing to cutting-edge optical imaging research aimed at advancing eye care.
Beyond the lab, Simon has embraced Boston life through music, Lindy Hop dancing, and exploring the city. We are grateful for his contributions and delighted to have him as part of the Wellman research community this summer.
2026-04-16 - Dr. Drake awarded 2026 AAD with Presidential Citation:
Dr. Lynn Drake received the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology Presidential Citation at the recent AAD Conference in March. This well-deserved honor recognizes Dr. Drake’s outstanding accomplishments and her role among Distinguished Women Presidents who demonstrate exemplary leadership worldwide.
Her contributions continue to inspire excellence at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine and across the field of dermatology.
2026-04-01 - Dr Kendrisic earns 2026 Bullock Fellowship, mentored by Dr Tearney and Dr Mootha:
The Bullock Postdoctoral Fellowship for research is aimed at understanding
and solving important biomedical problems. This multidisciplinary fellowship
was created to foster interactions between researchers from diverse fields of study.
Her Project title: Application for the Bullock Fellowship Dynamic μOCT as a Window
into Hepatocyte Function and Organ Viability
