Center for Computational and Integrative Biology
Our Mission
Faculty in the Center for Computational and Integrative Biology (CCIB) apply interdisciplinary approaches and new technologies to answer enduring biological questions and provide insights into human disease. Novel chemical, genomics and computational tools are developed to probe signaling pathways, identify mediators of host-microbe interactions, and design therapeutic disease interventions. Center investigators also conduct translational research to explore the potential utility of early-stage drug candidates in phase 1 studies carried out in small populations of individuals with the target disease indication.
The CCIB provides support for investigators at Mass General Hospital and across the greater Boston area through a core that provides a wide range of high-quality, cutting-edge services in the areas of molecular biology, genomics and laboratory automation, and access to advanced instrumentation, methodologies and expertise.
In Memoriam
CCIB mourns the passing of our beloved colleague, mentor and friend, Noriko Rapley
Noriko was an exceptional scientist whose work was driven by rigor, creativity, and a deep commitment to understanding human biology. Most recently, her research focused on the biology of the intestine, with the goal of advancing new therapeutic approaches for diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and food allergy. She had a rare ability to make complex biological systems experimentally tractable, combining deep expertise in cell and molecular biology with innovative model systems. Through the creative use of intestinal organoids, her work pushed the frontiers of cell and tissue modeling and uncovered previously unknown mechanisms linking genetics, intestinal physiology, autoimmunity, and allergy. Her scientific rigor was matched only by her integrity, which was central to who she was.
Noriko’s impact on our community spanned many years. She began her career at MGH in 2008 as a research scientist in the Departments of Molecular Biology and Medicine. In 2019, she joined CCIB where she continued to push scientific boundaries with remarkable talent, curiosity, and dedication. Beyond her many scientific contributions, Noriko was a kind and generous colleague—always ready to help others, lift spirits with a thoughtful word or a delicious homemade dessert. She touched our lives in lasting and meaningful ways. We deeply miss her.
News and Events
Welcome Lucas! Lucas Meirelles is joining CCIB and the Center for Integrated Solutions for Infectious Diseases (CISID) as an Assistant Professor this week. The Meirelles lab will focus on lung pathogens and their role in long-term respiratory infections. We are excited for the collaborations and great science to come.
Congratulations Strecker! for receiving the 2025 NIH Director's New Innovator Award (DP2) to support a project on the discovery and characterization of programmable biological systems. Read more here.
Applying AI To Transform Biomedical Research - January 28, 2026. The AI4ID: Bridging Infection and Artificial Intelligence Symposium, jointly hosted by CISID and the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center, will bring together leading infectious disease scientists and clinicians with AI experts to think creatively about how AI technologies can solve the most pressing challenges in infection research. More information and registration here.
Beyond Correlation: Toward Causal AI in Human Disease. Ashenberg and Xavier argue that while biological foundation models have transformed prediction across scales, their clinical impact has been limited by a reliance on correlations learned from observational data. In this commentary, the authors make the case for hybrid AI approaches that integrate deep learning with mechanistic and causal models, informed by interventional data from genetics and disease-relevant systems. Such models, they suggest, are essential for uncovering true disease mechanisms and enabling more effective therapeutic intervention. Read the article online to learn how causal modeling could shape the next generation of AI-driven biomedical discovery.
Gut Check: How the Microbiome Shapes Inflammation and Depression. A recent collaboration between investigators in CCIB and the HMS Blavatnik Institute revealed that the gut bacterium Morganella morganii may contribute to major depressive disorder by incorporating an environmental contaminant into a molecule that triggers inflammation. This contaminant could serve as a biomarker and supports links between depression and autoimmune processes. More information available in the HMS news story.
Publications
Human genetics guides the discovery of CARD9 inhibitors with anti-inflammatory activity. Cell. 2026;:ePub
Bidirectional CRISPR screens decode a GLIS3-dependent fibrotic cell circuit. Nature. 2026;:ePub
Reference-based chemical-genetic interaction profiling to elucidate small molecule mechanism of action in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Nat Commun. 2025;16(1):9673
Human immunodeficiency virus and antiretroviral therapies exert distinct influences across diverse gut microbiomes. Nat Microbiol. 2025;10(11):2720-2735
Regional encoding of enteric nervous system responses to microbiota and type 2 inflammation. Science. 2025;390(6772):eadr3545
Kmo restricts Salmonella in a whole organism infection model by promoting macrophage lysosomal acidification through kainate receptor antagonism. PLoS Pathog. 2025;21(10):e1013273
Single-cell transcriptomic characterization of microscopic colitis. Nat Commun. 2025;16(1):4618
Decreased SynMuv B gene activity in response to viral infection leads to activation of the antiviral RNAi pathway in C. elegans. PLoS Biol. 2025;23(1):e3002748
Hydrogen sulfide mediates the interaction between C. elegans and Actinobacteria from its natural microbial environment. Cell Rep. 2025;44(1):115170
Development of an FKBP12-recruiting chemical-induced proximity DNA-encoded library and its application to discover an autophagy potentiator. Cell Chem Biol. 2025;32(3):498-510.e35
