Our monthly Longwood Happenings newsletter is the perfect way to get important, streamlined information about the LMA sent straight to your inbox. From travel advisories to career opportunities and everything in between, our newsletter has you covered! We'll keep you up-to-date on all you need to know about the Longwood Medical and Academic area.

Click here for our October edition which highlights a delegation recently received by Longwood Collective, upcoming raffle opportunities through the Longwood Collective TMA, and more.

A Message from the President 

Dear Longwood,

I’m excited to share the news that our Transportation Management Association (TMA), the Longwood Collective TMA, was recently awarded funding from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT) TMA Grant Program to expand our Bike Longwood program and improve the customer experience for passengers who ride our LMA Shuttle. 

The multi-modal transportation programs that we run in Longwood through our TMA include a robust shuttle program that provides last-mile connections from major transit hubs and nearby destinations free of charge to employees and students of our member institutions, carpool matching services, an emergency ride home program, and commuter incentives to get Longwood commuters from point A to point B in a way that is convenient, efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. 

With this new grant funding, we plan to launch an emergency bike repair service to meet the on-demand repair needs of our cycling community. We’ll also extend into the winter season our popular bike tune-up program, which offers free 15-minute bike tune-ups right in the Longwood district.

This past season, the tune-up program repaired 637 bikes for our cycling community, up from 500 the year before.

Additionally, we’re excited to use this funding to optimize the experience for passengers of the LMA Shuttles, which move 2.6 million passengers annually to and from their destinations safely and on time.

We are grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration and MassDOT Secretary & CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt for their continued support of TMAs that work hard each day to incent behavior change away from traveling by single occupancy vehicles (SOVs) to other modes such as public transportation, carpool, walk and bike. Collaboration between our network of TMAs, local businesses, community stakeholders, and our partners in government is crucial to this work.

Regards, 

President and CEO

Car Free Day Recap

On September 23rd, Longwood Collective TMA joined forces with multi-modal transportation stakeholders across the Commonwealth to celebrate Car Free Day. Commuters were invited to take the Car Free Day Pledge, indicating what alternative commuting mode they will take on the 23rd to work in recognition of the day.

We are proud to share that the Longwood Collective TMA facilitated 139 pledges, contributing to a total of 1,560 commuters who opted for a car-free commute on September 23rd. By taking the pledge, we were able to make a positive impact on the environment, reduce traffic congestion, and contribute to a greener Massachusetts together.

Bike Longwood Closes Out for the Season 

Longwood Collective held our final tune up event of the season on October 17th, giving commuters the opportunity to sign up to receive a 15-minute complimentary bike repair session.

From June to October, 637 bikes were serviced, instilling confidence and bolstering biker safety in the LMA.

MBTA Updates Near the District

Green Line

• The D branch will be having weekend closures in the coming weeks, including Riverside to Brookline Hills from October 19-20, and Riverside to Kenmore from November 9-10. Shuttle buses will be replacing service during these closures.

Orange Line

• Shuttle Buses will replace service between Forest Hills and Back Bay from October 15-20. This is to allow for track work and station upgrades.
• Orange Line service will be suspended between Oak Grove and Ruggles during the weekend of October 26-27. Shuttles will make stops between Oak Grove and North Station.

Longwood Collective is Hiring 

Help make Longwood the most desirable place to work, learn, and heal by joining the Longwood Collective team!

We pride ourselves on fostering a vibrant and engaging work environment in the heart of Longwood that is deeply committed to stewardship of the Longwood Medical Area.

Vice President of Finance and Administration/CFO

Reporting to and serving as a thought partner to the President and CEO, this key role provides financial oversight and management of $40 million in annual revenues and $90+ million in assets and ensures the financial wellbeing of the organization and its subsidiaries and affiliates.

Longwood in the News

Two Massachusetts Professors Awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine

Boston Globe

Two Massachusetts research scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their discovery of microRNA, which has helped spawn a growing cluster of drug discovery in Massachusetts and beyond. The award will be shared by Dr. Gary Ruvkun, a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School and a member of the Mass General Research Institute in Boston, and Dr. Victor Ambros, a professor of natural science at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in Worcester.

Dana-Farber, Beth Israel Win City's OK for New Hospital Plan

BBJ

The Boston Planning and Development Agency approved plans for an adult inpatient cancer hospital planned collaboratively with Dana-Farber and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The hospital will be located where Joslin Diabetes Center currently resides in the Longwood Medical Area. 

Brigham and Women's Hospital Researchers Find Nasal Spray Protects Against Respiratory Illnesses

The Harvard Crimson

Researchers found that a drug-free nasal spray protected against airborne respiratory illnesses — including Covid-19, influenza, viruses, and pneumonia — in a preclinical study published by Harvard Medical School-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital on Sept. 24.

Boston Children's Named Top US Pediatric Hospital for Neurology, Neurosurgery

Healio

Boston Children’s Hospital has been named the best hospital in the country for pediatric neurology and neurosurgery, according to a press release from U.S. News & World Report. More than 100 medical experts weighed in on how to determine the rankings by U.S. News & World Report. Boston Children’s Hospital was also ranked first in the country for pediatric neonatology and urology.

BPGbio and Joslin Diabetes Center Announce Publication Showing Game-Changing Effects of Blue Light in the Reduction of Fat Cells

BusinessWire

BPGbio and Joslin Diabetes Center announced the publication of a study titled “Light-responsive adipose-hypothalamus axis controls metabolic regulation” in the peer reviewed journal Nature Communications. The findings suggest that light-responsive treatments could offer a novel approach to managing obesity and its associated metabolic disorders by leveraging the body’s natural responses to light.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute announces record $2.5 billion fundraising initiative

Boston Herald

The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute raised $2.5 billion over a seven-year campaign, completing one of the largest fundraising initiatives entirely focused on cancer.

Long COVID study: Persistent infection could explain long-haul symptoms in some people

Boston Herald

A new long COVID study shows that a persistent infection could explain why some people experience long-haul symptoms, according to researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Greenfield Community College to Host Simmons University Master’s Program

New England Public Media

In a move aimed at attracting more rural students, Simmons University in Boston has relocated the western Massachusetts campus of its School of Library and Information Science masters program. GCC's proximity to Interstate 91 and Route Two makes it a better location for a broader number of students, said Sanda Erdelez, dean of the school.