Beth Pollack

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT BETH POLLACK

Harvard-trained Research Scientist at MIT on a mission to solve chronic illness. Leads research on the connections between a group of infection-associated multi-system chronic diseases that disproportionately impact women. Focus on Long COVID, ME/CFS, connective tissue disorders, and their less studied pathologies. Featured in: The NY Times, The Atlantic, NPR, Harvard Business Review, STAT News, Medscape, Nature, HBR Podcast, and more.Multidisciplinary systems thinker with expertise in health science, research study design, and mechanisms of chronic disease; social impact policy; and environmental health. Also an advisor and program director with 15+ years of experience building and leading results-driven multistakeholder initiatives.Passionate about solving complex problems and improving public health through innovative scientific research, collaborative leadership, and transformative policy. Cares deeply about women’s health and advancing research to help the millions of patients that have chronic illnesses with no official treatments, who have fallen through the cracks of research/healthcare—BioI’m a Research Scientist at MIT leading research on the connections between a group of infection-associated chronic illnesses (IACI).I’ve led research on both chronic disease and environmental health at MIT and Harvard, and am collaborating on 3 clinical studies.Particular expertise in Long COVID and ME/CFS. I lead research on shared pathophysiology and comorbidities among IACI, and focus on less studied pathologies.Research aims to advance knowledge of chronic disease, ID biomarkers, and improve diagnosis/treatment. Volunteer work aims to increase research funding and advance national progress and research priorities on chronic illness.I\'m highly involved in the chronic illness research field. I served on the NIH\'s ME/CFS Research Roadmap Working Group, where I chaired the NIH Less Studied Pathologies subgroup, and co-authored a national research plan.As a Senior Researcher at Harvard, I led research on environmental health. I was also a researcher at Harvard Business School, focusing on business and social impact.As an advisor, I’ve designed health policies and ESG strategies to improve the health/safety of food and products for tech, food, and retail orgs/companies.I’m an Obama Foundation US Leader. Earlier in my career, I was awarded fellowships with nonprofits and held positions in national/state Democratic political campaigns, including 3 presidential campaigns e.g. Pres. Obama, and senate/state campaigns e.g. Sen. Warren.