Tufts Medicine announced today that Perrie O'Tierney-Ginn, PhD, has been named the permanent Executive Director of the Mother Infant Research Institute (MIRI) at Tufts Medical Center. She had served as the Interim Executive Director of MIRI since September 2021.
Under Dr. O'Tierney-Ginn's leadership during the past year-and-a-half, MIRI has received five grant awards exceeding $3.5 million, and implemented a new clinical research structure with OB/GYN and Neonatology, designed to reduce friction for clinical investigators. Dr. O'Tierney-Ginn also spearheaded new research collaborations between MIRI and synergistic groups at Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University, which led to the establishment of a Produce Rx Program for pregnant patients and the submission of a $20 million Maternal Health Center of Excellence grant. A self-described "perinatal ecologist," Dr. O'Tierney-Ginn's research interests are focused on the interaction between the mother, baby and placenta and their environment.
Since arriving at Tufts MC in 2018, Dr. O'Tierney-Ginn has served as the Chair of the Women in Medicine and Science (WiMS) committee (2021-2022), and is currently a member of the Research Executive Committee, Integration Stakeholder Committee and the Tufts Medicine Professional Group Leadership Team. A Research Associate Professor at Tufts University School of Medicine and the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Dr. O'Tierney-Ginn is the principal investigator on two NICHD R01 awards and two foundation grants supporting her joint "food is medicine" project with the Friedman School, and serves as Co-investigator on numerous other awards.
"Dr. O'Tierney-Ginn is deeply committed to leading exceptional science to improve the care provided to mothers and their babies, especially those from underserved communities.," said Helen Boucher, MD, Dean of Tufts University School of Medicine and Chief Academic Officer for Tufts Medicine. Her passion for maternal and neonatal research is unmatched, and her scientific acumen and natural leadership skills make her the ideal choice to continue to lead MIRI into the future."
Dr. O'Tierney-Ginn received her PhD from Queen's University in Canada and completed her postdoctoral training in fetal physiology at Oregon Health & Science University, where she was awarded a K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Grant from the NICHD to determine the degree to which maternal obesity alters placental fatty acid transport and metabolism.
