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Looking Ahead: Predictions for Science and Medicine in 2026

As we turn the page on 2025 and step into a new year of possibilities, we asked leading researchers at Mass General Brigham to share their insights on what the future might hold for science and medicine.

From groundbreaking discoveries in AI to transformative innovations in cancer and cardiovascular disease, these experts highlight the scientific advancements that could shape healthcare in 2026. Below are their top predictions for scientific breakthroughs and trends expected to make an impact in the coming year.

View predictions from other research areas:

Hugo Aerts, PhD

"In 2026, medical AI will move from the ‘Peak of Inflated Expectations’ to the early ‘Slope of Enlightenment’ on the Gartner Hype Cycle—a sign that hype is giving way to reality. As real-world evidence grows, many AI tools will fall short of expectations, exposing issues like bias and workflow fit. This reckoning will be healthy, separating hype from substance and accelerating clinically validated, trustworthy AI systems."

Hugo Aerts, PhD
Investigator
Mass General Brigham

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"Human cellular models will become the backbone of precision neurology. Advances now allow us to study how genetic background influences disease and to measure therapeutic response in human-relevant systems, fundamentally transforming how we assess efficacy, stratify patients, and reduce risks in the clinical translation of new therapeutics."

Tracy Young Pearse, PhD
Investigator
Mass General Brigham

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"In 2026, larger clinical trials will test how epigenetic clocks and other aging biomarkers respond to interventions. These studies will reveal whether observed changes reflect true biological improvement, guiding strategies to promote healthy aging."


Jesse Poganik, PhD
Investigator
Mass General Brigham

Peter van Galen, PhD

"We’ll see major progress in understanding the links between aging and cancer—why aging is the main risk factor, why younger and older patients respond differently to treatment, and how cell biology can improve responses across age groups."

Peter van Galen, PhD
Investigator
Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute

Emily Shou Wai Lau, MD, MPH headshot

"By 2026, I predict that we will be able to characterize women’s cardiovascular risk with more biological precision, particularly around how adverse pregnancy outcomes and the menopause transition alter vascular biology and cardiometabolic pathways. I hope to see early trials and cohort studies that explicitly incorporate reproductive history, menopause status, and a focused panel of biomarkers into risk stratification, moving beyond traditional 'one-size-fits-all' algorithms. Together, these advances can lay the groundwork for more tailored prevention strategies in women’s heart health."

Emily Lau, MD
Physician Investigator
Heart and Vascular Institute

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"Next-generation spatial technologies will map every cell in human tissue with unprecedented detail, revealing how cellular neighborhoods influence function. Applying AI to these maps will unlock hidden patterns and pathways, transforming our understanding of tissue organization in health and disease."

David Ting, MD, PhD
Scientific Director
Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute

Pradeep Natarajan, MD, MMSc

"As datasets expand to include sociodemographic, environmental, clinical, imaging, and molecular features, new data science methods will model these complex interconnections—deepening our understanding of cardiovascular disease and guiding strategies to maximize wellbeing and health span."

Pradeep Natarajan, MD, PhD
Physician Investigator
Heart and Vascular Institute

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"2026 will bring a surge of ingenuity and creativity across science and medicine. The challenges and uncertainties of 2025 will spark bold solutions and transformative breakthroughs. Next year offers a unique opportunity to demonstrate resilience and advance discoveries that make a lasting impact on population health."

Fabrisia Ambrosio, PhD
Investigator
Mass General Brigham

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"Advances in de novo protein design are opening the door to entirely new possibilities. In the coming year, we expect to see enzymes with functions that do not exist in nature, designed from scratch to perform tasks evolution never created. These innovations could lead to breakthroughs in sustainable chemistry, medicine, and materials science, showing how biology can be engineered to solve problems in completely new ways."

Jonathan Strecker, PhD
Investigator
Mass General Brigham