About Us
Who Is HIRO?
We’re a Hospital Integrated Research Organization and regulatory-grade RWE platform, embedded within a world leading academic research center. We provide streamlined operational solutions, strategy, and insight to keep clinical research and therapeutic breakthroughs moving forward.
Contact HIRO
We’re on a Mission to Accelerate Your Therapeutic Ambition by Unleashing the Scientific Power of World-Class AMCs
Founded in 2024 within the Mass General Brigham system, our team of experts empowers better outcomes in AMC-based research by combining operational excellence and high-fidelity data. We’re a first-of-its-kind organization with unique access to connect sponsors to the top global clinicians who deliver life-saving therapies, the researchers who discover those therapies, and the patients who need them most.
Meet our Team
Chris Herrick, MBA
VP, Research Technology
Christopher Herrick oversees the design and delivery of scalable research infrastructure—from multimodal RWD platforms to study startup operations. With over a decade at MGB, Chris blends technical expertise and strategic vision to streamline clinical trials and research through early feasibility, site engagement, and operational alignment.
Ye Chin Lee, MBA,
VP, Strategic Operations & Administration
Ye Chin Lee, Vice President for Strategic Operations & Administration is a healthcare executive with 20+ years leading research, operations, and business transformation. She brings deep expertise in aligning operations and finance to scale partnerships, streamline delivery, and generate high-impact results across clinical research and innovation.
Shawn Murphy, MD, PhD,
Chief Research Information Officer
Shawn N. Murphy, MD, PhD co-founded and directs key informatics platforms including the Research Patient Data Registry (RPDR) and i2b2, enabling scalable, audit-ready clinical data access across millions of patient records. As Executive Sponsor of HIRO, Dr. Murphy champions the integration of multimodal data and clinical expertise to drive trusted, real-world evidence generation.
Tom Arneman
Business Development Lead
Tom is a healthcare technology business builder and thought leader creating value at the intersection of patients, manufacturers, and providers. Tom’s experience includes a combination of building companies from scratch and expanding the healthcare footprint of leading multinationals.
Greg Belsky
Data Engineer
Greg is an experienced Data Engineer specializing in data integrity across clinical and operational systems, proficient in SQL, Snowflake, and HIPAA-compliant cloud platforms. He integrates EHR data to support research, reporting, and value-based care, driven by a passion for improving patient outcomes through data-informed insights.
Wendy Bossons
Software Engineer
Wendy is a Software Engineer with deep experience in startups and enterprise software teams. Over the past 10 years at MGB, she has combined strong technical expertise with a customer-focused mindset, delivering reliable, user-centered solutions through effective cross-functional communication across teams and technologies.
Tiffany Bui
Project Manager
Tiffany drives sponsored clinical research forward by overseeing deliverables, meeting milestones, and streamlining operations across stakeholders. As a key liaison, she champions collaboration—supporting study sites and sponsors in navigating the complexities of clinical research, applying over a decade of experience in healthcare research and public health.
Yichuan Grace Hsieh, PhD, RN
Director of Data Science and Analytics
Dr. Hsieh leads transformative clinical research efforts through advanced analytics, focusing on scaling data science capabilities to support real-world evidence (RWE) studies. She leverages multimodal data and operational excellence to drive healthcare innovation, spearheading initiatives that enhance research impact and optimize program operations.
Dawei Jiang
Senior Clinical Research Coordinator
Dawei coordinates HIRO’s new study intake and patient cohort analysis, leads regulatory reviews of study protocols, and spearheads process improvement efforts to optimize workflow efficiency. With a background in molecular biology, Dawei brings diverse experience across multiple medical research fields.
Tran Le
Data Scientist
Tran Le, PhD, is a data scientist with expertise in machine learning and healthcare analytics. She supports research projects by ensuring data quality, regulatory compliance, and technical readiness. Tran develops and evaluates predictive models to generate insights and inform decision-making across healthcare initiatives.
Molly Macfarlane
Senior Lead, Strategic Accounts
Molly is the Senior Lead of Strategic Accounts at MGB HIRO, advancing collaborative sponsor-site partnerships in real world evidence and clinical trials. With over six years at MGB and prior experience in management consulting and corporate finance, she brings a client-focused, data-driven approach to fostering strategic, cross-functional collaborations.
Conor O’Brien
Managing Director
Conor provides strategic leadership across clinical research operations, workforce development, and quality improvement initiatives. With over 25 years of experience in clinical research, he directs efforts to accelerate trial startup, improve sponsor collaboration, and streamline research workflows. Conor also oversees team building and systems design, ensuring impactful results across complex healthcare research environments.
Martin Rees
Technical Architect
Martin has many years of experience in developing systems that assist in clinical research, specializing in large-scale systems that store and process clinical documentation. Recently, Martin has been investigating how AI can be used to answer clinical questions when provided with relevant information extracted from a document storage system.
Carola Roeder
Executive Assistant
Carola, Executive Assistant, supports clinical research and innovation leadership. She has deep experience in healthcare administration, ensuring seamless coordination, scheduling, and operational support for cross-functional teams advancing cutting-edge research, strategic initiatives, and organizational excellence in a complex academic medical environment.
Maria Elena Villanova
Sr Program Manager, Finance and Administration
Maria Elena oversees contracting and budgeting processes in collaboration with sponsors and internal stakeholders. With 5+ years at MGB and a background in client relationship management and navigating complex negotiations, she brings a collaborative, solution-driven approach that positively impacts this vital component of the clinical research start-up process.
15
Hospitals
5 Nationally-ranked,
2 World-renowned AMCs
2.6M
Patients treated
annually
7.5K
Physicians,
among 80,000+
employees
>3.7K
Concurrent
clinical trials
$2.9B
Annual funding for
academic research