At the center of translational research, clinical care, and academic leadership, Dr. Gabriela Hobbs, MD is charting a more thoughtful path forward for people living with MPNs. Through collaboration and leadership, she’s transforming every resource into scientific discoveries.
“Research can look different in a lot of ways,” Dr. Gabriela Hobbs says with a knowing nod. She rarely works in the same location two days in a row. Her roles span Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Associate Physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Clinical Director of Leukemia at the Mass General Cancer Center. For Hobbs, research looks like graceful transitions between clinic, classroom, and cancer research leadership.
In front of an ever-changing backdrop, Hobbs holds space for conversations with patients and collaborations with colleagues. She is constantly seeking out ways to maximize the impact of every sample and every study.
Methodical innovator: Not reinventing, but refining
For Hobbs, innovation doesn’t always mean starting from scratch. She is a leader in the world of investigator-initiated trials (IITs), thriving at the intersection between patient care and clinical research as a physician-scientist.
Unlike pharmaceutical-initiated studies, IITs are designed and managed by researchers themselves. Funding is always a challenge, which means a pragmatic vision can make the most in these low-resource situations. Yet as Hobbs describes it, IITs are more agile and better aligned with real-world patient needs. Because they are clinician-driven, these studies often ask more practical, care-focused questions.
By leading IITs, Hobbs ensures her research advances science while directly informing patient care.
Compassionate communicator: Centering the patient in every trial
Whether discussing informed consent for research or explaining a rare diagnosis, Hobbs communicates clearly, calmly, and with compassion.
When speaking to patients about collecting samples for research or consenting them to participate in clinical trials, Hobbs doesn’t hide her dual role. “I have a bias,” she admits, explaining her identity as both a caring physician and sample-collecting scientist. She knows exactly how valuable each tissue collection is for advancing research — but she also knows “patients appreciate knowing the ‘doctor’ comes first.”
“I’m your doctor, no matter what,” she tells patients who decide whether to participate in clinical studies. It’s a simple line, but one that grounds even the most complex conversations in a shared understanding.
Stem cell transplant: Before, during, and after
Ever resourceful, Hobbs exemplifies how IIT investigators make the most of past research. Her 2024 MPN Challenge Award project focuses on treating myelofibrosis with hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). Rather than starting over, the study aims to improve the transplant experience by building on what’s already been done. Drawing on stored samples from a completed clinical trial, the team is working to better understand the full arc of transplantation.
“It’s a different type of organ transplant,” Hobbs prefaces before explaining the complexities of HSCTs. Donor cells are matched genetically, especially at key HLA markers, and patients undergo a conditioning process to prepare their bone marrow to accept new cells. After stem cells are received, the risk of complications like graft versus host disease, anemia, and engraftment failure means that care is taken at every step.
Her ongoing research examines whether using the widely prescribed JAK inhibitor ruxolitinib throughout the transplant process produces better outcomes. This research is based on the idea that the drug may help patients arrive at transplant in better shape, manage symptoms as the new marrow graft takes hold, and reduce spleen volume — a meaningful target linked to post-transplant survival.
To obtain this valuable information, in addition to testing ruxolitinib during the transplant period, she collected samples from patients throughout the study. By connecting these priceless biospecimens to patient outcomes, she’s refining our ability to predict success and provide transplant care.
Systems-level thinking: Improving referrals and patient selection
Despite promising trends in transplant outcomes, Hobbs is troubled by a persistent pattern she sees in clinical practice. “Most eligible patients are not referred for transplant,” she explains, “because physicians commonly assume that their patients aren’t eligible.”
She’s working to change that — not just by improving outcomes, but by challenging assumptions about who can benefit. Her recent publication in Annals of Hematology emphasizes that stem cell transplant is a safe and feasible option even for older adults with myelofibrosis. With modern supportive care and reduced intensity conditioning, there are more viable candidates than ever before.
Looking forward: Toward more individualized, less invasive care
Hobb’s translational research may be refining stem cell transplant today — but her vision for tomorrow is even bolder. She imagines a future where the growing cavalcade of available treatments “can prolong survival enough to make transplant unnecessary.”
“Sort of akin to CML,” she explains, “where we used to transplant everybody… and now we hardly transplant anybody.”
Whether she’s building consensus among colleagues, designing trials rooted in real-world care, or drawing insights from stored samples, Hobbs is making every piece count. Her goal isn’t just more research — it’s smarter research that leads to better answers, broader access, and care that never loses sight of the person behind the disease.
Written by: Amielle Moreno, PhD – MPN Research Foundation
Sources:
Wall, S. A., Tamari, R., DeFilipp, Z., & Hobbs, G. S. (2025). Optimization of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for patients with myelofibrosis treated with ruxolitinib: Eligibility, best practices, and improving transplant outcomes. Annals of Hematology, 104(4), 2125–2141. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00277-025-06270-9
