The institute was founded to seize the opportunity that arose from the Human Genome Project -- the international effort that successfully deciphered the entire human genetic code. Despite that accomplishment, scientists knew they still lacked a clear understanding of the genetic basis of disease, and how to translate that understanding into more effective prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

To reach these goals, it was clear that a new type of research institution had to be created. The traditional academic model of individual laboratories working within their specific disciplines was not designed to meet the emerging challenges of biomedicine. To gain a comprehensive view of the human genome and biological systems, they instead had to work in a highly integrated fashion.

That meant working in nimble teams that combined biology, chemistry, mathematics, computation, and engineering with medical science and clinical research. It also meant working at a scale usually seen in industry, with access to world-class infrastructure. At the same time, this institution had to foster an atmosphere of creativity, risk-taking, and open sharing of data and research. Finally, this new model needed to seek collaborations beyond its borders.  

Broad Institute is an “experiment” in this new way of doing science. It spans some of Boston’s leading institutions (Harvard, MIT, and Harvard-affiliated hospitals) and scientific disciplines (biology, chemistry, medicine, computer science, and engineering). Today, the Broad community includes more than three thousand scientists, committed to advancing research in areas including infectious disease, cancer, psychiatric research, and cardiovascular disease.

Embedded in this new approach to doing science, are our values including:

• Propelling the understanding and treatment of disease
  Broad Institute is empowering a revolution in biomedicine to accelerate the pace at which the world conquers disease.
• Collaborating deeply
  Broad Institute is a mission-driven community that brings together researchers in medicine, biology, chemistry, computation, engineering, and mathematics from across MIT, Harvard, and the Harvard-affiliated hospitals, along with collaborators around the world.
• Reaching globally
  Broad Institute is committed to addressing medical challenges across the world, including collaborating with scientists and public health experts to address important needs in developing countries
• Empowering scientists
  Broad Institute fosters an environment in which scientists can take risks on bold ideas with transformative potential.
• Building partnerships
  Broad Institute works to build and sustain international consortia to speed discovery in areas including psychiatric research, infectious disease, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
• Sharing data and knowledge
  Broad Institute is committed to making the extensive data, methods, and technologies it generates rapidly and readily accessible to the scientific community to drive biomedical progress around the world.
  (Read about our principles for disseminating scientific innovations)
• Promoting inclusion
  Broad Institute believes that progress in biomedical research requires a fully inclusive community across sex, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, and gender identity.