The Somatic MutAtion Research Trainee (SMART) Journal Club was founded in 2023 by postdoctoral fellows at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard to foster a vibrant, cross-institutional community of trainees and researchers focused on somatic mutation.

Our mission is to bridge lab and institutional boundaries by connecting individuals who share a passion for somatic mutation science.

Each month, we invite the lead author of a recent high-impact somatic mutation paper to present their work and engage in discussion with the group. SMART also features work-in-progress talks by trainees, providing a space for sharing ideas and receiving feedback.

In addition to our regular journal clubs, we organize fall and spring semester happy hours and lead breakout sessions at the annual Broad Retreat—offering more opportunities to connect, collaborate, and communicate emerging ideas in the field.

Since its founding, the SMART community has grown to include over 100 members from leading somatic mutation labs across the Broad Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston Children’s Hospital, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

We are grateful for the generous support from the Broad Office of Academic Affairs and the many PIs who champion this initiative and help make SMART possible.