Aid for Scientists Will Change Lives

When Heber Nielsen was starting out in maternal-fetal research, he didn’t yet know how to navigate grant applications or secure the support that makes discovery possible. A mentor nominated him for a fellowship, which he won—and which carried him through the challenging early years. That boost left a profound imprint, setting him on a decades-long course of research, mentorship, and care for vulnerable infants. 

“The fellowship made getting started feel like a small step instead of a giant leap,” said Nielsen, professor emeritus of pediatrics at Tufts University School of Medicine and former member of the division of newborn medicine at Tufts Medical Center. 

Wanting to provide the same kind of support he once relied on, Nielsen, along with his wife, created the Heber C. Nielsen, M.D., MSDS, and Carolyn J. Nielsen Fellowship. The endowed fund covers tuition and fees for a second- or third-year PhD student at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. The couple’s hope: to attract exceptional young scientists, keep education accessible regardless of means, and help Tufts advance biomedical discoveries that ultimately change lives. 

“For several years, I’d thought about making a contribution back to Tufts,” said Nielsen. “It seemed like the best way to say thank you for the opportunity I’ve had to teach students and advance research that ultimately benefits children.” 

The Nielsens chose to focus their support on PhD students just starting out because the first stretch of doctoral training is so formative. “It’s when emerging researchers begin to see how their curiosity can evolve into concrete projects and long-term impact,” Nielsen said. The couple hopes that lifting the financial burden at the beginning will free students to take intellectual risks and enable them to build the skills that turn ideas into breakthroughs. As Nielsen put it, “We wanted to help make the first step a little smaller for students.” 

GSBS Dean Michael Chin believes gifts like this one from the Nielsens reach far beyond individual tuition bills. “Supporting these early years allows students to explore ideas that can transform human health,” he said. “It means the next generation of scientists can focus on their work. That’s an investment in possibility and in a healthier future for all of us.” 

The Nielsens see their fellowship as a way to strengthen not just individual careers, but the entire Tufts community of researchers, educators, and patients who ultimately benefit from new discoveries. “There’s certainly joy in knowledge for its own sake,” Nielsen said. “But it means even more when it’s about people and when it helps build something lasting for those who come next.”