#  Alexander Lin 

Assistant Professor of Radiology, HMS

Clinical Spectroscopist at the Center for Clinical Spectroscopy, Brigham and Women's Hospital

 

 

 



   ![Alexander Link is holding a glass Young Mentor Award from 2014 that he received.](/sites/g/files/omnuum11411/files/styles/hwp_4_5__480x600/public/2026-05/60.Alexander-Lin-Questions.jpg?h=e86b123e&itok=_EjjrZIt) 

 



 





 

**What inspires or motivates you in your role at HMS?**  
The ability to translate cutting-edge research to patients provides me with daily inspiration and long-term motivation as the director of the Center for Clinical Spectroscopy. While few people recognize the word 'spectroscopy, our 'virtual biopsy' method enables clinicians to non-invasively measure the concentration of different chemicals throughout the brain and body. Our goal is to provide this technology to improve the diagnosis across a wide range of diseases including head injury, cancer, psychiatric disease, and metabolic disorders.

**Are there activities outside of your job at Harvard that you feel enrich or inform who you are as an individual at Harvard?**  
There is little question that I would not be where am nor have accomplished what I have without the strong support of my family. Being a father, husband, and son truly defines who I am as an individual and there is perhaps nothing more enriching than being part of raising two wonderful daughters, Ariel and Alexa, with my wife Amy (even our initials define who we are!). Having the appropriate balance between work and home life is very important to me. This is where a career as a scientist has its benefits providing flexible hours and unique opportunities that can be shared with the family.

**What is the significance of the object you brought with you to the photo shoot?**  
One of the professional achievements that 1 am most proud of was receiving the Young Mentor Award from the Office of Faculty Development and Diversity at Harvard Medical School. The award is most reflective of the truly generous mentors that I have had the great fortune of having in my life. My own mentoring is at least one way that I pay their efforts forward. I have also been fortunate to have great mentees from high school to medical students that have each taught me as much as I have taught them.



 

 

 



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- ## Person Categories
    
     [Dimensions](/person-categories/dimensions)
- ## Institution
    
     [Brigham and Women's Hospital](/institution/brigham-and-womens-hospital)