Chemistry

Researchers have found a new approach for reducing the number of loops (red) in a polymer. The method could offer an easy way for manufacturers of industrially useful materials such as plastics or gels to strengthen their materials.

New strategy produces stronger polymers

Simple technique cuts down on loops that weaken materials such as plastic and rubber.

April 24, 2017

“Giving back is very important to me,” MIT staff member Greg Walton says. “I’ve had so many people invest their time and energy into helping me and so many others, so for me, I feel it would be an injustice not to do so.” Here, Walton celebrates with his family after receiving a 2017 MIT Excellence Award.

Greg Walton: An inspirational story of success

Beloved IT service provider and consumer support engineer transformed a tough start into an award-winning career with MIT Information Systems and Technology.

April 11, 2017

A new safety test for foodborne pathogens is based on a novel type of liquid droplet that can bind to bacterial proteins. This interaction, which can be detected by either the naked eye or a smartphone, could offer a much faster and cheaper alternative to existing food safety tests.

New technology could offer cheaper, faster food testing

Specialized droplets interact with bacteria and can be analyzed using a smartphone.

April 5, 2017

Collaborative research by Bradley Pentelute, the Pfizer-Laubach Career Development Associate Professor in Chemistry, and scientists at UCLA and Harvard Medical School, used cryo-electron microscopy to understand the mechanisms behind anthrax bacteria toxin delivery system (shown here).

MIT receives $7.5 million to enhance structural biology research

Beckman Foundation grant helps secure cryo-electron microscopy at MIT.nano facility.

April 4, 2017

As part of a $35 million materials science discovery program, The Toyota Research Institute will support three MIT-affiliated projects directed at advancing technologies that underpin the future of mobility and autonomous systems and energy storage, such as rechargeable batteries used in hybrid and electric cars.

Multi-university effort will advance materials, define the future of mobility

With support from the Toyota Research Institute, MIT faculty will focus on next-generation energy storage.

April 3, 2017

Research scientist Bogdan Fedeles and postdoc Supawadee Chawanthayatham have discovered a mutational signature that reveals liver cell exposure to aflatoxin, a potent carcinogen.

Detecting mutations could lead to earlier liver cancer diagnosis

New technique can reveal exposure to aflatoxin, a potent carcinogen, before tumors develop.

March 27, 2017

Ellen Swallow Richards (back row, far left) stands in 1888 with students from the MIT Women’s Laboratory, which she founded in the previous year.

Scene at MIT: Ellen Swallow Richards leads the Woman's Laboratory

A trailblazing industrial and environmental chemist, Ellen Swallow Richards was MIT’s first female graduate and first female instructor.

March 21, 2017

Researchers at MIT have devised tiny “microlenses” from complex liquid droplets, such as these pictured here, that are comparable in size to the width of a human hair.

Scientists make microscopes from droplets

With chemistry and light, researchers can tune the focus of tiny beads of liquid.

March 10, 2017

AJAS attendees Jessica Frank (left) and Sriharshita Musunuri (right) chat with MIT Professor Phillip Sharp, former AAAS president and Nobel laureate.

Top high school researchers from across the nation meet at MIT

Talented high school researchers attending the annual AAAS/AJAS conference in Boston meet with MIT faculty.

March 8, 2017

MIT rates No. 1 in 12 subjects in 2017 QS World University Rankings

MIT ranked within the top 5 for 19 of 46 subject areas.

March 8, 2017

Clara Dresselhaus (left) and MIT graduate student Leora Cooper experience the red carpet at the 2017 Academy Awards, through sponsorship from GE. The women were invited to walk in honor of their grandmother, the late Mildred Dresselhaus, who starred in a recent GE campaign focused on supporting women in the STEM fields.

3Q: Leora Cooper on the legacy of her grandmother, Mildred Dresselhaus

After Dresselhaus’ recent passing, GE invited PhD candidate Leora Cooper to walk the red carpet at the 2017 Academy Awards in her grandmother's stead.

February 27, 2017

MIT researchers have designed a machine that can rapidly produce large quantities of customized peptides.

New technology offers fast peptide synthesis

Automated manufacturing could make it easier to develop and test new peptide drugs.

February 27, 2017

This high-resolution transmission electron micrograph of particles made by the research team shows the particles’ highly uniform size and shape. These are iron oxide particles just 3 nanometers across, coated with a zwitterion layer. Their small size means they can easily be cleared through the kidneys after injection.

A new contrast agent for MRI

New iron oxide nanoparticles could help avoid a rare side effect caused by current contrast agents.

February 14, 2017

MIT researchers have developed a portable technology, known as Seq-Well, that can rapidly prepare the RNA of many cells for sequencing simultaneously.

Making single-cell RNA sequencing widely available

Portable tool could help scientists learn more about cells’ roles in many diseases.

February 13, 2017

Left to right: Gabriela Schlau-Cohen, Rafael Jaramillo, David Hsu, Nuno Loureiro

New faculty strengthen, broaden MIT’s energy expertise

MIT's newest faculty bring a wide array of energy interests and developments to the Institute.

February 7, 2017

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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