Probing how proteins pair up inside cells
MIT biologists drilled down into how proteins recognize and bind to one another, informing drug treatments for cancer.
In Down syndrome cells, genome-wide disruptions mimic a senescence-like state
Extra chromosome alters chromosomal conformation and DNA accessibility in neural progenitor cells; study establishes senescence as a potentially targetable mechanism for future treatment.
Differences in T cells’ functional states determine resistance to cancer therapy
Researchers decipher when and why immune cells fail to respond to immunotherapy, and suggest that T cells need a different kind of prodding in order to re-engage the immune response.
Engineers devise a way to selectively turn on RNA therapies in human cells
A new RNA-based control switch could be used to trigger production of therapeutic proteins to treat cancer or other diseases.
Volta Labs: Improving workflows for genetic applications
Udayan Umapathi SM ’17 and Will Langford SM ’14, PhD ’19 are co-founders of a Media Lab spinoff building a full-stack platform to enable automation for genomics and genetic engineering.
Zeroing in on the origins of Earth’s “single most important evolutionary innovation”
A new study shows oxygenic photosynthesis likely evolved between 3.4 and 2.9 billion years ago.
Research collaboration puts climate-resilient crops in sight
MIT professors Dave Des Marais and Caroline Uhler combine plant biology and machine learning to identify genetic roots of plant responses to environmental stress.
New programmable gene editing proteins found outside of CRISPR systems
Researchers find RNA-guided enzymes are more diverse and widespread than previously believed.
A pivot from accounting to neuroscience
Through a summer research program at MIT, Patricia Pujols explored the neuromuscular junction, and a future in science.
Katie Galloway receives NIH award to develop foundational tools for cellular engineering
Using a combination of stem cell biology, systems biology, synthetic biology, and chromatin engineering, the Galloway lab will define the molecular regulatory rules of cell-fate transitions.
Queen of hearts
Professor Laurie Boyer studies cardiac development, and how we might be able to mend broken hearts.
Could all your digital photos be stored as DNA?
A technique for labeling and retrieving DNA data files from a large pool could help make DNA data storage feasible.
A comprehensive map of the SARS-CoV-2 genome
MIT researchers have determined the virus’ protein-coding gene set and analyzed new mutations’ likelihood of helping the virus adapt.
Accelerating the pace of engineered cell therapies, from lab to bedside
Kytopen is speeding up both discovery and delivery of engineered cell therapies with its transformative Flowfect platforms.
Biologists discover a trigger for cell extrusion
Study suggests this process for eliminating unneeded cells may also protect against cancer.