School of Science welcomes new faculty in 2023
Sixteen professors join the departments of Biology; Chemistry; Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences; Mathematics; and Physics.
Department
Biology
Study explains why certain immunotherapies don’t always work as predicted
The findings could help doctors identify cancer patients who would benefit the most from drugs called checkpoint blockade inhibitors.
Study connects neural gene expression differences to functional distinctions
Researchers compared a pair of superficially similar motor neurons in fruit flies to examine how their differing use of the same genome produced distinctions in form and function.
Summer research offers a springboard to advanced studies
Three graduate students forged a path to the same Picower Institute lab through participating in the MIT Summer Research Program in Biology and Neuroscience.
Study explains how part of the nucleolus evolved
A single protein can self-assemble to build the scaffold for a biomolecular condensate that makes up a key nucleolar compartment.
Freeman Hrabowski encourages students to “hold fast to dreams” and take time for laughter
In a visit to MIT, the educator and author led a lively and inspiring Q&A with students.
Fourteen MIT School of Science professors receive tenure for 2022 and 2023
Faculty members were recently granted tenure in the departments of Biology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Chemistry, EAPS, and Physics.
Remembering Stephen Goldman, “an institution” at MIT
Faculty and staff recall Goldman’s unending commitment to his work for more than three decades.
A cool path to disease deceleration
MIT PhD student Kathrin Kajderowicz is studying how hibernation-like states could pave the way for new hypothermic therapies.
Study finds a surprising new role for a major immune regulator
In addition to turning on genes involved in cell defense, the STING protein also acts as an ion channel, allowing it to control a wide variety of immune responses.
Helping to fill in gaps in urology research for female patients
Biologist Nicole De Nisco ’07, PhD ’13 draws on her love of problem-solving and interdisciplinary skills honed as a student at MIT.
Making sense of cell fate
MIT researchers find timing and dosage of DNA-damaging drugs are key to whether a cancer cell dies or enters senescence.
Brady Weissbourd named Klingenstein-Simons Fellow
Three-year fellowship will support Weissbourd’s research on how the C. hemisphaerica jellyfish survives and thrives by constantly making new neurons.
Probe expands understanding of oral cavity homeostasis
A new approach opens the door to a greater understanding of protein-microbe interactions.
It takes three to tango: transcription factors bind DNA, protein, and RNA
Whitehead Institute researchers find many transcription factors bind RNA, which fine-tunes their regulation of gene expression, suggesting new therapeutic opportunities.