RNA molecules are masters of their own destiny
Research suggests the products of transcription — RNA molecules — regulate their own production through a feedback loop.
Department
Chemistry
3 Questions: Using fabric to “listen” to space dust
Fabric samples are headed to the International Space Station for resiliency testing; possible applications include cosmic dust detectors or spacesuit smart skins.
Six MIT faculty elected 2020 AAAS Fellows
Choucri, Drennan, Fisher, Gershenfeld, Li, and Rus are recognized for their efforts to advance science.
Researchers decipher structure of promising battery materials
Family of compounds could someday be useful for fuel cells, supercapacitors, catalysts, and sensors.
Mary Frances Wagley, dedicated educator and the first woman to join the MIT Corporation, dies at 93
One of few female students in the 1940s, Wagley was also the Alumni Association’s first female president.
Chemists discover the structure of a key coronavirus protein
The protein, which acts as an ion channel, could be a target for new drugs against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Power-free system harnesses evaporation to keep items cool
Inspired by camel fur, a new two-layered material could provide extended cooling to preserve the freshness of perishable goods.
Universities should lead the way on climate action, MIT panelists say
An online symposium explores roles for research universities and outlines the Institute’s efforts to be a testbed for research and policy innovations.
Yogesh Surendranath wants to decarbonize our energy systems
By developing novel electrochemical reactions, he hopes to find new ways to generate energy and reduce greenhouse gases.
Institute Professor Emeritus Mario Molina, environmental leader and Nobel laureate, dies at 77
The atmospheric chemist shared the Nobel Prize for the discovery that chemicals known as CFCs deplete the ozone layer.
Three MIT alumni awarded 2020 MacArthur “genius” grants
Each recipient will receive a $625,000, no-strings-attached award.
A step toward a universal flu vaccine
With computer models and lab experiments, researchers are working on a strategy for vaccines that could protect against any influenza virus.
Cancer researchers collaborate, target DNA damage repair pathways for cancer therapy
MIT researchers find blocking the expression of the genes XPA and MK2 enhances the tumor-shrinking effects of platinum-based chemotherapies in p53-mutated cancers.
Making tuberculosis more susceptible to antibiotics
Shortening carbohydrates in the bacterial cell wall makes them more vulnerable to certain drugs.