In an article for Science, Jocelyn Kaiser writes about how Prof. Robert Weinberg’s company, Verastem Inc., is starting a new round of clinical trials to test the theory that by targeting cancer stem cells, the disease can be controlled.
Rebecca Jacobson of the PBS NewsHour reports that MIT researchers have developed a new technique to enlarge tissue samples, allowing scientists to create high-resolution images of specimens. Prof. Ed Boyden explains that “now you can see tiny structures with your own eyes.”
Carolyn Johnson of The Boston Globe writes that MIT researchers have developed a new way to enlarge microscopic lab samples to allow for more-detailed imaging of brain cells. The new technique “may offer an inexpensive way for people to examine fine cellular structures at a detailed level using off-the-shelf ingredients.”
A team of MIT researchers has devised a new method for obtaining super-high resolution images from lab microscopes, writes Malcolm Ritter for the AP. The researchers found that by permeating a tissue sample with a specialized version of sodium polyacrylate they were able to enlarge the sample, making them easier to image.
Using high-speed cameras, MIT researchers have captured how the smell of rain is released into the air, the BBC reports. “The results may help to explain how some soil-based diseases are spread and the authors are now studying whether contaminants such as E. coli can be spread significantly via rainfall,” the BBC explains.
Sloan Lecturer Andrew Yap writes for WBUR’s Cognoscenti about how managers can avoid putting too much or too little stress on their employees. “Cultivating a work environment of energized employees thriving on ‘just the right amount of stress’ requires a deft touch,” Yap explains.
The MIT Innovation Initiative will welcome former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick as a visiting innovation fellow this spring, writes Steve Annear for Boston Magazine.
Dennis Keohane of BetaBoston writes that Gov. Deval Patrick will be joining the MIT Innovation Initiative as a visiting innovation fellow. “The role entails Patrick taking part in a variety of events on MIT’s Cambridge campus, engaging with students and faculty on issues such as policymaking, entrepreneurship, and innovation-based growth,” writes Keohane.
Professor Erik Brynjolfsson speaks with Tom Ashbrook of WBUR’s On Point about the future of the American workforce as new technologies automate jobs traditionally performed by people. “People get a lot of value out of work beyond the paycheck,” says Brynjolfsson. “We’re looking at ways to keep people working.”
According to the Associated Press, “former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has signed on to be a visiting fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.” Patrick, who left office after two terms, will be joining MIT’s Innovation Initiative.
Former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has accepted a position as a visiting fellow with the MIT Innovation initiative, reports Matt Stout of the Boston Herald. “We want to think through with the governor, what are the big issues shaping the innovation economy?” says Professor Fiona Murray, associate dean for innovation.
Jen Christensen reports for CNN on new research by Professor John Gabrieli that finds that brain scans can help to determine the best treatment for a given patient. "With this kind of science, we don't have to wait for a failure," explains Gabrieli. "We know what will be the best fit."
Boston Globe reporter David Scharfenberg writes that Gov. Deval Patrick has joined the MIT Innovation Initiative. Associate Dean for Innovation Fiona Murray explains that “having the right kinds of policies and programs in place to enable people to actually be effective innovators and entrepreneurs really matters.”
A study by co-authored by a team of MIT economists found that financial aid boosts enrollment and persistence, reports Inside Higher Ed. The researchers found that “the effects of the aid in encouraging enrollment and boosting persistence were especially pronounced among nonwhite students and students with lower grade point averages and standardized test scores.”
Gary Beach writes for The Wall Street Journal about Professor Erik Brynjolfsson’s predictions on how technology will change the workforce. “I wouldn’t be surprised if one-third, or more, jobs were eliminated by new technologies in the next decade,” says Brynjolfsson. “Millions of new jobs, however, will be created.”