Cancer

MIT engineers have designed nanoparticles that can be attached to T cells and release T-cell-stimulating molecules called cytokines (yellow spheres). These cytokines activate T cells (blue) to attack nearby tumor cells.

Nanoparticles give immune cells a boost

Drugs carried in cellular “backpacks” help T cells to destroy tumors.

July 9, 2018

This osteosarcoma cell appears with DNA in blue, mitochondria in yellow, and actin filaments in purple.

Restricting a key cellular nutrient could slow tumor growth

Researchers identify the amino acid aspartate as a metabolic limitation in certain cancers.

June 28, 2018

Great progress has been made in reducing the cancer death toll through better prevention and screening, according to a new article by MIT Professor Emerita Nancy Hopkins and colleagues.

3Q: Nancy Hopkins on the impact and potential of cancer prevention

Mechanism-based cancer prevention is poised to further decrease the numbers of U.S. cancer deaths, says MIT professor emerita.

June 25, 2018

This image shows pancreatic cancer cells (nuclei in blue) growing as a sphere encased in membranes (red).

Biologists discover how pancreatic tumors lead to weight loss

Shortfall of digestive enzymes can lead to tissue breakdown in early stages of pancreatic cancer.

June 20, 2018

MIT researchers have designed brain-tumor-targeting nanoparticles that can carry two different drugs, one in the core and one in the outer shell.

Tiny particles could help fight brain cancer

Nanoparticles carrying two drugs can cross the blood-brain barrier and shrink glioblastoma tumors.

May 24, 2018

Intestinal stem cells from mice that fasted for 24 hours, at right, produced much more substantial intestinal organoids than stem cells from mice that did not fast, at left.

Fasting boosts stem cells’ regenerative capacity

A drug treatment that mimics fasting can also provide the same benefit, study finds.

May 3, 2018

Perioperative NSAIDs may prevent early metastatic relapse in post-surgical breast cancer patients

Mouse study links early metastasis to systemic inflammation caused by wound healing.

April 11, 2018

MIT researchers have developed a way to measure white blood cell levels by imaging the cells as they flow through capillaries at the base of the fingernail. In these images, the white blood cells are marked by crosses.

Monitor detects dangerously low white blood cell levels

Technology could help prevent life-threatening infections in patients receiving chemotherapy.

April 2, 2018

Timothy Lu's early interest in computer programming was inspired by his father, who worked as an electrical engineer at IBM.

Timothy Lu seeks to combat disease by reprogramming biological systems

Synthetic biologist hopes to develop treatments for cancer and other diseases.

March 4, 2018

A collection of SHERLOCK paper test strips. (Left) Unused paper strips, (middle) paper tests displaying a negative SHERLOCK readout, and (right) paper tests displaying a positive SHERLOCK readout.

Researchers advance CRISPR-based tool for diagnosing disease

With SHERLOCK, a strip of paper can now indicate presence of pathogens, tumor DNA, or any genetic signature of interest.

February 15, 2018

Graduate student James Hermus demonstrates a production robot based on the original MIT-MANUS design in the Eric P. and Evelyn E. Newman Laboratory for Biomechanics and Human Rehabilitation. The robot, which helps stroke victims recover and regain mobility, represents one of the many ways MIT's mechanical engineering researchers are working to improve health care.

Understanding and treating disease

Mechanical engineering researchers are developing new and innovative ways to improve health care.

February 2, 2018

Five cancer researchers make up the MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine’s founding faculty. Left to right: Angela Koehler, Michael Hemann, Michael Yaffe (director), Forest White, and Matthew Vander Heiden.

Fine-tuning cancer medicine

New cancer research initiative eyes individualized treatment for patients.

February 1, 2018

MIT biologists have designed a new peptide that can disrupt a key protein that many types of cancers, including some forms of lymphoma, leukemia, and breast cancer, need to survive.

Biologists’ new peptide could fight many cancers

Drug that targets a key cancer protein could combat leukemia and other types of cancer.

January 15, 2018

Ryan Kohn, a PhD candidate in the MIT Biology Department’s Jacks Lab, holds a photo of his son, Jayden.

The need to know

Driven by curiosity, former auto mechanic Ryan Kohn now pursues a PhD in biology.

December 18, 2017

Through a Bridge Project collaboration with David Weinstock (left) of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), and MIT Professor Scott Manalis (center), cell-weighing technology is being evaluated in a clinical laboratory at DFCI. MIT visiting scientist Mark Stevens is pictured at right.

Over the river and do some good

The Bridge Project collaboration accelerates new, highly original, and powerful approaches to defeating cancer.

November 22, 2017

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