Cancer

This image shows triple-negative breast cancer cells with high levels of “Mena invasive” protein and treated with Paclitaxel. The cell cytoskeleton is shown in blue, the dynamic microtubules are shown in green, and the stable microtubules are shown in red.

Biomarker could help guide cancer therapy, avoid drug resistance

Biologists link levels of Mena protein to breast cancer cells’ sensitivity to chemotherapy.

November 22, 2016

When cells suffer DNA damage, there are several different pathways that can kick in to help repair it, depending on the type of damage. Cells from different people and different tumors vary greatly in their ability to repair DNA damage, and scientists have been pursuing measurements of this ability as a way to predict how patients will respond to DNA-damaging chemotherapy.

Predicting cancer cells’ response to chemotherapy

Measuring DNA repair capability can reveal tumors’ sensitivity to drugs.

November 2, 2016

T cells — immune cells that are targeted to find and destroy a particular antigen — are key to the adaptive immune response. In this image, the top row shows few T cells in untreated mice, while the bottom rows show many T cells produced after immunotherapy treatment.

Fighting cancer with the power of immunity

New treatment elicits two-pronged immune response that destroys tumors in mice.

October 24, 2016

Researchers have developed a novel way to test tumors for drug susceptibility. They successfully tested this approach with a very aggressive type of brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme and a type of blood cancer, pictured here in dark purple, known as acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

A new strategy for choosing cancer drugs

Device can predict tumor responses by measuring cell growth after drug exposure.

October 10, 2016

Nanosensors could help determine tumors’ ability to remodel tissue

Measuring enzyme levels could help doctors select appropriate treatments.

September 29, 2016

A new gene therapy technique being developed by researchers at MIT uses microRNAs — small noncoding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression — to control breast cancer metastasis.

Gene therapy technique may help prevent cancer metastasis

Gene-regulating RNA molecules could help treat early-stage breast cancer tumors before they spread.

September 19, 2016

High-capacity nanoparticle

Particles that carry three or more drugs hold potential for targeted cancer therapy.

September 14, 2016

A new technique invented at MIT can precisely measure the growth of many individual cells simultaneously. “The device provides new insights into how cells grow and respond to drugs,” MIT professor Scott Manalis says.

Microchip enables fast, precise measurement of single-cell growth

Device that measures growth of many individual cells simultaneously could lead to rapid tests for antibiotics.

September 5, 2016

MIT researchers have added an extra layer of control to the CRISPR gene-editing approach, by making the system responsive to light.

Using light to control genome editing

New technique offers precise manipulation of when and where genes are targeted.

August 25, 2016

“I love to work on new ideas and develop new kinds of tools to tackle basic questions,” says PhD student Tim Wang.

Targeting genes by the thousands

PhD student Tim Wang uses CRISPR to take a big-picture approach to cancer research.

August 2, 2016

In humans and most other organisms, a circadian clock governed by light regulates the timing of key aspects of human physiology, by controlling cellular activities such as metabolism and division.

Why working the night shift can pose a cancer risk

New study reveals a link between circadian clock disruption and tumor growth.

July 28, 2016

Researchers at MIT are developing an adhesive patch that can stick to a tumor site, either before or after surgery. The patch delivers a triple-combination of drug, gene, and photo (light-based) therapy via specially designed nanospheres and nanorods, shown here attacking a tumor cell.

Patch that delivers drug, gene, and light-based therapy to tumor sites shows promising results

In mice, device destroyed colorectal tumors and prevented remission after surgery.

July 25, 2016

Researchers at MIT and the University of California at San Diego have delivered artificial genetic circuits into bacteria, allowing the microbes to kill cancer cells in three different ways. Here, an image of a motherboard has been micropatterned using programmable probiotic bacteria. The bright lines are composed of dots made of bacteria. This technique was developed in the lab of MIT professor S...

Cancer-fighting bacteria

Engineers program E. coli to destroy tumor cells.

July 20, 2016

MIT researchers discovered that certain genes in endometrial cancer are inactivated in only some parts of the tumor. Tumor suppressor ARID1A is expressed in the primary tumor (left, brown staining) but not in its paired metastasis (right).

Study sheds light on role of mutations in metastasized cancer

Researchers identify genes that mutate in endometrial cancer, create a family tree describing the evolutionary history of the disease.

July 5, 2016

A photo of three microfluidic devices filled with food color dyes. The device, about the size of a credit card, is designed to help scientists narrow in on safe ranges of electric fields that might be used to noninvasively treat breast, lung, and other forms of cancer.

New microfluidic device offers means for studying electric field cancer therapy

Low-intensity fields keep malignant cells from spreading, while preserving healthy cells.