Matthew Shoulders named head of the Department of Chemistry
A leading researcher in protein folding biochemistry and next-generation protein engineering techniques will advance chemistry research and education.
Study finds key role for non-neural brain cells in processing vision
MIT researchers employed a novel application of tools and analysis to show that astrocytes ensure neural information processing by maintaining ambient levels of the neurotransmitter chemical GABA.
The first animals on Earth may have been sea sponges, study suggests
MIT researchers traced chemical fossils in ancient rocks to the ancestors of modern-day demosponges.
Inflammation jolts “sleeping” cancer cells awake, enabling them to multiply again
Chemotherapy-induced injury of organ tissue causes inflammation that awakens dormant cancer cells, which may cause new tumors to form.
Study finds cell memory can be more like a dimmer dial than an on/off switch
The findings may redefine how cell identity is established and enable the creation of more sophisticated engineered tissues.
A comprehensive cellular-resolution map of brain activity
An international collaboration of neuroscientists, including MIT Professor Ila Fiete, developed a brain-wide map of decision-making at cellular resolution in mice.
3 Questions: On biology and medicine’s “data revolution”
Professor Caroline Uhler discusses her work at the Schmidt Center, thorny problems in math, and the ongoing quest to understand some of the most complex interactions in biology.
Locally produced proteins help mitochondria function
Researchers developed an approach to study where proteins get made, and characterized proteins produced near mitochondria, gaining potential insights into mitochondrial function and disease.
Imaging tech promises deepest looks yet into living brain tissue at single-cell resolution
By combining several cutting-edge imaging technologies, a new microscope system could enable unprecedentedly deep and precise visualization of metabolic and neuronal activity, potentially even in humans.
Mapping cells in time and space: New tool reveals a detailed history of tumor growth
Researchers developed a tool to recreate cells’ family trees. Comparing cells’ lineages and locations within a tumor provided insights into factors shaping tumor growth.
How to more efficiently study complex treatment interactions
A new approach for testing multiple treatment combinations at once could help scientists develop drugs for cancer or genetic disorders.
Connect or reject: Extensive rewiring builds binocular vision in the brain
A first-of-its-kind study in mice shows neurons add and shed synapses at a frenzied pace during development to integrate visual signals from the two eyes.
New AI system uncovers hidden cell subtypes, boosts precision medicine
CellLENS reveals hidden patterns in cell behavior within tissues, offering deeper insights into cell heterogeneity — vital for advancing cancer immunotherapy.
New method combines imaging and sequencing to study gene function in intact tissue
The approach collects multiple types of imaging and sequencing data from the same cells, leading to new insights into mouse liver biology.
MIT engineers uncover a surprising reason why tissues are flexible or rigid
Watery fluid between cells plays a major role, offering new insights into how organs and tissues adapt to aging, diabetes, cancer, and more.