Listening in on single cells
A novel sensor array is the first to detect single molecules produced by living cells.
A new way to build membranes for fuel cells
Layer-by-layer assembly system could lead to improved fuel cells, batteries and solar panels
New ‘nanoburrs’ could help fight heart disease
Targeted nanoparticles can home in on damaged vascular tissue and may be used to deliver drugs that help clear arteries
New and improved RNA interference
Researchers use RNA interference to silence multiple genes at once. The advance, which one expert calls a ‘substantial breakthrough,’ could lead to new treatments for liver diseases.
A greener way to get electricity from natural gas
A proposed system would use solid-oxide fuel cells to produce power without sending CO2 into the atmosphere. But can it compete with conventional power plants?
Astronaut and orthopedic surgeon Bobby Satcher tweets his NASA mission
The shuttle Atlantis brought seven astronauts including Robert Satcher ’86, PhD ’93, an orthopedic surgeon who tweeted through space, back to Earth on Nov. 27, after a 11-day NASA mission to stock the International Space Station.
One word: bioplastics
At a new plant in Iowa, MIT-rooted technology will use bacteria to turn corn into biodegradable plastics.
Nanoparticles for gene therapy improve
MIT team’s nanoparticles could become a safer alternative to gene therapy delivered by viruses.
Energy researchers find Obama an eager student
In the President's visit to MIT labs he showed keen interest, quick understanding and warm appreciation, say his hosts
Deshpande Center's latest funding cycle supports goal of 'idea to impact'
Since 2002, the Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation has funded more than 80 projects with over $9 M in grants. The center supports a wide range of emerging technologies including biotechnology, biomedical devices, information technology, new materials, tiny tech, and energy innovations. Eighteen projects have spun out of the center as independent startups, having collectively raised over $150 million in outside financing from investors.
Fuel cells get a boost
Creating tiny steps to electrode surfaces can double the efficiency of the emissions-free electricity sources, MIT researchers find.