Chemical engineering

Researchers at MIT have developed microscopic devices that “can travel autonomously through the blood and provide electrical stimulation to precise brain regions,” and could one day be used to treat brain diseases, mental illness, or other parts of the body, reports Zoe Kriegler for Medical Design & Outsourcing. The development of microscopic wireless electronic devices (SWEDs) could “eliminate the need for brain surgery in some cases, decreasing the risk to the patient and the expense of the procedure by hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Kriegler explains. 

Prof. Deblina Sarkar speaks with Forbes reporter William A. Haseltine about her work developing “circulatronics,” microscopic electronics devices that could one day be used to help treat brain diseases. “What we have developed are tiny electronic devices that can travel through body fluids and autonomously find their target regions, with no external guidance or imaging,” explains Sarkar. “They provide very precise electrical stimulation of neurons without the need for surgery.” 

Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Maggie Prosser spotlights senior Alice Hall, who was selected as one of the 2026 Rhodes Scholars. “Never stop trying to learn, especially from the people around you,” says Hall. “You don’t have to be a Rhodes scholar to change the world. Just be yourself.” 

Vivian Chinoda '25, Alice Hall, Sofia Lara, and Sophia Wang '24 have been named 2026 Rhodes Scholars, reports Michael Nietzel for Forbes. “This class of U.S .Rhodes Scholars will pursue studies across the social sciences, humanities, and biological and physical sciences,” writes Nietzel. 

Boston 25 spotlights Vivian Chinoda '25, Alice Hall, Sofia Lara, and Sophia Wang '24 who have been named 2026 Rhodes Scholars. “The students will attend the University of Oxford as part of the Rhodes scholar program, which awards more than 100 scholarships worldwide each year for students to pursue two to three years of graduate studies.”

Vivian Chinoda '25, Alice Hall, Sofia Lara, and Sophia Wang '24 have been selected as 2026 Rhodes Scholars, reports Lila Hempel-Edgers for The Boston Globe. “It’s just a thrill and an inspiration to meet each one of them,” said Prof. Nancy Kanwisher, who co-chairs MIT’s Presidential Committee on Distinguished Fellowships. “You just can’t believe how accomplished they are and how thoughtful they are about the major problems facing the world.”

In her forthcoming book, “Phenomenal Moments: Revealing the Hidden Science Around Us,” MIT Research Scientist and science photographer Felice Frankel encourages readers to search for science everywhere, while highlighting the beauty of science. The photographs “challenge readers to deduce the underlying chemical, natural, or physical processes at play.” 

MIT researchers have developed a new model that illustrates the chemical mechanisms underlying lithium-ion batteries, reports Gayoung Lee for Gizmodo. The findings could “lead to faster, more efficient batteries for electric vehicles, portable electronics, and more.”

Forbes reporter Geri Stengel spotlights Black Opal Ventures, a women-led venture capital investment firm, founded by Tara Bishop '97 and Eileen Tanghal '97. “Whenever you see venture capital and tech, there are very few women,” says Tanghal. “It’s been my passion to bring more women into the venture capital ecosystem.”

Boon Uranukul PhD '19 co-founded Terra Oleo, a startup working to “develop microbes that can transform agricultural waste into a variety of oils,” reports Tim De Chant for TechCrunch. “The company selected three yeast species based on the microbes’ abilities to produce certain oils when fed with organic waste, including from agriculture and biodiesel production,” explains de Chant. “It then used genetic and metabolic engineering to boost and tune their ability to produce certain fats and triglycerides.” 

Researchers at MIT have developed a new nutrient fortification process “to deliver essential nutrients such as iron and iodine in foods and drinks,” reports Ben Cornwell for New Food Magazine. “With around two billion people worldwide suffering from iron deficiency, which can lead to anemia, impaired brain development in children and higher infant mortality, this solution from MIT could address a major global issue,” writes Cornwell. 

Interesting Engineering reporter Saoirse Kerrigan spotlights a number of MIT research projects from the past decade. MIT has “long been a hub of innovation and ingenuity across multiple industries and disciplines,” writes Kerrigan. “Every year, the school’s best and brightest debut projects that push the boundaries of science and technology. From vehicles and furniture to exciting new breakthroughs in electricity generation, the school’s projects have tackled an impressive variety of subjects.” 

Researchers at MIT have designed an implantable device that can be used to administer a dose of glucagon to protect Type 1 diabetics from hypoglycemia, reports Amir Khollam. “The device, about the size of a quarter, sits under the skin and releases a dose of glucagon when blood sugar levels dip too low,” explains Khollam. “It can be activated manually or triggered wirelessly by a sensor.” 

Researchers at MIT have developed a new HIV vaccine that could offer “strong protection with just one injection,” reports Ian Randall for Newsweek. “The vaccine includes two ‘adjuvants’—materials that help stimulate the immune system response,” explains Randall. “In the experiments, the dual-adjuvant vaccine was found to produce a wider diversity of antibodies to protect against an HIV protein than with either single adjuvant or none at all.” 

Felice Frankel, a research scientist in the MIT Department of Chemical Engineering and a science photographer, speaks with Science Friday host Flora Lichtman about science communicators can more effectively engage the public and make a better case for the importance of scientific research.