Chemistry

The toughness of Sporopollenin, a polymer within the shells of pollen grains (seen here magnified 500X using a scanning electron microscope), has made it possible for plant life to survive on land — but has also frustrated attempts to study its fundamental composition, until now.

Cracking a tough case

Whitehead Institute and MIT researchers uncover the detailed molecular structure of the sporopollenin polymer, an inert material key for the emergence of land plants.

December 17, 2018

Professor Gabriela S. Schlau-Cohen (center) and graduate students Raymundo Moya (left) and Wei Jia Chen worked with collaborators at the University of Verona, Italy, to develop a new understanding of the mechanisms by which plants reject excess energy they absorb from sunlight so it doesn’t harm key proteins. The insights gained could one day lead to critically needed increases in yields of biom...

Understanding how plants use sunlight

Studies of how photoprotection works at the molecular level may provide a pathway to more biomass and crops.

December 4, 2018

MIT researchers are developing ribonucleases as potential drugs to treat cancer. In a new study, they found that the drugs work better when given with already-approved drugs known as kinase inhibitors.

New drug combination could be more effective against melanoma

Chemists discover an unexpected synergy between two types of cancer drugs.

December 3, 2018

MIT engineers have designed a system that can repeatedly measure cancer cells as they flow through an array of mass sensors. Once the cells reach the end, they are collected for RNA-sequencing.

Measuring cancer cell “fitness” reveals drug susceptibility

Together, cell growth rate and gene expression shed light on why some tumor cells survive treatment.

November 29, 2018

Left to right: MIT professors Emilio Baglietto, Rebecca Saxe, and Matthew Shoulders were nominated by their graduate students and are now honored by the Committed to Caring program as model mentors.

Baglietto, Saxe, and Shoulders ensure grad students thrive

For three Committed to Caring honorees, mentorship is demonstrated through generosity and making connections.

November 14, 2018

Cadenza Innovation Founder and CEO Christina Lampe-Onnerud at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions

A novel way to advance a better battery design

Led by “Queen of Batteries” Christina Lampe-Onnerud, Cadenza Innovation is licensing its lithium ion battery cell architecture to manufacturers around the world.

November 7, 2018

By chemically linking the antibiotic vancomycin to two different antimicrobial peptides, MIT researchers were able to dramatically enhance the drug’s effectiveness against two strains of drug-resistant bacteria: A. baumannii and E. faecalis (shown here)

Chemical synthesis could produce more potent antibiotics

Simple method for linking molecules could help overcome drug resistant infections.

November 5, 2018

Armon Sharei, CEO and founder of SQZ Biotech.

Squeezing cells to cure diseases

Startup SQZ Biotech aims to open a new path in immunotherapy with its cell-compressing technique.

October 31, 2018

Hassan Radoine, director of the School of Architecture and Design at UM6P, presents at MIT on African urbanization.

Addressing Africa's sustainable development

Researchers and experts attend African Sustainable Development Conference at MIT.

October 19, 2018

Christopher Voigt, a professor of biological engineering, presents the latest research results for a J-WAFS-funded project that seeks to engineer cereal grains to produce their own fertilizer.

Collaboration runs through J-WAFS-funded projects

Researchers from across MIT showcase J-WAFS-funded projects tackling critical water and food systems challenges from solutions-oriented perspectives.

October 16, 2018

Five students were challenged to live and work in a glass cube on MIT's North Court for four days as part of InCube, a global startup competition.

Student entrepreneurs think inside the box

Living and working in a glass cube, an interdisciplinary team of students reimagined the ambulance of the future as part of a global startup competition.

October 5, 2018

MIT researchers have shown that some of the atoms in an enzyme called carbon monoxide dehydrogenase can rearrange themselves when oxygen levels are low. A nickel atom (green) leaves the cube-like structure, displacing an iron atom (orange). One sulfur atom (yellow) also moves out of the cube.

Chemists discover unexpected enzyme structure

Metal cluster in enzyme that breaks down carbon dioxide can switch between two different shapes.

October 2, 2018

John M. Deutch endows new MIT Institute Professorship

Gift honors emeritus Institute Professor’s respect for MIT and its community.

September 26, 2018

The MIT.nano building, at the center of campus adjacent to the Great Dome, has expansive glass facades that allow natural light into the labs while giving visitors a clear view of the research in action.

A big new home for the ultrasmall

MIT.nano building, the largest of its kind, will usher in a new age of nanoscale advancements.

September 23, 2018

MIT researchers have developed an automated chemical synthesis system that can take over many of the more tedious aspects of chemical experimentation, freeing up chemists to spend more time on the more analytical and creative aspects of their research.

Plug-and-play technology automates chemical synthesis

System makes it easier to produce new molecules for myriad applications.

September 20, 2018

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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