New cell-collection device could improve early cancer detection
MIT researchers developed a handheld system that gently collects living cells from patient samples to aid cancer testing and development of personalized medicines.
Injectable nanodevices could provide effective treatment for drug-resistant glioblastoma
MIT researchers show implanted nanoantennas can be activated wirelessly to kill brain cancer cells without damage to healthy tissue.
Atlas of the brain’s striatum could guide researchers to new drug treatments
A new study reveals insights into populations of neurons affected by Huntington’s disease, schizophrenia, addiction, and other disorders.
Cells use a little-known molecule to protect themselves from iron overload
This discovery points toward new combination strategies against cancer, and may explain the iron buildup seen in disorders such as early-onset Parkinson’s disease.
The importance of indoor airflow patterns in spreading airborne disease
Researchers explore how a key factor can mitigate or promote tuberculosis transmission.
How the Toxoplasma parasite adapts to crowded conditions in host cells
A new study by Whitehead Institute researchers identifies how the widespread parasite Toxoplasma gondii survives in crowded environments in infected cells, which helps it persist in long-lasting brain cysts.
Tackling rare genetic disorders with patient-focused science
Shannon Knight, a brain and cognitive sciences PhD candidate and McGovern Institute researcher, focuses on developing a novel gene therapy.
The long history of vaccine hesitancy
Thomas Levenson’s new book shows how arguments against vaccination reach back to the beginning of the technology itself.
Myriam Heiman named director of The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
Heiman, who studies neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington’s and Parkinson’s, will lead the institute beginning July 1.
A new vaccine adjuvant could make it easier to eradicate polio
The adjuvant can help the injectable polio vaccine induce a strong immune response in the GI tract, which is considered critical to eradicating the virus.
A new approach to cancer vaccination yields more powerful T cells
Using immune-remodeling mRNA molecules, researchers generated T cells that can slow tumor growth and, in some cases, eradicate tumors.
Beacon Biosignals is mapping the brain during sleep
Founded by Jake Donoghue PhD ’19 and former MIT researcher Jarrett Revels, the company is creating an AI-driven platform to help diagnose and treat disease.
Self-organizing “pencil beam” laser could help scientists design brain-targeted therapies
MIT researchers leveraged a surprise discovery to devise a faster and more precise biomedical imaging technique.
Youth may increase vulnerability to a carcinogen found in contaminated water and some drugs
A new study suggests that the chemical NDMA is much more likely to cause cancerous mutations after exposure early in life.
How bacteria suppress immune defenses in stubborn wound infections
Study finds a common bacterium can suppress the body’s early warning system in wounds, causing infections to persist and create an environment that allows other bacteria to take hold.