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.
Brain circuit needed to incorporate new information may be linked to schizophrenia
Impairments of this circuit may help to explain why some people with schizophrenia lose touch with reality.
New sensor sniffs out pneumonia on a patient’s breath
The technology could enable fast, point-of-care diagnoses for pneumonia and other lung conditions.
Studying the genetic basis of disease to explore fundamental biological questions
Eliezer Calo’s studies of craniofacial malformations have yielded insight into protein synthesis and embryonic development.
New insights into a hidden process that protects cells from harmful mutations
Research reveals how cells may activate a compensation system that can reduce the effects of harmful genetic mutations. This could inform gene therapy development.
3 Questions: Exploring the mechanisms underlying changes during infection
Zuri Sullivan, a new assistant professor of biology and Whitehead Institute member, studies why we get sick, and whether aspects of illness, such as disrupted appetite, contribute to host defense.
3 Questions: Using AI to accelerate the discovery and design of therapeutic drugs
Professor James Collins discusses how collaboration has been central to his research into combining computational predictions with new experimental platforms.
New tissue models could help researchers develop drugs for liver disease
Two models more accurately replicate the physiology of the liver, offering a new way to test treatments for fat buildup.