Finding “hot spots” where compounding environmental and economic risks converge
A new computational tool empowers decision-makers to target interventions.
Inaugural J-WAFS Grand Challenge aims to develop enhanced crop variants and move them from lab to land
Matt Shoulders will lead an interdisciplinary team to improve RuBisCO — the photosynthesis enzyme thought to be the holy grail for improving agricultural yield.
Ingestible “electroceutical” capsule stimulates hunger-regulating hormone
The device, which uses electricity to boost hormone production in the stomach, could help to ease nausea and counteract appetite loss.
MIT PhD students honored for their work to solve critical issues in water and food
Gokul Sampath and Jie Yun have been named 2023-24 J-WAFS Fellows.
A new microneedle-based drug delivery technique for plants
Developed at SMART, the device can deliver controlled amounts of agrochemicals to specific plant tissues for research and could one day be used to improve crop quality and disease management.
Tackling counterfeit seeds with “unclonable” labels
Fake seeds can cost farmers more than two-thirds of expected crop yields and threaten food security. Trackable silk labels could help.
Detailed images from space offer clearer picture of drought effects on plants
J-WAFS researchers are using remote sensing observations to build high-resolution systems to monitor drought.
Titanic robots make farming more sustainable
MIT alumnus-founded FarmWise uses autonomous machines to snip weeds while preserving crops, eliminating the need for herbicides.
Professor Emeritus Richard Wurtman, influential figure in translational research, dies at 86
Longtime MIT professor of neuroscience led research behind 200 patents, laying the groundwork for numerous medical products.
Food for thought, thought for food
Christopher Mejía Argueta’s research focuses on retail and e-tail operations for emerging markets, food malnutrition, food waste, and local, short food supply chains.
Microparticles could help prevent vitamin A deficiency
Fortifying foods with new polymer particles containing vitamin A could promote better vision and health for millions of people.
A breakthrough on “loss and damage,” but also disappointment, at UN climate conference
Delegates from MIT attended COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where international climate negotiations went down to the wire.
MIT PhD students shed light on important water and food research
J-WAFS Fellows discuss their inspiration for pursuing challenges in water and food systems.
Pesticide innovation takes top prize at Collegiate Inventors Competition
Vishnu Jayaprakash SM '19, PhD '22 won for the AgZen-Cloak, an invention that makes pesticides stick to crops, minimizing pollution and water waste.
MIT student club Engineers Without Borders works with local village in Tanzania
Skills learned in the classroom are applied toward health and sanitation projects.