Forbes reporter Fiona McMillan writes that MIT researchers have engineered an anti-bacterial peptide found in wasp venom in an effort to create a new antibiotic. McMillan writes that the researchers, “gained new insight into which structural attributes work best, either alone or in combination. In this way, they were able to tweak the peptide’s structure to obtain optimal function.”
MIT researchers have repurposed the toxic venom found in wasps to create a new drug that could potentially be used to kill bacteria, reports the Xinhua news agency. “The venom-derived peptide is believed to kill microbes by disrupting bacterial cell membranes,” Xinhua explains.
Boston Herald reporter Jordan Graham writes that MIT researchers have used the venom from a South American wasp to engineer a new type of antibiotic. “The idea here is to take that very well-crafted toxin and turn it into something that can be useful for humans and our society,” explains César de la Fuente Nunez, a postdoc at MIT.
MIT researchers have developed a new technique to measure cancer cells that provides insight into how certain cells respond to treatment, reports the Xinhua news agency. The findings could be used to help develop new drug targets, making current treatments more effective.
Prof. Ibrahim Cissé has been named one of Science News’ 2018 SN 10 Scientists to Watch for his work investigating how genes are turned on, explains Science News reporter Tina Hesman Saey. Cissé is “everything you could want in a young scientist,” says Prof. Anthony Hyman of the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics.
Yahoo! reporter Elise Solé highlights how Alejandra Falla successfully completed her PhD studies at MIT while pregnant with her daughter, Clara. Clara sported a miniature MIT regalia to Commencement. “It started as a joke but we decided that Clara had earned her Ph.D. in the womb,” says Falla. “She deserved to graduate with me.”
Prof. Kevin Esvelt speaks with Dylan Matthews of Vox about the potential for a CRISPR gene drive to eradicate malaria. Esvelt considers both the risks and rewards of this approach, noting that “the future of our civilization will primarily be determined by the technologies we develop and the wisdom with which we choose to deploy them or refrain.”
A new study led by Prof. Li-Huei Tsai reveals more information about the possible link between Alzheimer’s disease and the gene variant APOE4, writes Martin Finucane for The Boston Globe. The researchers discovered that by editing the gene into the more common APOE3 variant, “they could eliminate the signs of Alzheimer’s in brain cells,” said Finucane.
Using specially engineered E. coli bacteria and electronics that fit into an ingestible pill, MIT researchers have created a device that can detect internal diseases and send wireless alerts, reports Karen Kaplan for The Los Angeles Times. The device could eliminate the need for colonoscopies, which alter “the physiology inside the intestines, potentially masking signs of disease,” explains Kaplan.
USA Today reporter Sean Rossman writes about how MIT researchers have created an ingestible sensor that can monitor the digestive tract and send information to a smartphone or tablet about a person’s health. Rossman explains that the device, “can detect blood in the stomach, something that would otherwise require an endoscopy and sedation.”
MIT researchers have developed an ingestible capsule that uses genetically engineered bacteria to detect potential health problems, reports Carla Johnson for the Associated Press. The researchers hope the capsule could eventually be used to, “find signs of ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease or even colon cancer.”
Wired reporter Megan Molteni writes that a team of MIT researchers has developed an ingestible sensor that could spot gastrointestinal issues. The sensor contains, “millions of genetically engineered glowing bacteria inside a AAA-battery-sized capsule,” Molteni explains.
Writing for the Boston Herald, Lindsay Kalter reports that MIT scientists have built an ingestible capsule that could allow doctors to diagnose gastrointestinal diseases without invasive procedures. Graduate student Mark Mimee explains that the device, “sets the stage for having a pill that can give you a big biochemical profile of the gut related to various diseases.”
Popular Mechanics reporter David Grossman writes that a new ingestible medical device developed by MIT researchers could monitor the health of the human gut. Calling the project “a true team effort,” Grossman explains that it required expertise in biological engineering techniques, electronic circuit design, materials, and gastroenterology.
60 Minutes correspondent Bill Whitaker sits down with Prof. Feng Zhang, “a scientist at the center of the CRISPR craze,” to help explain how the gene-editing tool works and its potential. “There are about 6,000 or more diseases that are caused by faulty genes,” says Zhang. “The hope is that we will be able to address most if not all of them.”