Koch Institute

$“If we want to be able to deliver mRNA, then we need a mechanism to be more effective at it because everything that’s been used so far gives you a very small fraction of what would be the optimal efficiency,” says professor Paula Hammond.$

Bio-inspired approach to RNA delivery

New technique could make it easier to use mRNA to treat disease or deliver vaccines.

September 19, 2017

Left to right: Graham Walker, Michael Yaffe and Robert Weinberg.

Three MIT biologists receive NIH Outstanding Investigator Awards

Graham Walker, Michael Yaffe, and Robert Weinberg earn support from the National Institutes of Health to further their research endeavors.

September 19, 2017

“We are very excited about this work because, for the first time, we can create a library of tiny, encased vaccine particles, each programmed to release at a precise, predictable time,” says professor Robert Langer.

One vaccine injection could carry many doses

Microparticles created by new 3-D fabrication method could release drugs or vaccines long after injection.

September 14, 2017

The MIT Department of Biology has welcomed three new members: (left to right) Sebastian Lourido, Stefani Spranger, and Eliezer Calo.

Department of Biology welcomes three new faculty members

Recent additions bring diverse expertise and cultural perspectives to research community.

July 25, 2017

Jinyao Liu, left, and Giovanni Traverso stretch a new hydrogel. To help ensure patients receive their full course of treatment, researchers have developed a new set of drug delivery materials made of the hydrogel. The material can reside in the stomach for up to nine days and slowly release its dosage of medication.

Ingestible drug-delivery materials may help patients comply with treatment regimens

Hydrogel-based capsules could expand and reside in the GI tract for days, slowly releasing medication.

July 25, 2017

Researchers have developed a new way to engineer liver tissue by organizing tiny subunits that contain three types of cells embedded into a biodegradable tissue scaffold. This image shows vascularized engineered human liver tissue that has self-organized into a lobule-like microstructure.

Engineered liver tissue expands after transplant

Tiny implantable “seeds” of tissue produce fully functional livers.

July 19, 2017

Researchers are hoping to use nanotechnology to develop more targeted treatments for drug-resistant bacteria. In this illustration, an antimicrobial peptide is packaged in a silicon nanoparticle to target bacteria in the lung.

Antibiotic nanoparticles fight drug-resistant bacteria

Targeted treatment could be used for pneumonia and other bacterial infections.

July 12, 2017

The Marble Center for Cancer Nanomedicine’s faculty is made up of Koch Institute members who are committed to fighting cancer with nanomedicine through research, education, and collaboration. Top row (l-r) Sangeeta Bhatia, director; Daniel Anderson; and Angela Belcher. Bottom row: Paula Hammond; Darrell Irvine; and Robert Langer.

Converging on cancer at the nanoscale

Marking its first anniversary, the Koch Institute’s Marble Center for Cancer Nanomedicine goes full steam ahead.

July 7, 2017

The School of Science newly-tenured professors for 2017 include (clockwise from top left): Mircea Dincă, Liang Fu, Jeff Gore, Jeremiah Johnson, Bradley Pentelute, Jesse Thaler, and Matthew Vander Heiden.

School of Science professors granted tenure

Seven award-winning faculty members represent the departments of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.

June 28, 2017

Chromosome segregation errors lead to abnormal karyotypes, a condition known as aneuploidy. Shown here is a cell undergoing cell division and experiencing chromosome mis-segregation.

How cells combat chromosome imbalance

Biologists discover the immune system can eliminate cells with too many or too few chromosomes.

June 19, 2017

MIT researchers are working on an implantable device that could make intraperitoneal chemotherapy more bearable. “As we entered into this project, our question was how do we get the same beneficial outcomes and reduce all the side effects?” says professor Michael Cima. Pictured is a micrograph of ovarian cancer.

Study offers guidance for targeting residual ovarian tumors

Findings support new strategy of continuous drug delivery by implantable device.

May 23, 2017

Professor Michael Cima and his colleagues are now designing brain implants that can not only deliver electrical stimulation but also record brain activity or deliver drugs to very targeted locations.

Making brain implants smaller could prolong their lifespan

Thin fibers could be used to deliver drugs or electrical stimulation, with less damage to the brain.

May 16, 2017

MIT researchers have found that lung tumors such as this one contain stem-cell-like cells that drive tumor aggression. In this image, those cells are tagged with a green fluorescent protein.

Biologists identify key step in lung cancer evolution

Blocking the transition to a more aggressive state could offer a new treatment strategy.

May 10, 2017

Top row, left to right: Stephen Bell, Sangeeta Bhatia, and Christopher Cummins. Bottom row, left to right: Esther Duflo, Klavs Jensen, and Nergis Mavalvala.

National Academy of Sciences elects six MIT professors for 2017

Bell, Bhatia, Cummins, Duflo, Jensen, and Mavalvala honored for research achievements.

May 3, 2017

MIT researchers created this colon tumor by delivering RNA encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles to the colon. The RNA can activate or delete specific genes, leading to tumor growth.

New model could speed up colon cancer research

Introducing genetic mutations with CRISPR offers a fast and accurate way to simulate the disease.

May 1, 2017

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