Medicine

MIT NEWDIGS Design Lab advances work on medical treatment financing strategies

Industry leaders, patient advocates, and policymakers collaborate to make groundbreaking new therapies economically sustainable.

November 9, 2017

The mTOR cellular pathway connects nutrition, metabolism, and disease.

New player in cellular signaling

Researchers have identified a key nutrient sensor in the mTOR pathway that links nutrient availability to cell growth.

November 9, 2017

Researchers have developed a new method for making “blood biopsies” for cancer more effective by using whole exome sequencing to monitor tumor DNA from blood samples.

New techniques give blood biopsies greater promise

Improved methods validate the use of blood samples for studying patients’ cancer genomes.

November 6, 2017

MIT Medical fell short of its goal of 10,000 flu shots in one day, but it still managed to smash the previous one-day record for flu shots given.

MIT Medical shatters one-day flu shot record

This year’s clinic lived up to its reputation as one of the most efficient operations at MIT.

November 1, 2017

A nutrient mix based in part on research from the lab of MIT Professor Emeritus Richard Wurtman has shown promise in treating the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

MIT research laid groundwork for promising Alzheimer’s-fighting drink

Studies by Richard Wurtman have led to development of nutrient mix shown to slow cognitive impairment in early stages of the disease.

October 30, 2017

Pictured, left to right, are: Manisha Bahl, director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Breast Imaging Fellowship Program; MIT Professor Regina Barzilay (center); and Constance Lehman, professor at Harvard Medical School and chief of the Breast Imaging Division at MGH’s Department of Radiology.

Using artificial intelligence to improve early breast cancer detection

Model developed at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory could reduce false positives and unnecessary surgeries.

October 16, 2017

Elazer Edelman and his students have been credited as some of the key contributors and pioneers of the coronary stent.

Elazer Edelman honored with Cardiovascular Research Foundation career achievement award

The 2017 Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics Career Achievement Award honors a pioneering biomedical engineer, scientist, professor, and cardiologist.

October 13, 2017

In this image, lung cancer driven by the KRAS oncogene shows up in purple. MIT biologists have found a potential new way to treat this type of lung tumor, long thought to be “undruggable."

New target for treating “undruggable” lung cancer

Drug already in clinical trials may be effective on some aggressive adenocarcinomas.

October 2, 2017

“There are very few specific or targeted inhibitors that are used in the treatment of brain cancer. There’s really a dire need for new therapies and new ideas,” says MIT Associate Professor Michael Hemann. The background of this image shows nanoparticles (red) being taken up in the brain with glioblastoma (in green). Nuclear DNA is in blue; tumor-associated macrophages in white.

Biologists identify possible new strategy for halting brain tumors

Cutting off a process that cancerous cells rely on can force them to stop growing.

September 28, 2017

Virion hikers with varying levels of fitness, illustrated here as preparedness, attempt to climb Folded Peak While some virions are too unfit to hit the trail (red), some are sufficiently fit to reach the summit without help from the park chaperones (blue). Other virions (yellow) are able to reach the summit by hijacking the park chaperones, which are also assisting certain host proteins, and so...

Biochemists discover mechanism that helps flu viruses evolve

Influenza viruses can hijack host cellular machinery to help mutated viral proteins fold and function.

September 26, 2017

“[Glucose-responsive insulin] has been a longstanding goal of the diabetes field,” says professor Michael Strano. “If done correctly, you could make it so that diabetics could take an occasional dose and never have to worry about their blood sugar.”

Model predicts performance of glucose-responsive insulin

Engineered insulin that can be activated by high blood sugar could improve diabetics’ quality of life.

September 26, 2017

This schematic shows a microfluidic device that uses sound waves to separate exosomes (pink spheres) from other components of blood.

Blood testing via sound waves may replace some tissue biopsies

Microfluidic device uses acoustics to quickly analyze blood for signatures of cancer and other diseases.

September 18, 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

“Our prediction is that we might be able to identify risk for preterm birth ahead of time, before labor sets in,” says Katharina Ribbeck, an associate professor of biological engineering at MIT and the senior author of the study. “Diagnostic tools for this are missing.”

Study suggests simple way to predict preterm births

Test of cervical mucus may reveal pregnant women’s risk of going into labor too early.

September 4, 2017

MIT startup Podimetrics has developed a smart mat that can detect early warning signs before foot ulcers form, which may drastically reduce amputations and cut medical costs.

Smart mat detects early warning signs of foot ulcers

Conceived at an MIT hackathon, system could reduce amputations, cut medical costs for diabetics.

August 15, 2017

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