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New technique reveals how gene transcription is coordinated in cells
By capturing short-lived RNA molecules, scientists can map relationships between genes and the regulatory elements that control them.
Scientists identify mechanism behind drug resistance in malaria parasite
SMART researchers find a cellular process called transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) modification influences the malaria parasite’s ability to develop resistance.
Taking RNAi from interesting science to impactful new treatments
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, founded by MIT professors and former postdocs, has turned the promise of RNAi research into a new class of powerful therapies.
Unlocking mRNA’s cancer-fighting potential
MIT spinout Strand Therapeutics has developed a new class of mRNA molecules that can sense where they are in the body, for more targeted and powerful treatments.
What can super-healing species teach us about regeneration?
Albert Almada PhD ’13 studies the mechanics of how stem cells rebuild tissues. “Digging deep into the science is what MIT taught me,” he says.
MIT-led team receives funding to pursue new treatments for metabolic disease
Awarded $65.67 million from ARPA-H, the researchers will work to develop ingestible capsules that deliver mRNA and electric stimuli to treat metabolic disorders such as diabetes.
Noninvasive technique reveals how cells’ gene expression changes over time
MIT researchers can now track a cell’s RNA expression to investigate long-term processes like cancer progression or embryonic development.
Nanoparticle-delivered RNA reduces neuroinflammation in lab tests
MIT researchers find that in mice and human cell cultures, lipid nanoparticles can deliver a potential therapy for inflammation in the brain, a prominent symptom in Alzheimer’s.
Search algorithm reveals nearly 200 new kinds of CRISPR systems
By analyzing bacterial data, researchers have discovered thousands of rare new CRISPR systems that have a range of functions and could enable gene editing, diagnostics, and more.
Thousands of programmable DNA-cutters found in algae, snails, and other organisms
New research finds RNA-guided enzymes called Fanzors are widespread among eukaryotic organisms.
Individual neurons mix multiple RNA edits of key synapse protein, study finds
Neurons stochastically generated up to eight different versions of a protein-regulating neurotransmitter release, which could vary how they communicate with other cells.
MIT engineers design more powerful RNA vaccines
The new approach could lead to intranasal vaccines for Covid-19 and other respiratory diseases.
Study connects neural gene expression differences to functional distinctions
Researchers compared a pair of superficially similar motor neurons in fruit flies to examine how their differing use of the same genome produced distinctions in form and function.
Study explains how part of the nucleolus evolved
A single protein can self-assemble to build the scaffold for a biomolecular condensate that makes up a key nucleolar compartment.