Using a new technique that can create vacancies at any site across a material and then shrink it to about 1/2,000 of its original volume, MIT researchers have designed nanotechnology devices that could be used for optical computing and other applications involving the manipulation of visible light. The new fabrication technique, known as “implosion carving,” allows researchers to imprint features […]
Read MoreTag: Biological engineering
MIT School of Engineering faculty receive awards in winter 2026
Each year, faculty and researchers across the MIT School of Engineering are recognized with prestigious awards for their contributions to research, technology, society, and education. To celebrate these achievements, the school periodically highlights select honors received by members of its departments, institutes, labs, and centers. The following individuals were recognized in winter 2026: Arup K. […]
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How chromatin movement helps control gene expression
Gene expression is controlled, in part, by the interactions between genes and regulatory elements located along the genome. Those interactions depend on the ability of chromatin — a mix of DNA and proteins — to move around within a crowded space. In a new study, MIT researchers have measured chromatin movement at timescales ranging from […]
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Study: Gene circuits reshape DNA folding and affect how genes are expressed
When a gene is turned on in a cell, it creates a ripple effect along the DNA strand, changing the physical structure of the strand. A new study by MIT researchers shows that these ripples can stimulate or suppress neighboring genes. These effects, which result from the winding or unwinding of neighboring DNA, are determined […]
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Mapping molecular markers of physical fitness
Patterns of molecular activity in the blood may hold clues not only to how fit someone is, but also to the biological processes that support physical performance. Researchers at MIT, GE HealthCare, and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point have developed a computational model that links thousands of these molecular signals to fitness levels, […]
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Self-organizing “pencil beam” laser could help scientists design brain-targeted therapies
MIT researchers discovered a paradoxical phenomenon in optical physics that could enable a new bioimaging method that’s faster and higher-resolution than existing technology. They discovered that, under the right conditions, a chaotic mess of laser light can spontaneously self-organize into a highly focused “pencil beam.” Using this self-organized pencil beam, the researchers captured 3D images […]
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Three from MIT named 2026 Goldwater Scholars
Three MIT rising seniors have been selected to receive a 2026 Barry Goldwater Scholarship, including Deeksha Kumaresh in the School of Engineering and Anna Liu and Charlotte Myersin the School of Science. An estimated 5,000 college sophomores and juniors from across the United States were nominated for the scholarships, of whom only 454 were selected. The Goldwater […]
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Two MIT alumnae named 2026 Gates Cambridge Scholars
Mitali Chowdhury ’24 and Christina Kim ’24 have been selected as 2026 Gates Cambridge Scholars. The highly competitive fellowship offers fully funded opportunities for postgraduate study in any field at Cambridge University in the U.K. Kim is a second-time Gates Cambridge Scholar. MIT students interested in the Gates Cambridge Scholar program should contact Kim Benard, […]
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Bringing AI-driven protein-design tools to biologists everywhere
Artificial intelligence is already proving it can accelerate drug development and improve our understanding of disease. But to turn AI into novel treatments we need to get the latest, most powerful models into the hands of scientists. The problem is that most scientists aren’t machine-learning experts. Now the company OpenProtein.AI is helping scientists stay on […]
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Youth may increase vulnerability to a carcinogen found in contaminated water and some drugs
A new study from MIT suggests that a carcinogen that has been found in medications and in drinking water contaminated by chemical plants may have a much more severe impact on children than adults. In a study of mice, the researchers found that juveniles exposed to drinking water containing this compound, known as NDMA, showed […]
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MIT graduate engineering and business programs ranked highly by U.S. News for 2026-27
U.S. News and World Report has again placed MIT’s graduate program in engineering at the top of its annual rankings, released today. The Institute has held the No. 1 spot since 1990, when the magazine first ranked such programs. The MIT Sloan School of Management also placed highly, occupying the No. 6 spot for the best […]
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Building the blocks of life
Billions of years ago, simple organic molecules drifted across Earth’s primordial landscape — nothing more than basic chemical compounds. But as natural forces shaped the planet over hundreds of millions of years, these molecules began to interact and bond in increasingly complex ways. Along the way, something spectacular emerged: life. “Life is, to some degree, […]
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Study reveals why some cancer therapies don’t work for all patients
Drugs that block enzymes called tyrosine kinases are among the most effective targeted therapies for cancer. However, they typically work for only 40 to 80 percent of the patients who would be expected to respond to them. In a new study, MIT researchers have figured out why those drugs don’t work in all cases: Many […]
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Improving cartilage repair through cell therapy
Regenerative therapies hold significant promise for patients with the potential to repair damaged tissues rather than simply manage symptoms. However, one of the biggest challenges in bringing these therapies to patients lies in the unpredictable quality of the MSC’s chondrogenic potential — a cell’s ability to develop and form cartilage tissue — during the in […]
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New sensor sniffs out pneumonia on a patient’s breath
Diagnosing some diseases could be as easy as breathing into a tube. MIT engineers have developed a test to detect disease-related compounds in a patient’s breath. The new test could provide a faster way to diagnose pneumonia and other lung conditions. Rather than sit for a chest X-ray or wait hours for a lab result, […]
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MIT School of Engineering faculty receive awards in fall 2025
Each year, faculty and researchers across the MIT School of Engineering are recognized with prestigious awards for their contributions to research, technology, society, and education. To celebrate these achievements, the school periodically highlights select honors received by members of its departments, institutes, labs, and centers. The following individuals were recognized in fall 2025: Hal Abelson, […]
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AI to help researchers see the bigger picture in cell biology
Studying gene expression in a cancer patient’s cells can help clinical biologists understand the cancer’s origin and predict the success of different treatments. But cells are complex and contain many layers, so how the biologist conducts measurements affects which data they can obtain. For instance, measuring proteins in a cell could yield different information about the […]
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MIT community members elected to the National Academy of Engineering for 2026
Seven MIT researchers are among the 130 new members and 28 international members recently elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) for 2026. Twelve additional MIT alumni were also elected as new members. One of the highest professional distinctions for engineers, membership in the NAE is given to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to “engineering […]
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New AI model could cut the costs of developing protein drugs
Industrial yeasts are a powerhouse of protein production, used to manufacture vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, and other useful compounds. In a new study, MIT chemical engineers have harnessed artificial intelligence to optimize the development of new protein manufacturing processes, which could reduce the overall costs of developing and manufacturing these drugs. Using a large language model (LLM), […]
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New vaccine platform promotes rare protective B cells
A longstanding goal of immunotherapies and vaccine research is to induce antibodies in humans that neutralize deadly viruses such as HIV and influenza. Of particular interest are antibodies that are “broadly neutralizing,” meaning they can in principle eliminate multiple strains of a virus such as HIV, which mutates rapidly to evade the human immune system. […]
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New tissue models could help researchers develop drugs for liver disease
More than 100 million people in the United States suffer from metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), characterized by a buildup of fat in the liver. This condition can lead to the development of more severe liver disease that causes inflammation and fibrosis. In hopes of discovering new treatments for these liver diseases, MIT engineers […]
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Designing the future of metabolic health through tissue-selective drug delivery
New treatments based on biological molecules like RNA give scientists unprecedented control over how cells function. But delivering those drugs to the right tissues remains one of the biggest obstacles to turning these promising yet fragile molecules into powerful new treatments. Now Gensaic, founded by Lavi Erisson MBA ’19; Uyanga Tsedev SM ’15, PhD ’21; […]
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