Without a key extracellular protein, neuronal axons break and synaptic connections fall apart

Scientists find a protein common to flies and people is essential for supporting the structure of axons that neurons project to make circuit connections.

David Orenstein | The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory • mit
June 23, 2023 ~7 min

New model offers a way to speed up drug discovery

By applying a language model to protein-drug interactions, researchers can quickly screen large libraries of potential drug compounds.

Anne Trafton | MIT News Office • mit
June 8, 2023 ~9 min


Tiny diamond rotor could improve protein studies

A new way of machining microscale rotors from diamond crystal can enable ultrasensitive NMR devices for probing proteins and other materials.

David L. Chandler | MIT News Office • mit
May 24, 2023 ~10 min

Nixing rapeseed’s bitter taste could lead to new protein source

Rapeseed is a good source of protein, but is both bitter and unsafe for human consumption. New research is a step toward changing that.

Michael Skov Jensen-Copenhagen • futurity
May 8, 2023 ~5 min

How does RNA know where to go in the city of the cell? Using cellular ZIP codes and postal carrier routes

Making sure RNA molecules are in the right place at the right time in a cell is critical to development and normal function. Researchers are figuring out exactly how they get to where they need to go.

Matthew Taliaferro, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus • conversation
March 6, 2023 ~9 min

New purification method could make protein drugs cheaper

MIT engineers find specialized nanoparticles can quickly and inexpensively isolate proteins from a bioreactor.

Anne Trafton | MIT News Office • mit
Feb. 28, 2023 ~7 min

Chocolate chemistry – a food scientist explains how the beloved treat gets its flavor, texture and tricky reputation as an ingredient

There’s a lot of interesting science behind the fermenting, roasting, grinding and melting that turns chocolate into the bars, bonbons and baked goods you know and love.

Sheryl Barringer, Professor of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University • conversation
Feb. 6, 2023 ~8 min

Visualizing the inside of cells at previously impossible resolutions provides vivid insights into how they work

Many microscopy techniques have won Nobel Prizes over the years. Advancements like cryo-ET that allow scientists to see the individual atoms of cells can reveal their biological functions.

Jeremy Berg, Professor of Computational and Systems Biology, Associate Senior Vice Chancellor for Science Strategy and Planning, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
Jan. 6, 2023 ~7 min


Self-assembling proteins can store cellular “memories”

Using these engineered proteins, researchers can record histories that reveal when certain genes are activated or how cells respond to a drug.

Anne Trafton | MIT News Office • mit
Jan. 2, 2023 ~6 min

New tool can assist with identifying carbohydrate-binding proteins

Groundbreaking research can help alleviate the challenges affiliated with studying carbohydrates.

Danielle Randall Doughty | Department of Chemistry • mit
Dec. 22, 2022 ~5 min

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