New CRISPR-based tool inserts large DNA sequences at desired sites in cells

Known as PASTE, the technique holds potential for treating a variety of diseases caused by faulty genes.

Anne Trafton | MIT News Office • mit
Nov. 24, 2022 • ~8 min

Axolotls can regenerate their brains – these adorable salamanders are helping unlock the mysteries of brain evolution and regeneration

Axolotls are amphibians known for their ability to regrow their organs, including their brains. New research clarifies their regeneration process.

Ashley Maynard, PhD Candidate in Quantitative Developmental Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich • conversation
Sept. 1, 2022 • ~8 min

COVID test identifies variants with 100% accuracy

A new COVID-19 test detects and identifies specific SARS-CoV-2 variants with 100% accuracy, researchers say.

Pat Harriman-UC Irvine • futurity
Aug. 8, 2022 • ~4 min

Can Tylenol in wastewater help track COVID-19?

At a wastewater treatment plant near Buffalo, NY, acetaminophen levels in wastewater spiked about two weeks before levels of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater.

Charlotte Hsu-Buffalo • futurity
June 30, 2022 • ~6 min

New CRISPR-based map ties every human gene to its function

Jonathan Weissman and collaborators used their single-cell sequencing tool Perturb-seq on every expressed gene in the human genome, linking each to its job in the cell.

Eva Frederick | Whitehead Institute • mit
June 9, 2022 • ~9 min

Convenience-sized RNA editing

MIT neuroscientists expand CRISPR toolkit with new, compact Cas7-11 enzyme.

Sarah CP Williams | McGovern Institute for Brain Research • mit
May 31, 2022 • ~6 min

How Robert Langer, a pioneer in delivering mRNA into the body, failed repeatedly but kept going: 'They said I should give up, but I don't like to give up'

Moderna co-founder Robert Langer developed the process that made COVID-19 vaccines possible. He spoke about his journey helping develop the science for various lifesaving treatments.

Robert Langer, Institute Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) • conversation
April 26, 2022 • ~6 min

What is that rash? Genetic fingerprints can help doctors diagnose and treat skin conditions more effectively

Many doctors currently diagnose skin conditions by eye. Advances in molecular testing could lead to more precise and accurate diagnoses for ambiguous rashes and skin lesions.

Raymond J. Cho, Associate Professor of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco • conversation
April 15, 2022 • ~6 min

New computational tool predicts cell fates and genetic perturbations

The technique can help predict a cell’s path over time, such as what type of cell it will become.

Greta Friar | Whitehead Institute • mit
Feb. 3, 2022 • ~9 min

Making RNA vaccines easier to swallow

A pill that releases RNA in the stomach could offer a new way to administer vaccines, or to deliver therapies for gastrointestinal disease.

Anne Trafton | MIT News Office • mit
Jan. 31, 2022 • ~7 min

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