How cell mechanics influences everything

Ming Guo seeks connections between a cell’s physical form and its biological function, which could illuminate ways to halt abnormal cell growth.

Jennifer Chu | MIT News Office • mit
March 26, 2023 ~9 min

“Spleen-on-a-chip” yields insight into sickle cell disease

With this microfluidic device, researchers modeled how sickled blood cells clog the spleen’s filters, leading to a potentially life-threatening condition.

Anne Trafton | MIT News Office • mit
Jan. 30, 2023 ~7 min


Enzyme “atlas” helps researchers decipher cellular pathways

Biologists have mapped out more than 300 protein kinases and their targets, which they hope could yield new leads for cancer drugs.

Anne Trafton | MIT News Office • mit
Jan. 11, 2023 ~7 min

Scientists discover a new way of sharing genetic information in a common ocean microbe

Prochlorococcus, the world’s most abundant photosynthetic organism, reveals a gene-transfer mechanism that may be key to its abundance and diversity.

David L. Chandler | MIT News Office • mit
Jan. 5, 2023 ~8 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

Silent synapses are abundant in the adult brain

These immature connections may explain how the adult brain is able to form new memories and absorb new information.

Anne Trafton | MIT News Office • mit
Nov. 30, 2022 ~9 min

Scientists unveil the functional landscape of essential genes

Researchers harness new pooled, image-based screening method to probe the functions of over 5,000 essential genes in human cells.

Nicole Davis | Whitehead Institute • mit
Nov. 21, 2022 ~6 min


Ocean microbes get their diet through a surprising mix of sources, study finds

Up to one-third of the carbon consumed by Prochlorococcus may come from sources other than photosynthesis.

Jennifer Chu | MIT News Office • mit
Nov. 3, 2022 ~7 min

Nanosensors target enzymes to monitor and study cancer

By analyzing enzyme activity at the organism, tissue, and cellular scales, new sensors could provide new tools to clinicians and cancer researchers.

Bendta Schroeder | Erika Reinfeld | Koch Institute • mit
Nov. 2, 2022 ~8 min

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