Biology

MIT hosts American Junior Academy of Science delegatesThe Institution provides day’s worth of activities for more than 200 conference attendees.

How human language could have evolved from birdsongLinguistics and biology researchers propose a new theory on the deep roots of human speech.

Engineering cells for more efficient biofuel productionYeast research takes a step toward production of alternatives to gasoline.

Some cancer mutations slow tumor growthSurprising result suggests that enhancing these mutations’ impact could offer a new way to treat cancer.

Mapping the living cellNew technique pinpoints protein locations, helping scientists figure out their functions.

Duflo, Lander, Lewin to lead spring-semester MITx coursesEdX takes stock of last semester’s MITx courses; data will be used to improve education online and in the classroom.

Cardiac development needs more than protein-coding genesBiologists find that long non-coding RNA molecules are necessary to regulate differentiation of embryonic stem cells into cardiac cells.

Putting the squeeze on cellsBy deforming cells, researchers can deliver RNA, proteins and nanoparticles for many applications.

Microbiologists eavesdrop on the hidden lives of microbesScientists track ocean microbe populations in their natural habitat to create a ‘day in the life’ montage.

Possible role for Huntington’s gene discoveredMutant forms of the gene disrupt chemical modifications that control access to genes necessary for normal brain cell function.

Study finds a new culprit for epileptic seizuresDiscovery that some seizures arise in glial cells could offer new targets for epilepsy treatment.

Editing the genome with high precisionNew method allows scientists to insert multiple genes in specific locations, delete defective genes.

New insights into how brain synapses transmit informationTwo essential proteins regulate the molecular machinery that controls neuronal communication and the release of signals between neurons.

Professor Roger Kamm visualizes sneaky tumor cells with 3-D assayKamm is studying the mechanics of metastasis, the process of cancer-cell migration from one location in the body to another and the cause of more than 90 percent of cancer deaths.

Evolution: It’s all in how you splice itMIT biologists find that alternative splicing of RNA rewires signaling in different tissues and may often contribute to species differences.

Inspiration from a porcupine’s quillsUnderstanding the mechanisms behind quill penetration and extraction could help engineers design better medical devices.

The music of the silksResearchers synthesize a new kind of silk fiber — and find that music can help fine-tune the material’s properties.

All that is solid melts into air: Tomás Saraceno visits MITCAST visiting artist creates inflatable and airborne biospheres: speculative models for alternate ways of living.

Sitting still or going hunting: Which works better?If you’re a microbe floating in the ocean, there’s no single best strategy for getting food, MIT research shows.

Jaenisch, Suresh named Franklin Institute laureates

Department snapshot: Mechanical EngineeringMore MechE students choose to design their own education.

Mehrdad Jazayeri to join BCS, McGovern Institute faculty

Probing matters of the heartNew study of stem cell differentiation could help researchers better understand the genetic basis of heart disease.

Tracking stem cell reprogrammingBiologists reveal genes key to development of pluripotency, in single cells.

Four from MIT win NIH grantsBrown, Gore, Ploegh and Zhang receive grants for innovative biomedical research.