Biology

Medicine, microorganisms and MexicoBiology major and Rhodes Scholar combines research and social service in the study of infectious diseases.

Harnessing nature’s solar cellsPhotovoltaic panels made from plant material could become a cheap, easy alternative to traditional solar cells.

How spider webs achieve their strengthIt’s not just the strength of the silk itself, a new study finds; the silk’s way of stretching and the structure of the whole web help it resist damage.

The Art of MicrobiologyIAP course tackles life-saving biology.

Viruses con bacteria into working for themCoevolution of guest and host lets a virus control its host’s machinery.

MIT faculty see promise in American manufacturingStudy group is tackling hard questions about what it will take to stoke renewal.

How research goes viralWhat makes a new finding in biology circulate widely? An MIT economist knows: Make the original research materials accessible.

Stopping influenza evolution before it startsModel of flu proteins suggests new way to design vaccines that slow mutations.

Proteins linked to longevity may be involved in mood controlExcess of sirtuins can produce anxiety, a possible evolutionary adaptation to dietary restriction.

How cancer cells get by on a starvation dietNew study shows that tumor cells, deprived of glucose, alter their metabolism to use other sources of sustenance.

MIT senior Stephanie Lin wins Rhodes ScholarshipStudent in biology, applied international studies will study at Oxford next year.

MIT team wins iGEM competition trackGroup earns top spot in health and medicine; advances to grand finals for first time.

Uncovering a key player in metastasisMIT cancer biologists determine how platelets in the bloodstream help cancer cells form new tumors.

Gobind Khorana, MIT professor emeritus, dies at 89Nobel-winning biochemist made seminal contributions to genetics, was a loyal teacher and mentor.

Jaenisch receives Medal of Science at White House ceremonyAmong 12 honored by President Barack Obama on Friday.

Kaiser to lead National Institute of General Medical SciencesCell biologist to start new position in spring 2012.

Analysis of 29 mammals reveals genomic ‘dark matter’Genomic comparison offers a new map for charting human disease and biology.

Shutting off inflammationA new way to curb inflammatory cells could lead to treatments for diseases including atherosclerosis and cancer.

Whitehead member, biology professor Rudolf Jaenisch wins National Medal of ScienceHonored for work on gene expression, stem cells.

New drug could cure nearly any viral infectionResearchers at MIT’s Lincoln Lab have developed technology that may someday cure the common cold, influenza and other ailments.

Disease-causing tangle could spawn new materialsAmyloids, associated with Alzheimer’s and other diseases, could be inspiration for tough synthetic polymers.

New lung cancer gene foundCancer biologists identify a driving force behind the spread of an aggressive type of lung cancer.

Scientists unveil tools for rewriting the code of lifeNew technology from MIT and Harvard can edit DNA at the genome scale, giving cells novel functions.

New material could offer hope to those with no voiceMIT and Harvard researchers are developing a synthetic material to revitalize damaged vocal cords.

Study explains why men are at higher risk for stomach cancerMIT researchers show how estrogen protects women from the gastric inflammation that can lead to cancer.

Biologists discover how yeast cells reverse agingThe gene they found can double yeast lifespan when turned on late in life.

How dense is a cell?Combining an ancient principle with new technology, MIT researchers have devised a way to answer that question.