Biology

Study IDs key protein for cell deathFindings may offer a new way to kill cancer cells by forcing them into an alternative programmed-death pathway.

Two MIT professors named Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigatorsPeter Reddien and Aviv Regev are among 27 top biomedical scientists selected nationwide.

How to minimize the side effects of cancer treatmentMeasuring enzyme levels in patients may reveal healthy cells’ ability to survive chemotherapy.

Using biology to improve chemical synthesisMIT team finds a more economical way to create valuable building blocks for pharmaceuticals

MITx version of introductory biology class has deep roots7.00x brings an MIT classic online.

3 Questions: MIT biologist on new resveratrol studyLink between the compound found in red wine and anti-aging protein offers support for drug efforts, Leonard Guarente says.

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.