genetics archive

Brain scientists spot nature/nurture gene link - Neuroscientists at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory found that a previously unsuspected set of genes links nature and nurture during a crucial period of brain development. The results could lead to treatments for autism and other disorders. July 15, 2008

Team unveils 'parts list' of cell powerhouse - An international team of researchers, led by a member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, has created the most comprehensive "parts list" to date for mitochondria, a compendium that includes nearly 1,100 proteins. July 11, 2008

Technique produces genetically identical stem cells - Cells from mice created using genetically reprogrammed cells can be triggered via drug administration to enter an embryonic-stem-cell-like state without the need for further direct genetic manipulation. July 1, 2008

Proliferating cells foil microRNA control - MIT biologists have discovered that proliferating cells shift the output of their genes to evade regulation by microRNAs, tiny molecules that normally suppress tumor growth. June 20, 2008

Unraveling bacteria communication pathways - MIT researchers have figured out how bacteria ensure that they respond correctly to hundreds of incoming signals from their environment. The researchers' work also raised the possibility of engineering bacteria that can serve as chemical biosensors. June 12, 2008

Scientists fathom niches of ocean microbes - Marine bacteria in the wild organize into professions or lifestyle groups that partition many resources, rather than competing for them, according to MIT research that could change the way scientists approach the classification of microbes. May 22, 2008

Embryonic pathway delivers stem cell traits - Studies at the MIT-affiliated Whitehead Institute of how cancer cells spread have led to a surprising discovery about the creation of cells with adult stem-cell characteristics, offering potential implications for regenerative medicine and cancer treatment. May 15, 2008

Team develops safe, effective RNAi technique - A team of researchers from MIT and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has developed safe and effective methods to perform RNA interference, a therapy that holds great promise for treating a variety of diseases including cancer and hepatitis. April 27, 2008

New genomic approach looks at microbial evolution - Scientists at MIT who are trying to understand existing microbes by studying their genetic history recently created a new approach to the study of microbial genomes that may hasten our collective understanding of microbial evolution. April 2, 2008

MIT research reveals protective role of microRNA - Snippets of genetic material that have been linked to cancer also play a critical role in normal embryonic development in mice, according to MIT cancer biologists. Their work shows that a family of microRNAs protect mouse cells during development. March 7, 2008

Bacterial 'battle for survival' leads to new antibiotic - War may actually be healthy for you ... war between two microscopic bugs, that is. MIT biologists have provoked soil-dwelling bacteria into producing a new type of antibiotic by pitting them against another strain of bacteria in a battle for survival. February 26, 2008

No easy answers in evolution of human language - The evolution of human speech was far more complex than is implied by some recent attempts to link it to a specific gene, says MIT Professor Robert Berwick, who will discuss his work Feb. 17 at the AAAS Annual Meeting in Boston. February 17, 2008

Langer examines biomedical engineering future - MIT Institute Professor Robert Langer speaks about the great challenges facing biomedical engineering as part of a panel announcing the report "Grand Challenges of Engineering" at the annual meeting of the AAAS in Boston on Feb. 15. February 15, 2008

Gene research may help explain autistic savants - Mice lacking a certain brain protein learn some tasks better but also forget faster, according to new MIT work that may explain the phenomenon of autistic savants. The work could also result in future treatments for autism and other disorders. February 12, 2008

Researcher on front lines of genomic revolution - Manolis Kellis, a young and fast-rising MIT researcher, uses sophisticated computational tools to investigate and analyze the genomes of a variety of organisms, including humans, mice, fruit flies and yeast. February 6, 2008

Genes key to high liver cancer rates in men - A fundamental difference in the way men and women respond to chronic liver disease at the genetic level helps explain why men are more prone to liver cancer, according to MIT researchers, who conducted the first genome-wide study on the subject. January 15, 2008

MIT reports new twist in microRNA biology - MIT scientists have found a new way that DNA can carry out its work that is about as surprising as discovering that a mold used to cast a metal tool can also serve as a tool itself, with two complementary shapes each showing distinct functional roles. January 9, 2008

MIT corrects inherited retardation, autism in mice - Researchers at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory have corrected key symptoms of mental retardation and autism in mice. The work indicates that a certain class of drugs could have the same effect in humans. December 19, 2007

Scientists ID gene key to regenerating flatworms - When cut, a planarian flatworm can regenerate a new head, new tail or even entire new organisms from a tiny fragment of its body--a phenomenon that has puzzled researchers for more than 100 years. December 11, 2007

MIT corrects sickle-cell anemia in mice - MIT researchers have successfully treated mice with sickle-cell anemia in a process that begins by directly reprogramming the mice's own cells to an embryonic-stem-cell-like state, without the use of eggs. December 7, 2007

MIT team discovers bacterial surprise - A team of MIT researchers and others has discovered that bacteria employ a type of DNA modification often used in the laboratory as a step toward gene therapies of human disease. This modification has never before been seen in nature. December 3, 2007

Study of malaria parasite unearths surprises - A team including scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has for the first time measured which of the malaria parasite's genes are turned on or off during actual infection in humans, unearthing some surprising behaviors. November 28, 2007

Scientists decode genome of tuberculosis microbe - An international collaboration led by researchers in the US and South Africa announced Nov. 20 the first genome sequence of an extensively drug resistant (XDR) strain of the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. November 26, 2007

Prenatal arsenic exposure detected in newborns - The children of mothers whose water supplies were contaminated with arsenic during their pregnancies harbored gene expression changes that may lead to cancer and other diseases later in life, MIT researchers reported in a new study. November 22, 2007

Team analyzes genomes of 12 fly species - In work that reveals important clues in the evolution of genes, a consortium of MIT scientists and colleagues has analyzed the genomes of twelve species of the fruit fly in one of the first large-scale comparisons of multiple animal genomes. November 9, 2007

Study charts genomic landscape of lung cancer - An international team of scientists has produced the most comprehensive view yet of the abnormal genetic landscape of lung cancer. The research reveals more than 50 genomic regions that are frequently gained or lost in human lung tumors. November 7, 2007

Hundreds attend iGem Jamboree - After a thought-provoking presentation on bioengineering a "bacterial assembly line," a team from Peking University won the grand prize "BioBrick" award in the fourth annual International Genetically Engineered Machine competition held Nov. 3-4 at MIT. November 5, 2007

MIT links gene to cholesterol - MIT researchers have discovered a link between a gene believed to promote long lifespan and a pathway that flushes cholesterol from the body. The finding could help researchers create drugs that lower the risk of cholesterol-related diseases. October 11, 2007

Amon, Golub win cancer prize -  MIT Professor Angelika Amon and Todd R. Golub of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard will share the 2007 Paul Marks Prize for Cancer Research, an award of $150,000, with Gregory J. Hannon from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. October 3, 2007

Genes influence choices in economics game - An international team of researchers including an MIT graduate student has demonstrated for the first time that genes exert influence on people's behavior in a very common experimental economic game. October 1, 2007

Team demos safety of RNA therapy - Researchers from MIT, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and other institutions have demonstrated the safety of a promising type of genetic therapy that could lead to treatments for a wide range of diseases such as cancer and viral diseases. September 26, 2007

MIT IDs binocular vision gene - In work that could lead to new treatments for sensory disorders in which people experience the strange phenomena of seeing better with one eye covered, MIT researchers report that they have identified the gene responsible for binocular vision. September 13, 2007

Genome study shines light on genetic link to height - It became clear nearly a century ago that many genes likely influence how tall a person grows. Now an international research team brings light to this age-old question by pinpointing a genetic variant associated with human height. September 10, 2007

Team probes history of genes with new tool - The wheels of evolution turn on genetic innovation -- new genes with new functions appear, allowing organisms to adapt in new ways. But deciphering the history of how and when various genes appeared, for any organism, has been a difficult task. September 10, 2007

Polymers hold promise for safer gene delivery - In work that could lead to safe and effective techniques for gene therapy, MIT scientists have found a way to fine-tune the ability of biodegradable polymers to deliver genes, which could be a safer technique than using viruses to carry genes. September 7, 2007

MIT research details parasitic battles - Scientists at MIT and the Technion Israel Institute of Technology have for the first time recorded the entire genomic expression of both a host bacterium and an infecting virus over the eight-hour course of infection. September 5, 2007

MIT's 'lab on a chip' automates genetic screens - Genetic studies on whole animals can now be done dramatically faster using a new microchip developed by MIT engineers. The new "lab on a chip" can automatically treat, sort and image small animals, accelerating research and eliminating error. August 20, 2007

MicroRNA 'sponges' could aid cancer studies - MIT researchers have developed a new way to study the function of microRNA, the tiny strands of genetic material that help regulate a cell's genes. The work could shed light on microRNA's hypothesized role in tumor development. August 12, 2007

MIT Team finds new mechanism of gene control - Biologists have long thought that a simple on/off switch controls most genes in human cells. Flip the switch and a cell starts or stops producing a particular protein. But new evidence suggests that our genes are more ready for action than previously thought. July 12, 2007

Link between aging, neurodegenerative disorders - Professor Li-Huei Tsai at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and colleagues report that one particular gene is a link between aging and neurodegenerative disorders. The work may lead to new drugs against debilitating neurological diseases. July 9, 2007

Team sheds light on cells' career path - How do cells specialize, despite having exactly the same DNA? Scientists at the Broad Institute have unveiled a special code, within the "chromatin" proteins surrounding the cell's DNA, that could unlock the mysterious choices underlying cell identity. July 1, 2007

MIT researchers reverse retardation in mice - Researchers at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT have reversed symptoms of mental retardation and autism in mice. The study suggests that inhibiting a certain enzyme could be an effective therapy for countering FXS symptoms in children. June 25, 2007

Identifying neurons advances MIT study of aging - In a recent issue of Nature, Leonard P. Guarente, Novartis Professor of Biology, and postdoctoral associate Nicholas A. Bishop show that a particular pair of neurons in the heads of underfed roundworms may play an essential role in their lengthy lives. June 18, 2007

Team turns mature skin cells into stem cells - Scientists have created embryonic stem cells in mice without destroying embryos in the process, potentially removing controversy over work in this field. The work was led by Rudolf Jaenisch, MIT professor of biology and a member of the Whitehead Institute. June 6, 2007

Mice and men make livers differently - Scientists often study mice as a model for human biology and disease, because their basic biological processes are thought to be essentially the same as those of humans. But now, a team of MIT researchers has found a surprising difference. May 21, 2007

MIT-led team ID's malaria-inducing protein - An international team of researchers led by an MIT professor has demonstrated how a key protein in the malaria-inducing parasite Plasmodium falciparum infects red blood cells, causing them to lose their ability to flow through tiny blood vessels. May 21, 2007

DNA-damage test could aid drug development - Researchers from MIT and the Whitehead Institute have developed a cell culture test for assessing a compound's genetic toxicity that may prove dramatically cheaper than existing animal tests. The new test looks for DNA damage in red blood cells. May 14, 2007

Team unearths genetic risk factors for diabetes - The Diabetes Genetics Initiative research group has revealed the discovery of three unsuspected regions of human DNA that contain clear genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes. The DGI studies are the first to apply a suite of genomic resources to clinical research. May 11, 2007

Opossum genome sheds light on evolution - An international research team led by scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has completed a high-quality genome sequence of the opossum, providing a fresh look at the evolutionary origins of the human genome. May 9, 2007

Systems biology seeks to define itself - Visiting sociology professor Joan Fujimura discussed her recent work, which focuses on the sociology of science, particularly in the fields of genetics, bioinformatics and systems biology, at an MIT colloquium on April 23. May 2, 2007

Team reverses Alzheimer's-like symptoms in mice - Mice whose brains had atrophied like those of Alzheimer's disease patients regained long-term memories and the ability to learn after living in an enriched environment, reports MIT Professor Li-Huei Tsai and colleagues in the journal Nature. April 30, 2007

Engineers' pulsing light silences overactive neurons - Scientists at the MIT Media Lab have invented a way to reversibly silence brain cells using pulses of yellow light, offering the prospect of controlling the haywire neuron activity that occurs in diseases such as epilepsy and Parkinson's disease. March 27, 2007

Natural polyester makes new sutures stronger, safer - With the help of a new type of suture based on MIT research, patients who get stitches may never need to have them removed. The novel biopolymer suture is made of materials that can be safely absorbed once the wound is healed. March 22, 2007

MIT biologists solve vitamin puzzle - Solving a mystery that has puzzled scientists for decades, MIT and Harvard researchers have discovered the final piece of the synthesis pathway of vitamin B12-the only vitamin synthesized exclusively by microorganisms. March 21, 2007

$100M gift to launch center for psychiatric disease - The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has received a $100 million gift to launch a new research center that will combine the strengths of genomics and chemical biology to advance the understanding and treatment of severe mental illnesses. March 8, 2007

MicroRNA found to regulate gene involved in cancer - A microRNA directly regulates a gene implicated in human cancers, researchers from the Whitehead Institute and MIT reported in the Feb. 22 online issue of Science. March 2, 2007

Team unlocks genetic basis of Type 2 diabetes - Researchers from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Lund University and Novartis have announced the completion of a genome-wide map of genetic differences in humans and their relationship to Type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders. February 21, 2007

Study points to a genetic link for schizophrenia - Gene mutations governing a key brain enzyme make people susceptible to schizophrenia and may be targeted in future treatments for the psychiatric illness, according to MIT and Japanese researchers. February 20, 2007

HHMI awardee committed to biochemistry, outreach - Irene C. Blat, a research technician at the Broad Institute, has received one of five 2007 Gilliam Fellowships from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, supporting up to five years of study toward a Ph.D. in the life sciences. February 13, 2007

MIT improves protein sorting with a new microchip - A new MIT microchip system promises to speed up the separation and sorting of biomolecules such as proteins. The work could help scientists better detect certain molecules associated with diseases, potentially leading to earlier diagnoses. February 5, 2007

CEHS hosts gene-environment symposium - The MIT Center for Environmental Health Sciences (CEHS) will host a Gene-Environment Interaction Symposium featuring talks by MIT experts on Jan. 26 in the Stata Center (Room 32-141). January 24, 2007

Reactivated gene shrinks tumors, MIT study finds - Many cancers arise due to defects in genes that normally suppress tumor growth. Now, for the first time, MIT researchers have shown that re-activating one of those genes in mice can cause tumors to shrink or disappear. January 24, 2007

Discovery could lead to new autoimmune therapies - Scientists from MIT, the Whitehead Institute and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have identified a key set of genes that may help scientists develop therapies for autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. January 22, 2007

Scientists discover new class of RNA - With the discoveries of RNA interference and microRNAs, the RNA molecule has been catapulted to stardom as a major player in genomic activity. Now a team of scientists led by an MIT professor has discovered an entirely new class of RNA molecules. January 11, 2007

Lab hosts Cambridge middle-school students - "So we eat DNA?" one of the kids asks in mid-munch at MIT. "Yeah," the middle-schoolers' tour guide explains. "In meat and all kinds of things." An important lesson has been learned by participants in the after-school program Summerbridge. January 10, 2007

Scientists mark 50 years since key RNA discovery - Profound doubts were the frequent response when MIT biophysicist Alexander Rich announced 50 years ago that two single-strand ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules could spontaneously align themselves to form a double helix. January 9, 2007

Micro-RNA research proves Rich's 1961 'suggestion' - In 1961 Alexander Rich made a prophetic suggestion that is just now coming to fruition. January 9, 2007

Genetic map offers new tool for malaria research - An international research team has completed a map that charts the genetic variability of the human malaria parasite. The work has already unearthed novel genes that may underlie resistance to current drugs against the disease. December 11, 2006

Engineered yeast improves ethanol production - MIT scientists have engineered yeast that can improve the speed and efficiency of ethanol production, a key component to making biofuels a significant part of the U.S. energy supply. December 7, 2006

Broad wins $200M for genomics research - The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has announced an award of nearly $200 million from the National Human Genome Research Institute to support applications and enhancements of large-scale DNA sequencing for biomedicine. December 6, 2006

Scientists find genetic oddity protects sex cells - Researchers have found that a class of RNA molecules previously thought to have no function may in fact protect sex cells from self-destructing. Central to this discovery is the fundamental process of gene expression. November 21, 2006

Researchers gain traction in race against pandemics - Is another pandemic on the scale of the 1918 influenza pandemic inevitable, or can research and prevention head off another deadly transmission of animal viruses to human populations? November 15, 2006

STS researches effects of medicine across races - New treatments and medical technology can effectively eradicate diseases such as smallpox, yet social and political considerations have hindered similar success with diseases like polio, tuberculosis and AIDS. November 15, 2006

Gene machine takes the prize - A team of undergraduates from the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia--leaping onto MIT's Kresge Auditorium stage in green team T-shirts--won the grand prize Sunday at the international Genetically Engineered Machine competition. November 9, 2006

Lander named one of America's 'best leaders' - Professor Eric Lander, founder and director of the Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute, is featured as one of America's 20 best leaders in the Oct. 30, 2006 issue of U.S. News and World Report. October 27, 2006

MIT alum shares Nobel Prize in physiology - Andrew Z. Fire, who received the Ph.D. from MIT in 1983, has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2006 together with Craig C. Mello for their discovery of RNA interference -- gene silencing by double-stranded RNA. October 2, 2006

Tool charts links between drugs and human disease - A research team led by scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has developed a new kind of genetic "roadmap" that can connect human diseases with potential drugs to treat them, as well as predict how new drugs work in human cells. September 29, 2006

MIT, Broad Institute join autism gene project - The Autism Consortium, a collaboration of 11 Boston-area institutions dedicated to autism research, today announced the initiation of the first comprehensive genetic association study to examine the entire human genome related to autism. August 15, 2006

Microbe center plumbs depths of ocean life - Scientists from MIT and six other institutions are part of a new center for exploring the microbial inhabitants of the sea. The alliance aims to bring together the disciplines of oceanography, microbiology, ecology and genomics. August 10, 2006

Edgerton program's message is You Go Girl! - Learning the genetics of fish built out of Legos was just one experiment on the agenda this week for girls visiting the Edgerton Center at MIT as part of the center's four-day summer program called You Go Girl! August 4, 2006

Broad talk illuminates genetics - Scientists are on the brink of identifying genes that play a major role in a variety of diseases, thanks to recent rapid advances in DNA sequencing technology, according to Dr. David Altshuler of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. August 4, 2006

DNA damage study probes inflammation, disease - New research at MIT may help scientists better understand the chemical associations between chronic inflammation and diseases such as cancer and atherosclerosis. The work could lead to drugs that break the link between the two. July 25, 2006

Cancer symposium packs Kresge - An audience of 1,300 packed into Kresge Auditorium on June 23 to listen to Nobel laureates and other prominent scientists discuss cancer research. June 29, 2006

Parkinson's symptoms reversed in animals - MIT scientists and colleagues have not only identified a key biological pathway that, when obstructed, causes Parkinson's symptoms, they have also repaired that pathway and restored normal neurological function in certain animal models. June 22, 2006

Genetic networks discussed at Picower retreat - Cori Bargmann wants to know what it's like to be a worm. To understand the nervous system of the nematode C. elegans, said the Rockefeller University professor at an MIT retreat recently, it helps to imagine what a worm's life in the soil is like. June 16, 2006

Cloaked fungi slip past immune system - Whitehead Institute and MIT researchers have discovered a biological "cloaking device" that may help pathogenic fungi hide from the immune system. The work may explain why our immune system easily identifies many bacterial and viral infections yet sometimes misses other invaders like pathogenic fungi. May 19, 2006

Work offers new twist on origin of species - The evolutionary split between humans and chimpanzees is much more recent -- and more complicated -- than previously thought, according to a new study by scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and colleagues. May 18, 2006

Broad receives $18 million grant - The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has received an award of more than $18 million from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to support studies aimed at unveiling the genetic variations that underlie common human diseases. May 10, 2006

Lemelson-MIT awards prizes for innovation - The Lemelson-MIT Program announced today that its $500,000 prize will be presented to James Fergason, whose work with liquid crystals paved the way for multiple innovations, including digital watches and computer monitors. May 3, 2006

Key to adaptability of embryonic stem cells found - New research promises to help scientists explain the magic behind embryonic stem cells, cells with the extraordinary ability to transform into almost any cell type in the body. April 24, 2006

New map reveals secret of stem cell development - The process by which humans manage to develop from a single fertilized egg into the trillions of cells that make up a mature adult may become clearer, thanks to stem cell research by scientists from MIT, the Whitehead Institute and Harvard. April 21, 2006

Researchers build tiny batteries with viruses - MIT scientists have harnessed the construction talents of tiny viruses to build ultra-small "nanowire" structures for use in very thin lithium-ion batteries. April 7, 2006

New tools enable large-scale gene studies - A molecular library created by a research team led by scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard promises to accelerate scientists' understanding of the genetics behind cancer and many biological processes. April 7, 2006

Jacks earns top cancer award - Tyler Jacks, director of MIT's Center for Cancer Research, has been named the 2005 Simon M. Shubitz Lecturer and Award recipient. April 4, 2006

Researchers: Plankton swap genes in ocean - New evidence from open sea experiments shows there's a constant shuffling of genetic endowments going on among tiny plankton, and the "coinage" they use seems to be a flood of viruses, MIT scientists report. March 23, 2006

Microbe DNA helps scientists understand ocean - Using DNA analysis, MIT researchers and colleagues have gained new insight into how marine microbes thrive and survive at different depths of the ocean. February 22, 2006

New images capture virus in extraordinary detail - Fifty years after MIT researchers pioneered the use of electron microscopy to study viruses, MIT scientists have helped produce the most detailed images yet of the tiny infectious agents poised to inject their genetic material into a host cell. February 8, 2006

Blood researchers multiply adult stem cells - MIT and Whitehead Institute researchers have discovered a way to multiply an adult stem cell 30 times, an expansion that offers tremendous promise for treatments such as bone marrow transplants and perhaps even gene therapy. January 23, 2006

Cloned stem cells identical to fertilized stem cells - Scientists at MIT and the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have concluded that stem cells derived from a cloned embryo are indistinguishable from those derived from a fertilized embryo. January 16, 2006

Scientists help complete fungal genomic sequences - An international team of scientists, including researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, have determined and compared the genome sequences of three aspergilli. Their findings were published in three papers in the Dec. 22 issue of Nature. December 28, 2005

Blood researchers find mechanism behind disease - Researchers at MIT and their colleagues have discovered an unusual mechanism underlying myeloproliferative disease, a condition characterized by overproduction of different types of blood cells. December 19, 2005

Page named Whitehead director - The board of directors for the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research has announced that Whitehead Member and MIT Professor of Biology David Page has been elected the fourth director of the Institute. December 8, 2005

Dog genome sequence announced - In work that sheds light on both the genetic similarities between dogs and humans and the genetic differences between dog breeds, a team led by scientists at the Broad Institute has completed a high-quality genome sequence of the domestic dog. December 7, 2005

MicroRNAs found to affect majority of human genes - Researchers in the lab of David Bartel, an MIT biology professor and member of the Whitehead Institute, have found that a class of RNAs called microRNAs influence the evolution of genes far more widely than previous research had indicated. December 1, 2005

Founding donors add $100 million to Broad gift - Only eighteen months after the launch of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad have announced that they are doubling their founding gift to the institute from $100 million to $200 million. November 30, 2005

MIT Museum puts geneticist on 'Soap Box' - Geneticist David Altshuler knows why he's not tall. "I can blame my parents," he said in inaugurating the MIT Museum's new "Soap Box" series. His joshing reference -- with his parents in the audience -- was a clever way into the complex topic of the human genome. November 22, 2005

Examples of Nature-al selection - Research by MIT scientists and colleagues has graced the cover of Nature four times over the last month and a half with coverage on short gamma-ray bursts, Z-DNA, the HapMap project, and how certain insects navigate water surfaces. November 16, 2005

MIT Museum launches 'Soap Box' series - The MIT Museum, with support from the Boston Globe, is launching a monthly series of evening presentations on critical research. Each presentation will be followed by a participatory, salon-style conversation with the audience. November 9, 2005

Teams lay BioBrick foundation - Thirteen international teams unveiled their biological designs at MIT last weekend at the 2005 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition, using standard interchangeable biological parts called BioBricks. November 8, 2005

Teams gather for genetic engineering competition - More than 150 students and instructors from 13 universities across North America and Europe will convene at MIT Nov. 5-6 to unveil their biological designs at the 2005 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition. November 3, 2005

New method could lead to avian flu-resistant birds - Creating a strain of avian flu-resistant chickens and exploring how canaries learn to sing are two of many potential uses for a Picower Institute of Learning and Memory researcher's simple new way to create transgenic birds. October 31, 2005

HapMap provides 'catalog' of genetic variation - Researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and colleagues have developed a comprehensive catalog of the genetic diversity in the human genome sequence across human populations. October 27, 2005

Research opens door to new stem cell work - Scientists at MIT and the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have successfully demonstrated that a theoretical -- and controversial -- technique for generating embryonic stem cells is indeed possible, at least in mice. October 19, 2005

MIT launches effort to understand autism - MIT brain researchers are undertaking an ambitious, multifaceted approach to understanding the genetic, molecular and behavioral aspects of autism, with the help of a $7.5 million grant from the New York-based Simons Foundation. October 3, 2005

Scientists discover key to stem-cell potential - Researchers from MIT, the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, and colleagues have discovered the process responsible for embryonic stem cells' single-most tantalizing characteristic: their ability to become just about any type of cell in the body. September 8, 2005

MIT leading research into chimp genome - The first comprehensive comparison of the genetic blueprints of humans and chimpanzees shows our closest living relatives share 96 percent of our DNA sequence, an international research consortium reported today. August 31, 2005

MIT finds genetic clue to bone and fat production - MIT researchers have identified a gene that helps control the balance between bone and fat in the human body, a discovery that could pave the way for the prevention of childhood obesity and the treatment of osteoporosis. August 11, 2005

Broad researchers earn kudos for software - GenePattern, a gene expression analysis software package developed by researchers from the Broad Institute, has received an Editor's Choice award from Bio-IT World, an award-winning technology publication. July 15, 2005

Study to explore implications of synthetic genomics - At a time when biologists are faced with more ethics and security concerns than ever, MIT has joined with two other organizations to conduct a new study of the societal implications of synthetic genomics, a new field involving the development of viruses and cells using designed and engineered DNA. June 28, 2005

Study holds promise for quick cancer diagnosis - Despite significant progress in understanding the genetic changes in many different cancers, the diagnosis and classification of tumor type remains, at best, an imperfect art. This could change quickly, thanks to the findings of MIT and other researchers. June 8, 2005

Team IDs mechanism for multiplying adult stem cells - Researchers led by Rudolf Jaenisch of MIT and the Whitehead Institute have discovered a mechanism that might enable scientists to multiply adult stem cells quickly and efficiently, potentially paving the way for new therapeutic uses of such cells. May 24, 2005

New technique may speed DNA analysis - Just as the printing press revolutionized the creation of reading matter, a "nano-printing" technique developed at MIT could enable the mass production of nano-devices currently built one at a time. May 18, 2005

Scientists identify gene involved in building brains - A tiny molecule is key to determining the size and shape of the developing brain, researchers from the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT reported in the March issue of Nature Neuroscience. This molecule may one day enable scientists to manipulate stem cells in the adult brain. March 30, 2005

Hughes Institute honors Bartel - Professor David Bartel of biology and the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research is among 43 scientists around the country named Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigators on March 21. March 22, 2005

New difference found in human and chimp genomes - Researchers have learned that despite the 99 percent similarity between the DNA of humans and our closest relative, the chimpanzee, a significant difference occurs in the places along the genome where gene swapping occurs. February 11, 2005

Page named interim director of Whitehead - David Page, professor of biology at MIT, was named interim director of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in December. January 18, 2005

Model of cancer syndrome could lead to treatments - Scientists from MIT's Center for Cancer Research have developed a new mouse model that closely resembles Li-Fraumeni Syndrome in humans, a syndrome that predisposes those affected to a broad range of cancers. December 16, 2004

Software tool helps visualize genomes - The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has created and released for free a software browser to help researchers better visualize and manipulate entire genomes. December 6, 2004

Researchers shed light on intron evolution - By comparing four fungal genomes, researchers from MIT and the Broad Institute have described some of the dynamics of the evolution of introns, the non-coding portions of genes that comprise a large proportion of many genomes. December 6, 2004

Some don't like it hot - The songwriter Noel Coward once declared that only mad dogs and Englishmen went out in the midday sun. Now MIT biologists have a third candidate--fruit flies with defects in a gene called dTrpA1. December 3, 2004

Gene count lowered in human genome - A team of more than 2,800 scientists, including several from MIT, has published its scientific description of the finished human genome sequence, reducing its estimate of the number of human protein-coding genes from 35,000 to only 20,000-25,000. October 29, 2004

Broad, Novartis announce diabetes initiative - The Novartis and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard have announced a joint project to decipher the genetic causes of type 2 diabetes. The team plans to make its findings freely available to scientists worldwide. October 28, 2004

Small fish yields big insights - An international team of scientists, including several from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, has decoded the smallest known vertebrate genome--the puffer fish or Tetraodon nigroviridis. October 27, 2004

Marine microbes focus of major gift to MIT - Thanks to new major grants, MIT researchers aim to learn dramatically more about marine microbes, some of the most important organisms on the globe. September 21, 2004

Genome's controlling elements identified - Researchers at MIT and the Whitehead Institute have for the first time revealed all the "controlling elements" of an entire genome--findings that may lead to a new way of understanding human health and disease. September 1, 2004

Prion role in evolution reported - Scientists have discovered that misfolded proteins--which can lead to human diseases--can have a positive side in yeast, helping cells navigate the dicey current of natural selection by expressing a variety of hidden genetic traits. August 17, 2004

Mice cloned from malignant cancer cells - By cloning mice from a melanoma cell, a research team has demonstrated that nature can reset the clock in certain types of cancer and reverse many of the elements responsible for causing malignancy. August 1, 2004

Engineering biology - The first international meeting on synthetic biology, bringing together biologists and computer scientists from around the world, was held at MIT last month. July 23, 2004

Dog genome assembled - MIT researchers and colleagues have released the first draft of the dog genome sequence, which could aid the characterization of dog diseases. July 20, 2004

Home established for Broad Institute - The long-term home of the Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute is closer to reality following groundbreaking ceremonies for its major genome research facility in Cambridge. July 14, 2004

The building blocks of bugs - The Broad Institute will create a center to sequence the genomes of more than 100 organisms considered to be agents of bioterrorism and/or responsible for emerging and re-emerging diseases. July 1, 2004

GenePattern helps researchers - A new, free software package developed by the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard makes it easier and faster for scientists to capture the molecular signatures of cells in a particular state. May 25, 2004

Discovery suggests new diabetes treatment - In work that suggests a new treatment for adult-onset diabetes, a research team at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has found a gene that revs up the energy-producing ability of muscle cells. May 5, 2004

Distinguishing fellow cell-mates - To MIT biologist Andrew Chess, the concept of self vs. nonself offers information about how cells tell each other apart, a cellular self-awareness that ensures the correct wiring of neurons in the brain. April 7, 2004

Distinguishing fellow cell-mates - To MIT biologist Andrew Chess, the concept of self vs. nonself offers information about how cells tell each other apart, a cellular self-awareness that ensures the correct wiring of neurons in the brain. April 2, 2004

Yeast link found - Researchers show that baker's yeast was created millions of years ago when its ancestor temporarily became a super-organism with twice number of chromosomes, increased potential to evolve. March 10, 2004

Yeast link found - MIT and Harvard Researchers show that baker's yeast was created hundreds of millions of years ago when its ancestor temporarily became a kind of super-organism March 8, 2004

Genomics aids research - Researchers have developed a method for scanning the entire human genome to successfully map the location of key gene regulators whose mutated forms cause diabetes. March 3, 2004

Broad's Golub wins $500,000 cancer grant - A scientist at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has received a $500,000 grant to apply advances in human genomics towards cancer research. February 25, 2004

Scientists clone mice - Researchers at MIT and the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have cloned mice using olfactory neurons--cells far removed from the embryonic state. February 25, 2004

Mice cloned - Researchers at MIT and the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have cloned mice using olfactory neurons -- cells far removed from the embryonic state. February 15, 2004

Researchers ID likely gene targets for RNA manipulation - Researchers have found they can shut down individual genes by manipulating RNA; scientists have taken a step toward identifying which human genes can be altered this way. February 4, 2004

Unlocking secrets of calorie restriction - Shedding light on why drastically restricting calorie intake prolongs life span in some organisms, MIT researchers report that lowering the level of a common coenzyme activates an anti-aging gene in yeast. January 5, 2004

Unlocking secrets of calorie restriction - Shedding light on why drastically restricting calorie intake prolongs life span in some organisms, MIT researchers report that lowering the level of a common coenzyme activates an anti-aging gene in yeast. January 5, 2004

Drug industry transformed - Knowledge of specific genes underlying diseases and differences in individuals' genetic makeup that cause them to react differently to drugs are changing the face of drug development and delivery. December 17, 2003

Advances aid in drug development - Knowledge of specific genes underlying diseases and differences in individuals' genetic makeup that cause them to react differently to drugs are changing the face of drug development and delivery, says Anthony J. Sinskey. December 11, 2003

Heart attack risk examined - ndividuals with a common genetic variation in one of two known estrogen receptors have a threefold increase in the risk of having a heart attack. November 5, 2003

Higher heart attack risk - Individuals with a common genetic variation in one of two known estrogen receptors have a threefold increase in the risk of having a heart attack. November 4, 2003

Cancer gene found - MIT researchers report a new reason why mutations in the BRCA gene affect a tumor-suppressor protein that plays an important role in repairing damaged DNA. October 29, 2003

RNAi an instant cure - Professor Phillip A. Sharp, director of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, says a method of controlling gene expression called RNA interference (RNAi) may provide instant cures. October 8, 2003

Microbes' 'blueprints' promise insights - Three international teams of scientists will announce the genetic blueprints for four closely related forms of these organisms, which numerically dominate the phytoplankton of the oceans. August 13, 2003

Failure of cloned animals - A new study suggests that a set of genes important in early development fails to reactivate in adult, or somatic, cell-derived clones. April 9, 2003

Scientists identify tree - Genetic tools developed by MIT and Malaysian researchers will help identify and preserve a Southeast Asian tree containing a substance that inhibits viruses and boosts fertility. April 9, 2003

Life forms engineered - The 16 students in "Synthetic Biology Lab: Engineered Genetic Blinkers" aimed to design a biological entity that does not exist in the natural world. February 26, 2003

2 teams of RNA researchers - Scientists exploit interference to shut down mammal genes; New short-form messenger can turn off targeted gene. February 26, 2003

Researchers silence genes - MIT researchers have developed a way to exploit RNA interference for the first time to silence genes in a wide variety of mammalian cells, including embryonic cells. February 18, 2003

Researchers silence genes with small RNAs - A short form of RNA designed by MIT researchers can turn off a targeted gene much the way naturally occurring microRNAs do. February 14, 2003

RNA research commended - MIT and the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have been involved from the start in recently discovered method of turning off genes using short pieces of RNA. January 8, 2003

MIT helps make RNA interference - MIT and the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have been involved from the start in this recently discovered method of turning off genes using short pieces of RNA. December 19, 2002

Speakers clarify cloning - Rudolf Jaenisch spoke as one of three panelists at the ninth annual Catherine N. Stratton Lecture on Critical Issues on Oct. 22. October 30, 2002

Lecture addresses cloning, gene therapy - Scientists in the expanding fields of stem cell research, cloning and gene therapy will explore the promise and myths surrounding these new technologies at panel discussion. October 9, 2002

Abnormalities in cloned animals - New results from the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research confirmed that the cloning process jeopardizes the integrity of an animal's whole genome. September 11, 2002

Grant focuses on bacterial 'nano-machines' - Scientists from MIT, Harvard University, and Brigham and Women's Hospital have received $15 million to study three bacteria to understand the natural roles they play. August 14, 2002

Genomic Science Center - The National Institutes of Health announced on Aug. 5 that it is spending $15.5 million to create a Center of Excellence in Genomic Science so scientists can better predict yeast's behavior. August 14, 2002

Genome knowledge going to next level - The National Institutes of Health announced that it is spending $15.5 million to create a Center of Excellence in Genomic Science so scientists can better predict yeast's behavior. August 6, 2002

RNA splicing code - MIT researchers have developed a computational method to predict which sequences of genetic material get spliced out and which end up as the blueprint for life. July 17, 2002

Researchers close in on RNA splicing code - MIT researchers have developed a computational method to predict which sequences of genetic material get spliced out, like outtakes of film on the cutting room floor. July 11, 2002

Survey helps build haplotype map - Most of the genetic variation in the human genome is organized into large, neat units called haplotype blocks researchers reported in the May 24 issue of Science. June 12, 2002

HIV-1 production inhibited in the lab - A form of RNA developed at MIT has inhibited replication of HIV-1 virus in human-derived cell lines, potentially showing a new way to combat AIDS. June 4, 2002

Creation of genetic recipe for zebrafish - MIT researchers report in the May 13 online advance issue of Nature Genetics that they have identified 75 genes required to create a baby zebrafish. May 15, 2002

Creation of genetic recipe for zebrafish - In a big step toward identifying a "genetic construction kit" for animal development, MIT researchers report that they have identified genes required to create a zebrafish. May 13, 2002

Mouse genome info available - International scientists from the Whitehead/MIT Center for Genome Research and other institutions announced Monday that more than 96 percent of the genetic blueprint for the mouse. May 8, 2002

Genes in cell suicide identified - A key gene that prevents human cells from becoming cancerous has two very helpful relatives, researchers report in the April 4 issue of Nature. April 10, 2002

Cell suicide gene has helpers - A key gene that prevents human cells from becoming cancerous has two very helpful relatives, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers report in the April 4 issue of Nature. April 3, 2002

Gene therapy corrects sickle cell in mice - An international team led by an MIT research affiliate has developed a method of gene therapy that corrects sickle cell disease in mice. December 19, 2001

Gene therapy corrects sickle cell disease in mice - CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- An international team led by an MIT research affiliate has developed a method of gene therapy that corrects sickle cell disease in mice, suggesting future therapies designed to treat the genetic disease in humans. The new method is described in the Dec. 14 issue of Science. December 14, 2001

RNA editing and brain tumors - A defect in the modification process of messenger RNA may play a role in a common malignant brain tumor, MIT researchers have reported. November 28, 2001

RNA editing and symptoms of brain tumors - A defect in the modification process of messenger RNA may play a role in a common malignant brain tumor, MIT researchers will report. November 19, 2001

Program on post-genome world - The MIT Museum's third program in its Family Adventures in Science and Technology (F.A.S.T.) initiative, "The Post-Genome World," will take place on Sunday, Nov. 25. November 14, 2001

Puffer fish draft sequence - Researchers have produced a sixfold sequence coverage of Tetraodon nigroviridis, a type of puffer fish whose genome is estimated to be 350 million DNA letters long. October 31, 2001

Building the genome map - Researchers reported important findings that set the stage for the next steps in the Human Genome Project--mapping and identifying all the genes that predispose us to common diseases. October 24, 2001

Enzyme able to synthesize RNA - Scientists at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have created an RNA catalyst, or a ribozyme, that possesses some of the key properties needed to sustain life. June 13, 2001

Gene finding speeds discovery - Scientists at the Whitehead Institute have found that SNPs in northern Europeans travel together in blocks that are much larger than previously thought. June 6, 2001

Scientists build cancer model - A Center for Cancer Research scientist has genetically engineered cancer-prone mice that carry cells that switch on a cancer-causing gene spontaneously, generating cancers much like humans do. May 9, 2001

Sperm genes found on X - MIT/Whitehead scientists and colleagues have found that nearly half of all genes related to the earliest stages of sperm production reside on the X chromosome. April 4, 2001

Worms offer longevity clues - An MIT researcher reported in the March 8 issue of Nature that he has helped roundworms live up to 50 percent longer. March 14, 2001

Worms may lead to increased longevity - In a discovery that may lengthen human life spans, an MIT researcher reports he has helped roundworms live up to 50 percent longer. March 7, 2001

Lander celebrates milestone - Eric Lander, founder and director of the Whitehead Institute/MIT Center for Genome Research, gave a stirring lecture to the MIT community. February 28, 2001

MIT genetics expert to discuss Human Genome Project - MIT Professor Eric Lander, director of the Whitehead-MIT Center for Genome Research, will deliver a lecture on the Human Genome Project. February 15, 2001

Genetic blueprint completed - The genetic blueprint for a human being consisting of a draft sequence and initial analysis of the human genome will be published in an issue of Nature. February 14, 2001

Deciphering the genome's switches - Researchers at the Whitehead Institute and Corning Inc. have invented a powerful new microarray technique that can decipher the function of master switches in a cell. January 10, 2001