Genetics

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

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.

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.

Evolution, reversedPhysicists’ study of evolution in bacteria shows that adaptations can be undone, but rarely.

Understanding why lung cancer spreadsMIT biologists pinpoint a genetic change that helps tumors move to other parts of the body.

Scientists decipher 3-billion-year-old genomic fossilsAnalysis of modern-day genomes finds evidence for ancient environmental change and a massive expansion in genetic diversity.

The code for survivalCells fight stress by reprogramming a system of RNA modifications, researchers find.

3 Questions: Evelyn Fox Keller on the nature-nurture debatesIn a new book, prominent historian of science dismisses the ‘unanswerable’ question of whether heredity or the environment matter more in human development.

Timing is everything for cancer protein p53Biologists find that restoring the gene for p53 can slow the spread of advanced lung tumors, but doesn’t help early-stage cancers.

A better way to target tumorsIn spite of slow progress toward targeting cancer drugs to individual patients, hope remains.

Teasing out malaria’s genetic secretsBiological engineer’s new approach to studying gene control could lead to new drug targets.

Squeezing more production out of bacteriaMIT chemical engineers demonstrate a new way to dramatically boost bacteria’s manufacturing abilities.

Lunch with a Laureate: Robert HorvitzPresented by the MIT Museum and the Cambridge Science Festival

Proteins linked to longevity also linked to Alzheimer’sSirtuins appear to control production of the devastating protein fragments that form plaques in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

Lunch with a Laureate: Jack SzostakPresented by the MIT Museum and the Cambridge Science Festival

Imaging fish on the flyNew MIT technology allows high-speed study of zebrafish larvae, often used to model human diseases.

Gerald Fink awarded 2010 Gruber Genetics PrizeWill receive $500,000 prize in November

A new use for goldEngineers turn a drawback — the stickiness of gold nanoparticles — into an advantage.

Why cancer drugs lose their powerMIT biologists show how tumors can become resistant to the commonly used chemotherapy drug cisplatin.

NIMH Director Tom Insel on AutismHosted by the Simons Initiative on Autism and the Brain at MIT

Bacteria divide like clockworkMIT researchers show how circadian rhythms in bacteria control their rate of reproduction.

Y chromosomes evolving rapidlyBy comparing human and chimpanzee Y chromosome sequences, Whitehead Institute geneticists show the Y is undergoing swift change.

Silencing the brain with lightMIT neuroengineers find a new way to quickly and reversibly shut off neurons with multiple colors of light, which could lead to new treatments for epilepsy and chronic pain.

HHMI lists Tsai team’s advance among 10 biggest stories of 2009Howard Hughes Medical Institute honors discovery of gene protein that could lead to safer drug treatments for Alzheimer’s and other diseases.

New evidence links sirtuins and life extensionStudy from Leonard Guarente shows how sirtuins act in the brain during calorie restriction to potentially lengthen lifespan.

One word: bioplasticsAt a new plant in Iowa, MIT-rooted technology will use bacteria to turn corn into biodegradable plastics.

In Profile: Leonard GuarenteBiology professor discovered a gene at the center of aging. Now that research is yielding therapies that target the diseases of old age.

Taking aim at aggressive cancer cellsResearchers use novel stem-cell method to discover chemical with potency against breast tumors in mice