Health sciences and technology

Mimicking the brain, in siliconNew computer chip models how neurons communicate with each other at synapses.

Edelman receives Katz Prize in Cardiovascular ResearchPrize honors physician scientists and recognizes outstanding lifetime achievement

New algorithm could substantially speed up MRI scansFaster scans could reduce the time patients spend in the machine from 45 to 15 minutes.

Computer science gives a boost to heart healthNew technique searches for subtle indicators of risk hidden in a patient’s EKG.

Langer honored for achievements in biomedical engineering

A heart of goldNew cardiac patch uses gold nanowires to enhance electrical signaling between cells, a promising step toward better treatment for heart-attack patients.

Dyslexia independent of IQBrain-imaging study suggests that reading difficulties are the same regardless of overall intelligence — and that more children could benefit from support in school.

How to reverse general anesthesiaNeuroscientists find that Ritalin could help bring surgical patients out of surgery much more quickly, with less grogginess.

Science school for judgesMIT and the Broad Institute open their doors to the judicial community for a workshop at the intersection of science and the law.

Langer wins Warren Alpert Foundation PrizeBiomedical engineer shares $250,000 award

Mimicking biological complexity, in a tiny particleNew MIT technology could lead to better drug delivery and artificial tissues that imitate natural tissue.

Emery N. Brown receives the 2011 Jerome Sacks Award for Cross-Disciplinary Research

Recreating human livers, in mice‘Humanized’ mice could help scientists study the side effects of new drugs before they reach clinical trials.

Working in harmonyMIT-designed nanoparticles communicate with each other inside the body to target tumors more efficiently.'

Student inventor Alice Chen receives Lemelson-MIT Student Prize$30,000 prizes awarded to inventive students nationwide; four leading universities celebrate 2011 winners

Keeping an eye on H1N1MIT scientists identify a mutation that could allow the flu virus to spread much more easily.

CEHS poster session highlights graduate, postdoctoral workMore than 60 posters featured at annual Center for Environmental Health Sciences event.

Research update: Continuous medical monitoringTiny 'microworms' could be implanted under the skin to give readout of blood sugar levels or other biomedical information.

Detecting whether a heart attack has occurredNew implantable sensor finds telltale signs; technology could also be adapted to monitor cancer and other diseases.

Putting up a struggle against cancerBlood-vessel cells can combat aggressive tumors, helping to prevent them from spreading through the body, new study finds.

Understanding the anesthetized brainNeuroscientist Emery Brown hopes to shed light on a longstanding medical mystery: how general anesthesia works.

A new approach to bladder-disease treatmentImplanted device can release slow, steady dose of medicine over extended period, removing the need for repeated procedures.

Understanding shape-shifting polymersMIT analysis should enable easier design for biomedical uses of plastic materials that have a shape memory.

Heading off traumaStudy suggests adding a face shield to military helmets would help more soldiers avoid blast-induced brain injuries.

Direct deliveryCancer scientists believe nanoparticles could accurately target tumors, avoiding side effects.

Tuning in to a new hearing mechanismFindings from MIT scientists could lead to hearing aids that mimic the ear’s ability to focus on particular frequencies.

Fueling up for 26.2 milesHST student develops model that can help marathon runners pace themselves to a strong finish.

Biology rides to computers’ aidPhotonic crystals could usher in an age of low-power optical computing, but they’re hard to manufacture. Maybe adding a little DNA would help.

Lending a handMIT researchers may be closer to understanding why spacesuit gloves hurt astronauts’ hands.