Health

Kick-off event signals approach of getfit@mit

Biology professor Hidde Ploegh on global pandemics

Two from MIT win Marshall ScholarshipsSeniors Tanya Goldhaber and Vinayak Muralidhar will pursue graduate studies in Britain beginning next year.

Nearly 2,000 H1N1 vaccine shots given by MIT Medical so farMIT Medical has administered almost 2,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine during two clinics this month — and more are in the works.

Of Note: Biologist Ploegh to discuss H1N1 at MIT Museum’s ‘Soap Box’

Explained: RNA interferenceExploiting the recently discovered mechanism could allow biologists to develop disease treatments by shutting down specific genes.

When Signals Cross: Medical Systems at CSAILProfessor John Guttag and his team of graduate students are working in partnership with clinicians to produce technological solutions for medical problems.

Good food nationMIT researchers think America's obesity epidemic can be reversed via ‘foodsheds,’ in which healthier, more affordable food is produced and consumed regionally.

“Diagnosing” the U.S. health care system: in Soundings MagazineThe U.S. health system has been ranked second in the world in expenditures — and 38th in the world for performance. What's going on?

Energy, environment, health care discussed at annual Systems Thinking ConferenceOn Oct. 22-23, MIT faculty and industry leaders discussed the need for a systems-based approach to tackle complex challenges such as health care, energy, and the environment at the 2009 MIT conference on systems thinking for contemporary challenges.

3 Questions: Jeffrey Harris on why we still don't have an HIV vaccineThe MIT economist blames inadequate incentives for the failure to develop a vaccine against the virus that causes AIDS. He argues governments should help industry create an HIV vaccine by sharing risk.

More jabs neededStudy suggests that vaccinating many more people could slow the seasonal influenza virus's ability to evade vaccines.

Protein is linked to lung cancer developmentDrugs that inhibit the protein, which normally helps defend cells from infection, could target tumors in certain lung cancer patients.

Against the common goudaThe government regulates how food is produced. MIT anthropologist Heather Paxson studies the rebellious cheese-makers who reluctantly adhere to those rules.

MIT Center for Engineering Systems Fundamentals presents new 'Flu 101' web site

Stimulating sightLed by electrical engineering professor John Wyatt, team develops retinal implant that could help restore useful level of vision to certain groups of blind people