Study: Molecular motors shape chromosome structure
Human cells contain 23 pairs of chromosomes that form a loosely organized cluster in the cell nucleus. When cells divide, they must first condense these chromosomes — each of which when fully extended is a thousand times longer than the cell’s nucleus and physically indistinguishable from the others — into…
Read MoreNew material temporarily tightens skin
Scientists at MIT, Massachusetts General Hospital, Living Proof, and Olivo Labs have developed a new material that can temporarily protect and tighten skin, and smooth wrinkles. With further development, it could also be used to deliver drugs to help treat skin conditions such as eczema and other types of dermatitis….
Read MoreA new paper-based test for the Zika virus
A new paper-based test developed at MIT and other institutions can diagnose Zika virus infection within a few hours. The test, which distinguishes Zika from the very similar dengue virus, can be stored at room temperature and read with a simple electronic reader, making it potentially practical for widespread use….
Read MoreGood medicine
Varesh Prasad, an MIT graduate student in the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology program, is creating a multidisciplinary future in health care. “Dammit, Jim, I’m a doctor, not a physicist!” The cry by Leonard “Bones” McCoy of the original “Star Trek” television series became code for “that’s not in…
Read MoreImplantable device targets pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, in part because it is very difficult for chemotherapy drugs to reach the pancreas, which is located deep within the abdomen. To help overcome that obstacle, researchers from MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital have now developed…
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