Gene therapy technique may help prevent cancer metastasis
Gene-regulating RNA molecules could help treat early-stage breast cancer tumors before they spread. The spread of malignant cells around the body, known as metastasis, is the leading cause of mortality in women with breast cancer. Now, a new gene therapy technique being developed by researchers at MIT is showing promise…
Read MoreDelivering beneficial bacteria to the GI tract
Method that transports microbes through the stomach to the intestine may benefit human health. The human digestive tract contains trillions of bacteria, many of which help digest food and fight off harmful bacteria. Recent studies have shown that some of these bacteria may influence, for better or worse, human diseases…
Read MoreFaculty Spotlight: Leonid Mirny
Exploring the Genome in 3D Since 2008, Leonid Mirny, Professor of Medical Engineering and Science, and Physics, has worked to understand the human genome in 3D with his team at MIT in collaboration with the Dekker Lab at UMass Medical School. Using new data uncovered via Chromosome Conformation Capture (Hi-C)…
Read MoreUsing light to control genome editing
New technique offers precise manipulation of when and where genes are targeted. The genome-editing system known as CRISPR allows scientists to delete or replace any target gene in a living cell. MIT researchers have now added an extra layer of control over when and where this gene editing occurs, by…
Read MoreRecording analog memories in human cells
Engineers program human cells to store complex histories in their DNA. MIT biological engineers have devised a way to record complex histories in the DNA of human cells, allowing them to retrieve “memories” of past events, such as inflammation, by sequencing the DNA. This analog memory storage system — the…
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