| | Pinpointing Solutions for Cancer Detection
Ovarian cancer is notoriously hard to detect. Lacking in reliable diagnostic or screening techniques and opaque in its biological origins, it is difficult to find or target until it has progressed to dangerously late stages. The Hammond and Irvine Labs, in conjunction with their clinical collaborators and a cohort of patients, are determined to change this.
Drawing on years of expertise in engineering, immunology, and materials chemistry, and on recent funding from the Bridge Project, a multi-disciplinary team of researchers has built a polymer microneedle patch that samples interstitial fluid in the body to screen for microRNAs from cancer cells. The patch, which also has applications for autoimmune diseases, could one day become the first noninvasive screening tool for ovarian cancer. |
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A Case for Commendation
Congratulations to our newest extramural faculty member, biologist Lindsay Case, on being named a Searle Scholar. This annual award honors 15 outstanding U.S. assistant professors who have high potential for ongoing innovative research contributions in medicine, chemistry, or the biological sciences. Case studies the molecular mechanisms that lead to aberrant cell migration and signaling during cancer metastasis. |
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Spring Cleaning
Manalis Lab researchers have discovered that before cells divide, they take out the molecular trash using a process called lysosomal exocytosis. Because exocytosis plays a role in the development of resistance to some chemotherapies, the findings could inform new strategies for making cancer cells more susceptible to treatment. The study was published eLife and funded in part by the MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine. |
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Tumor Lineage: The Next Generation
A lineage-tracing collaboration between the Weissman, Jacks, and Yosef (UC Berkeley) labs boldly goes where far too many cells have gone before—from cancer-causing mutation to deadly tumor. Their CRISPR-enabled barcode technology allows them to track the evolution of cancer cells in unprecedented detail. The work was published in Cell and supported in part by the Ludwig Center at MIT. |
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Studying Cancer Across Continents
New MIT alum and aspiring MD/PhD student Daniel Zhang is headed to the Netherlands on a Fulbright scholarship. His planned project, developing an organoid co-culture system to study malignant rhabdoid tumors and screen for therapeutic vulnerabilities, builds on his longtime work in the Jacks Lab developing genetic knockout models for colorectal cancer. |
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Ultimate Frisbee
Substantial delivery challenges persist for agents that engage the STING pathway, a highly desirable cancer immunotherapy target. However, new tumor-penetrating lipid nanodiscs developed by the Irvine Lab outperformed previously designed nanoparticles in delivering STING-activating agents to induce tumor rejection and support immune memory against reintroduced tumor cells. This work was published in Nature Materials and supported in part by the Marble Center for Cancer Nanomedicine. |
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Becoming Bob
A new installment of the Bear Grylls Becoming X series features Bob Langer, who shares how he ended up in the chemical engineering field, how he eventually achieved his research goals, and how he’s put them to work in service of millions of people worldwide. |
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Thrown for a Loop
Human genomes are folded into loops that control important processes, such as gene expression and DNA repair, and may lead to cancer when misfolded. The Hansen Lab visualized loop formation—for the first time—and discovered that loops are more rare and short-lived than previously thought. The study, published in Science, illuminates the need for new models of how the genome’s 3D structure regulates cellular processes. |
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With an AI Towards the Clinic
Regina Barzilay co-chaired the AI Cures conference for physicians and researchers interested in bringing artificial intelligence tools into the clinic. Fellow KI members Susan Hockfield and Phillip Sharp and Bridge Project collaborator Lecia Sequist were among those who attended the event, which was co-hosted by MIT and Mass General Brigham. |
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Beneath the Skin, More Than Meets the Eye
Lees Lab researchers probed the genetic underpinnings of cutaneous and uveal melanoma—cancers of pigment-producing cells found in the skin and eye, respectively. Their findings, published in PNAS, reveal key biological distinctions that can inform both clinical treatment development and broader understanding of how cancers of similar lineage develop in different tissue contexts. |
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Dragonfly and Gilead Partnership Takes Flight
Immunotherapy startup Dragonfly, co-founded by KI member Tyler Jacks, announced a strategic research collaboration with pharmaceutical giant Gilead to advance their natural killer cell engager-based immunotherapies for cancer and inflammatory diseases. The partnership opens up broader pipelines for cancer drug development and approvals, and accelerates opportunities for patient impact and major distribution. |
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