 | Think Global, Seq Local
KI member and associate professor of chemistry Alex Shalek has developed single-cell RNA sequencing approaches to identify small-scale differences in gene expression that have large-scale implications for human health. Also a member of the MIT Stem Cell Initiative, Shalek brings training in chemical physics, computation, nanomaterials, and neurobiology to his current systems biology approach studying relationships between cells and their environments. His laboratory is highly collaborative, lending expertise to researchers working in a number of areas, including cancer, infectious disease, and allergies. |
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Faculty Fanfare
A toast to Angela Koehler and Ömer Yilmaz for receiving tenure from MIT! Koehler, whose laboratory builds chemical tools and methods for studying proteins that are dysregulated in cancer, is an associate professor in the Department of Biological Engineering as well as an associate director of the Koch Institute. Yilmaz is an associate professor in the Department of Biology. His work focuses on the effects of various diets in tissue regeneration, aging, and cancer initiation.
In other Biology news, KI member Amy Keating has been appointed head of the department. Her laboratory analyzes protein-protein interactions important for cell signaling and human health, including those implicated in cancer. Congratulations, Amy! |
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Infection Protection Detection
KI researchers led by hematologist/oncologist and Charles W. (1955) and Jennifer C. Johnson Clinical Investigator Hojun Li have patented a lateral flow test to measure the level of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in a patient’s blood. The technology, for which the team is currently seeking manufacturing partners, provides valuable insight to inform decision-making around Covid-19 precautions—particularly for vulnerable patient populations—and can be customized to detect immunity against existing and future variants. The work, which was funded in part by the Holloway Foundation, was published in Cell Reports Methods.
Read more at MIT News, STAT, or USA Today, or watch Li’s interview on CBS Boston. |
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I Screen, You Screen, We All Screen for Nanoparticles
What happens if you cross 35 types of nanoparticles with nearly 500 types of cancer cells from more than 20 different tissues of origin? A collaborative screening project led by Hammond Lab researchers used machine learning to uncover thousands of gene-based biomarkers associated with nanoparticle trafficking and binding, including one protein that could be used to determine whether lipid nanoparticles will be taken up by a tumor. Their approach, described in Science, builds a strong foundation for understanding cell-nanoparticle interactions, and could help physicians figure out which patients’ tumors are most likely to respond to nanoparticle-based treatments.
The work was funded in part by the Marble Center for Cancer Nanomedicine. |
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Cancer Research Futures
Meet the Koch Institute’s newest investigators at our next SCIENCE with/in/sight event on Thursday, October 13 at 5:30 p.m. Hear about new frontiers in cancer research and join the conversation about the interplay between discovery science and clinical practice.
Register now to attend in person or on Zoom. |
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Inside Passage
The Irvine Lab takes us behind the scenes of 2022 Image Awards winner "Vaccine Breakthrough." A cover story appearing in Science Translational Medicine describes how their intranasal vaccine uses albumin to bypass multiple barriers in the nasal cavity and activate a frontline defense against mucosally-transmitted pathogens. |
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Ryan Elbashir Named HHMI Gilliam Fellow
Three cheers to Vander Heiden Lab graduate student Ryan Elbashir on being named a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Gilliam Fellow. Together with their advisors, Gilliam Fellows work towards creating a more diverse and inclusive scientific community. |
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Vaccine Technology Gets a Boost
Biodegradable core-shell microparticles developed by Jaklenec and Langer Lab researchers could be used to administer self-boosting vaccines or combination cancer therapies. Their latest study, published in Science Advances, characterizes the particles’ cargo release mechanism and degradation over time, which control the release profile. The project was featured in the 2020 Image Awards exhibition.
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Crypt Keepers
The Yilmaz Lab is shedding light on how cells within intestinal crypts support intestinal stem cell (ISC) function. In a study published in Cell Stem Cell, a team of researchers identified two types of cells that supply an important niche factor, which they found to be implicated in homeostasis and in regenerating ISCs after injury.
This study was supported in part by the MIT Stem Cell Initiative, the Koch Institute Frontier Research Program through the Kathy and Curt Marble Cancer Research Fund, and the Bridge Project. |
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KI at the Cambridge Science Festival
Explore cancer research during this fall’s Cambridge Science Festival! From exhibits, tours, and demos in newly-opened KI Public Galleries during the Festival’s official “Open Studio Day” on October 5 (join us from 3-5!) to pop-up activities at the annual carnival from 12-4 on October 9, KI researchers will be on hand to answer questions and share knowledge with visitors of all ages. Also be on the lookout for KI-image-inspired fashion on the October 8 “Fashion Day” runway and The Fascination of Science, a special photography exhibition by German photographer Herlinde Koelbl. |
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Tumor Composition Notebook
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is notoriously hard to treat. In a study published by Nature Genetics, Jacks and Regev Lab researchers used single-cell analysis tools to categorize how different subpopulations of cells respond to therapeutic interventions. Their findings reveal new vulnerabilities in the PDAC landscape and opportunities for more personalized treatment in the clinic.
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