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Photo of Tyler Jacks standing in front of a wall of colorful scientific images in the Koch Institute lobby and smiling for the camera.

Tyler Jacks Receives ACS Medal of Honor

American Cancer Society

March 6, 2026

Congratulations to Koch Institute Founding Director Tyler Jacks, who has been selected to receive the 2026 American Cancer Society Medal of Honor. The organization’s highest honor, this award is given to individuals whose work has fundamentally advanced the fight against cancer. Jacks is recognized for his extraordinary scientific contributions to the field of cancer biology as well as his leadership in shaping new, more effective models for collaborative, patient-centered research at MIT, non-profit Break Through Cancer, and the national level. 

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Angela Belcher and Paula Hammond win 2024 National Medals of Science, Technology

MIT News

January 3, 2025

Congratulations to MIT's latest National Medals of Science and Technology laureates, including the Koch Institute's own Angela Belcher and Paula Hammond!

Belcher was honored for her work designing novel materials for applications that include solar cells, batteries, and medical imaging, while Hammond was honored for developing methods for assembling thin films that can be used for drug delivery, wound healing, and many other applications.

Bridging Science and Human Impact

MIT News

December 23, 2024

Giovanni Traverso, featured on MIT News, reflects on his early passion for molecular genetics and how it shaped his interdisciplinary career focused on improving human health. Leading the Laboratory for Translational Engineering, Giovanni's team is pioneering biomedical technologies that aim to help people.      

Barzilay’s Boltz-1 Boosts Biomolecular Modeling

MIT News

December 17, 2024

MIT researchers including Regina Barzilay and graduate students Jeremy Wohlwend and Gabriele Corso have released Boltz-1, a powerful AI model that accurately predicts the 3D structures of proteins and other biological molecules. Boltz-1 is the first fully open-source model that achieves state-of-the-art performance at the level of Google DeepMind’s AlphaFold3.

Launch of MIT HEALS

MIT News

December 9, 2024

MIT announced the launch of a new, campus-wide initiative to strengthen and expand interdisciplinary collaborations to take on some of the world’s most pressing health challenges. MIT Health and Life Sciences Collaborative (MIT HEALS) will draw on the Institute’s strengths in life sciences, artificial intelligence, chemical and biological engineering, and other fields to accelerate progress in improving patient care.

Tiny beads, big shift

MIT News

December 6, 2024

Ana Jaklenec, Bob Langer, and Rhoda Zhang have developed biodegradable materials that can be used to replace microplastics in beauty products.

Their work on creating microparticles to encapsulate vitamins for fortified foods, was published in Nature Chemical Engineering, and highlights their potential as eco-friendly microbeads. By reducing microplastics in consumer products, the team aims to mitigate environmental and health risks. Compounds released from microplastics are suspected to contribute to cancer and other diseases—roles currently being investigated by other Koch Institute laboratories.

In related news, the Jaklenec Lab will be partnering with Estée Lauder to advance biodegradable polymers in replace common cosmetics and cleansers, as well as ways to combat the effects of visible sunlight and blue light on skin.

Anchored for Action

BioSpace

December 5, 2024

Ankyra Therapeutics treated its first patient with a tumor deep within the body using ANK-101, following its strong performance treating easily accessible tumors. ANK-101 uses techniques developed in the labs of Dane Wittrup and former KI member Darrell Irvine to keep interleukin-12 anchored in tumors, enhancing immune response while reducing side effects and offering new potential for treating advanced solid tumors.

Pumped for Progress  

MIT News

December 5, 2024

Traditional gastric balloons used for weight loss often lose effectiveness as the body adapts to their presence. Giovanni tackled this challenge by creating a wearable pump that adjusts the balloon’s size, allowing it to expand before meals to curb appetite, and deflate afterward. This study, published in Device, reduced daily food intake by 60% in animals.  

Daré-ing to Revolutionize Treatment

Globe Newswire

December 4, 2024

Daré Bioscience has received funding to advance DARE-LARC1, a contraceptive device adapted from technology originally developed in the Cima and Langer Labs. The device was previously tested in osteoporosis patients and offers precision dosing over extended delivery periods, with potential applications in reproductive health, obesity, and diabetes and other conditions requiring precise and prolonged treatment.
 

Artifacts from a half century of cancer research

MIT Koch Institute

November 21, 2024

Throughout 2024, the Koch Institute has celebrated 50 years of MIT’s cancer research program and the individuals who have shaped its journey. In honor of this milestone anniversary year, the Koch Institute celebrated the opening of a new exhibition: Object Lessons: Celebrating 50 Years of Cancer Research at MIT in 10 Items. Object Lessons invites the public to explore significant artifacts—from one of the earliest PCR machines, developed in the lab of Nobel laureate H. Robert Horvitz, to Greta, a groundbreaking zebrafish from the lab of Professor Nancy Hopkins—in the half century of discoveries and advancements that have positioned MIT at the forefront of the fight against cancer.  

Jetting Toward Needle-Free Therapies  

MIT News

November 20, 2024

Inspired by squids, Giovanni and his team have created a jet-propelled capsule that delivers large-molecule drugs, such as insulin and RNA, directly into the GI tract without the need for needles. This study, published in Nature, shows that the device is as effective as injections. It offers a promising alternative to conventional drug delivery methods, particularly for diabetes and other conditions requiring regular injections.