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Tardi-grade A science

MIT News

February 26, 2025

About 60 percent of cancer patients in the U.S. receive radiation therapy, which can have severe side effects. In a study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, a team led by Giovanni Traverso discovered that a protein from tardigrades (microscopic "water bears") can protect human cells from radiation damage, minimizing treatment side effects.

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Inside an Immune Response

Science Immunology

March 11, 2021

Working with collaborators to collect longitudinal samples during clinical trials of a new treatment technique for brain hemorrhage, the Love and Shalek Labs have published a new study in Science Immunology illuminating immune activity in acute injury. The team’s data show an evolution of macrophages, a type of immune cell, from a pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory state. The researchers also saw metabolic shifts, and found glycolytic metabolism—normally seen in cancer cells—in the macrophages was associated with better patient outcomes. These types of transitions in macrophage inflammation and metabolism are also known to be important in cancer, for which these findings provide additional insights and reference points.

New Immunotherapy Target in Glioblastoma

Cell

March 11, 2021

A new paper in Cell from a Bridge Project team working on brain cancer sheds light on how gene expression in T cells affects response to immunotherapy in tumors called gliomas. Single-cell RNA sequencing approaches developed in the Regev Lab highlighted the role of KLRB1. Silencing this gene in cell and animal models enhanced T cell killing of glioma cells, suggesting its utility as an immunotherapy target.

Tying Up Loose Ends in RNA Therapeutics

Chemical & Engineering News

March 11, 2021

Orna, co-founded by KI member Daniel Anderson and based on strategies developed in his lab offers an alternative to current RNA-based therapies. By connecting the loose ends of linear messenger RNA molecules, Orna’s circularized “oRNAs” could improve stability of mRNA therapies, leading to more efficient delivery of drugs into cells and increased expression of disease-fighting proteins. The company will develop and test their approach in the area of cancer immunotherapy.

Bhatia Tracks Treatment Response

MIT News

February 4, 2021

Best known for applications in cancer diagnostics, the Bhatia lab’s synthetic biosensor platform can also be used to monitor and understand treatment response. In partnership with Gilead, Bhatia’s startup, Glympse Bio, is using the technology in trials with NASH patients.

Weinberg wins Japan Prize

MIT News

February 4, 2021

Three cheers to Daniel K. Ludwig Professor for Cancer Research Robert Weinberg, 2021 Japan Prize laureate in the field of Medical Science and Medicinal Science. He is honored jointly with Bert Vogelstein (Johns Hopkins Medicine) for their pioneering contributions to the development of a multi-step carcinogenesis model, its application and its impact on improving cancer treatment. The Japan Prize is awarded annually to scientists and engineers from around the world who have made significant contributions to the advancement of science and technology, thereby furthering the peace and prosperity of humankind. 

Making Mammography-based Risk Assessment More Robust

MIT News

February 4, 2021

Researchers led by Regina Barzilay and Constance Lehman (Mass General Hospital) developed a new risk-assessment algorithm to improve accuracy, consistency, and equity in breast cancer diagnosis. Described on YouTube and published Science Translational Medicine, the Mirai system incorporates the unique requirements of risk modeling into their AI-driven screening tools and works across diverse populations, leading to equitable healthcare outcomes.

Expanding Options for Tissue Analysis

MIT News

February 3, 2021

Combining tissue expansion and RNA sequencing techniques, Ed Boyden and collaborators developed an approach to mapping gene expression in tissue samples that can pinpoint an individual molecule of mRNA within a cell. In a study appearing in Science, researchers examined tumor and immune cells in breast cancer metastases, uncovering unique behaviors based on cell location.

Personalized Vaccine Persists

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

January 27, 2021

A study published in Nature Medicine highlights the effectiveness of a personalized cancer vaccine developed by a Bridge Project team including Bradley Pentelute. Four years after melanoma patients were treated with a personalized vaccine, the resulting immune response remains intact and effective at controlling cancer cells.

Belcher Shines Brighter

Advanced Materials

January 27, 2021

In a paper published in Advanced Materials, the Belcher Lab demonstrated recent advancements to their imaging system. First, they paired short-wave infrared organic dye molecules with gold nanorods to increase the brightness of their fluorescent probes. Then, collaborating with the Hammond and Irvine groups, they designed three different surface coatings to help target the fluorescent probes to tumors. In ovarian cancer mouse models, the researchers showed that the probes are not only brighter, but that all three coatings target efficiently to tumors, making them ideal for use in real-time imaging guided surgery.

This work was funded in part by the Koch Institute Frontier Research Program through the Curt and Kathy Marble Cancer Research Fund.

For pTyr's Sake

Cancer Research

January 27, 2021

White Lab researchers have developed a new method for profiling tyrosine phosphorylation, a cell signaling process that is often dysregulated in cancer. The high-throughput array, described in Cancer Research and funded in part by the MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, opens up new clinical avenues for personalized treatment based on cell signaling