Health sciences and technology

Mimicking biological complexity, in a tiny particleNew MIT technology could lead to better drug delivery and artificial tissues that imitate natural tissue.

Emery N. Brown receives the 2011 Jerome Sacks Award for Cross-Disciplinary Research

Recreating human livers, in mice‘Humanized’ mice could help scientists study the side effects of new drugs before they reach clinical trials.

Working in harmonyMIT-designed nanoparticles communicate with each other inside the body to target tumors more efficiently.'

Student inventor Alice Chen receives Lemelson-MIT Student Prize$30,000 prizes awarded to inventive students nationwide; four leading universities celebrate 2011 winners

Keeping an eye on H1N1MIT scientists identify a mutation that could allow the flu virus to spread much more easily.

CEHS poster session highlights graduate, postdoctoral workMore than 60 posters featured at annual Center for Environmental Health Sciences event.

Research update: Continuous medical monitoringTiny 'microworms' could be implanted under the skin to give readout of blood sugar levels or other biomedical information.

Detecting whether a heart attack has occurredNew implantable sensor finds telltale signs; technology could also be adapted to monitor cancer and other diseases.

Putting up a struggle against cancerBlood-vessel cells can combat aggressive tumors, helping to prevent them from spreading through the body, new study finds.

Understanding the anesthetized brainNeuroscientist Emery Brown hopes to shed light on a longstanding medical mystery: how general anesthesia works.

A new approach to bladder-disease treatmentImplanted device can release slow, steady dose of medicine over extended period, removing the need for repeated procedures.

Understanding shape-shifting polymersMIT analysis should enable easier design for biomedical uses of plastic materials that have a shape memory.

Heading off traumaStudy suggests adding a face shield to military helmets would help more soldiers avoid blast-induced brain injuries.

Direct deliveryCancer scientists believe nanoparticles could accurately target tumors, avoiding side effects.

Tuning in to a new hearing mechanismFindings from MIT scientists could lead to hearing aids that mimic the ear’s ability to focus on particular frequencies.

Fueling up for 26.2 milesHST student develops model that can help marathon runners pace themselves to a strong finish.

Biology rides to computers’ aidPhotonic crystals could usher in an age of low-power optical computing, but they’re hard to manufacture. Maybe adding a little DNA would help.

Lending a handMIT researchers may be closer to understanding why spacesuit gloves hurt astronauts’ hands.

Your vital signs, on cameraMIT team develops system for continuous medical monitoring using widely available video technology.

In the World: Health care in the palm of a handMIT-led student team develops mobile-device software to help improve health-care accessibility in remote regions.

A better way to grow stem cellsNew synthetic surfaces overcome challenges posed by existing methods for cultivating stem cells.

Shining a light — literally — on diabetesDevice from MIT lab could help diabetic patients monitor their blood glucose levels without finger pricks.

Super-sizing a cancer drug minimizes side effectsResearchers design a new version of cisplatin that spares the kidneys, letting doctors use higher doses.

CEHS calls for pilot project proposalsDeadline for submissions is Monday, Aug. 2.

In the World: Breath of lifeLow-cost portable ventilator could be a lifesaver for people in remote locations and for hospitals in the developing world.

HST's Edelman receives award from Spanish government

Operating in orbitAstronaut and alumnus Bobby Satcher recounts his experience as the first orthopedic surgeon in space

Exposing collagen's double lifeDiscovery that the rigid structural protein can switch to a floppy shape could lead to new treatments for heart disease.