MIT creates gecko-inspired bandage (February 18, 2008) MIT researchers have created a waterproof adhesive bandage inspired by gecko-lizards that may soon join sutures and staples as a basic operating room tool for patching up surgical wounds or internal injuries.

Inclusivness, optimism among strengths of HST's Gray (February 13, 2008) Martha Gray, director of the Harvard-MIT Department of Health Sciences and Technology, displays an optimism that explains why, on an exceptionally snowy night in March, dozens of people flocked to her home to read poetry and to enjoy chance meetings.

Remote-control nanoparticles deliver drugs directly into tumors (November 20, 2007) MIT scientists have devised remotely controlled nanoparticles that, when pulsed with an electromagnetic field, release drugs to attack tumors. The innovation could lead to the improved diagnosis and targeted treatment of cancer.

'Micro' livers could aid drug screening (November 19, 2007) MIT researchers have devised a novel way to create tiny colonies of living human liver cells that model the full-sized organ. The work could reduce costs and allow better screening of new drugs that are potentially harmful to the liver.

MIT works toward novel therapeutic device (October 22, 2007) MIT and University of Rochester researchers report important advances toward a therapeutic device that could capture cells flowing through blood and treat them in various ways, such as zapping cancer cells or signaling stem cells to differentiate.

MIT uncovers key protein in iron metabolism (October 11, 2007) The protein plays a key role in regulating iron recycling in blood, and could lead to therapeutic drugs for certain blood diseases.

MIT student turns hearing loss into knowledge gain (October 3, 2007) Brad Buran, a Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST) graduate student, lost his hearing to pneumococcal meningitis when he was 14 months old. Today, the fifth-year doctoral candidate studies in HST's Speech and Hearing Biosciences and Technology program is becoming an expert in the neuroscience of speech and hearing.

Leveraging learning for artificial respiration (September 11, 2007) MIT researchers have found that the body's innate ability to adapt to recurring stimuli could be leveraged to design more effective and less costly artificial respirators.

Team builds viruses to combat harmful biofilms (July 6, 2007) In one of the first potential applications of synthetic biology, an emerging field that aims to design and build useful biomolecular systems, researchers from MIT and Boston University are engineering viruses to attack and destroy the surface "biofilms" that harbor harmful bacteria in the body and on industrial and medical devices.

Model helps researchers "see" brain development (April 10, 2007) Understanding the significance of folds in the outer layer of the brain is one of the big open questions in neuroscience. Now a team led by MIT, MGH and Harvard Medical School has developed a tool that could help researchers "see" the growth of those folds.

HST device draws cells close -- but not too close -- together (April 4, 2007) On a microscopic level, coaxing cells to be very, very close without actually touching one another has been among the most frustrating challenges for cell biologists. MIT researchers have solved the problem with a novel device.

Team develops nanoparticles to battle cancer (February 1, 2007) On a quest to modernize cancer treatment and diagnosis, an MIT professor and her colleagues have created new nanoparticles that mimic blood platelets. The team wants to use these new multifunctional particles to carry out different medical missions inside the body, from imaging to drug delivery.

New doctors lack training in use of language interpreters (September 11, 2006) Though patients provided with professional interpreters are more likely to seek care and follow doctors' orders, many doctors lack the training to provide such assistance.

Biodiesel wins Fuel Fight (July 17, 2006) University of Minnesota researchers determine that biodiesel outperforms ethanol economically, environmentally and energetically.

Men's Genes are from Mars and Women's are from Venus (July 10, 2006) UCLA scientists discover that, though men and women share the same genetic code, their genes behave differently.

Diabetes can age patient's hearts by 15 years (July 3, 2006) Research from the University of Toronto has found a link between age and heart disease risk in diabetics.

Immune Regulator Tied to Bone Building (June 9, 2006) Laurie Glimcher and her father Melvin stumble upon a connection between an immune system signaling protein and bone growth.

Cytokine may alter T Cell Populations, Modulate Inflammation (June 9, 2006) Vijay Kuchroo discovers an immune system yin and yang.

New Vessels Take Direction from Vascular Cell Signals (May 19, 2006) Researchers from the Schepens Eye Research Institute uncover cellular signaling mechanisms that guide angiogenesis.

Seeing Guides Multiple Paths of Brain Shaping Growth (May 5, 2006) Carla Shatz shows how the simple act of seeing enables neural plasticity by altering gene expression levels.

Natural Mineral Fibers in Turkey Cause Extreme Cancer Risk (April 7, 2006) A study of three villages in Cappadocia, Turkey, found an extremely high risk of mortality from pleural mesothelioma in erionite-exposed areas.

Going back to lard for old-time pies (July 19, 2006) Lard makes better piecrusts and can be good for you, but only if you use the real thing.