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Linzixuan (Rhoda) Zhang holding the medal she won in the 2024 Collegiate Inventors Competition

Rhoda Zhang Wins 2024 Collegiate Inventors Competition

MIT News

November 5, 2024

Graduate student Linzixuan (Rhoda) Zhang has won the 2024 Collegiate Inventors Competition in both the Graduate and People's Choice categories. With advisors Robert Langer and Ana Jaklenec, Zhang and KI postdoc Xin Yang are developing metal-organic frameworks and other safe, sustainable nutrient stabilizing materials to address global micronutrient deficiencies. They are also launching MOFe™ Coffee, the first iron-fortified coffee.

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Showing 171–180 of 582 stories

Celebrating Together (Again)

MIT Koch Institute

January 6, 2023

In late 2022, an in-person celebration of the recipients of the Peter Karches Mentorship Prize took place for the first time in three years, bringing together multiple cohorts of winners with family members and friends of Peter Karches to recognize their contributions. The 2022 awardees were Stephanie Gaglione, Sofia Hu, Allen Jiang, and Chris Nabel.

Suono Doses First Patient

Medical Device Network

January 5, 2023

Langer/Traverso Lab startup Suono Bio has dosed its first patient with SuonoCalm, an ultrasound-based platform that enhances the delivery of nucleic acids, biologics, and other drugs that are too large or delicate to be absorbed effectively by the gastrointestinal tract. Clinical testing begins with a drug for ulcerative colitis (a known cancer risk factor) and could expand to additional diseases, including cancer.
 

Fascination of Science at the KI

MIT News

January 5, 2023

The Koch Institute is delighted to host Fascination of Science, an exhibition by renowned German portrait photographer Herlinde Koelbl. Having interviewed dozens of top scientists from around the world, Koelbl has captured the essence of their inspiration and pursuits of knowledge. View selected portraits, including those of KI members Sangeeta Bhatia, Ed Boyden, Robert Langer, and Robert Weinberg, in the Koch Institute Public Galleries through the end of January 2023. The installation was produced by the German Consulate General Boston. 

Thanks for the Cellular Memories

MIT News

January 2, 2023

Boyden Lab researchers programmed cells to produce protein chains that record the timing of gene and pathway activation during cellular events. The chains, described in in Nature Biotechnology, can be imaged through light microscopy. The technique could illuminate various cellular functions, including cancer-relevant processes like therapeutic response and gene expression. 

Celebrating Young Scientists

MIT Koch Institute

December 13, 2022

On Nov. 17, the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research hosted the inaugural winners of the Angelika Amon Young Scientist Award, Alejandro Aguilera Castrejón and Melanie de Almeida, both recognized for their passion for fundamental biology and discovery science.

A+ Microparticles

MIT News

December 12, 2022

Jaklenec/Langer Lab researchers are using polymer microparticles to fight vitamin A deficiency, the world’s leading cause of childhood blindness. Their approach, which was featured in the 2021 Image Awards and published in PNAS, provides the encapsulated vitamin A with much-needed stability under harsh cooking and storage conditions and shows good absorption in humans.

Liftoff for Dragonfly Trials

Dragonfly Therapeutics

December 8, 2022

Following on the announcement of Phase 2 advancement of their first NK-cell-based immunotherapy, KI startup company Dragonfly Therapeutics has dosed their first patient in the Phase 1/2 trial of another drug, DF9001. The sixth in an exciting pipeline of Dragonfly drugs to enter clinical trials, DF9001 is being tested alone and in combination with PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors in patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors.

Handle With Care

MIT News

December 7, 2022

KI member Michael Birnbaum has been recognized by MIT’s Office of Graduate Education as “Committed to Caring" for his wide-reaching support for students and his departmental leadership—particularly in the area of diversity initiatives. The current cohort of honorees also includes the late Angelika Amon.

Introducing the 2022-2023 Convergence Scholars

MIT Koch Institute

December 6, 2022

The Marble Center for Cancer Nanomedicine and the MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine are pleased to announce the 2022-2023 class of Convergence Scholars. Founded in 2017, the Convergence Scholars Program is designed to foster the career development of aspiring independent scientists with diverse interests in research, technology, and STEM outreach. This year's scholars are: Elizabeth (Liz) Calle (Langer Lab), Andrea Casiraghi (Koehler Lab), Gil Covarrubias (Hammond Lab), Keith Eidell (Hemann Lab), Susanna Elledge (Bhatia Lab), Sophie Herbst (White Lab), B.J. Kim (Irvine Lab), Shalmalee Pandit (Belcher Lab), Malte Roerden (Spranger Lab), and Jacob Witten (Anderson Lab).

A Key Honor

American Institute of Chemical Engineers

December 2, 2022

At the 2022 American Institute of Chemical Engineers gala, Paula Hammond received the AIChE Foundation’s Doing a World of Good Medal. Established to recognize individuals who have advanced the societal contribution of engineers, the award honors Hammond’s leadership in creating a more equitable, diverse and inclusive engineering talent pool.