Microbes

The Economist writes about new research from Prof. Chris Voigt, in which “he and his colleagues demonstrate how to control customised cells with coloured light.”

Washington Post reporter Travis Andrews writes that MIT researchers have created a workout suit with ventilating flaps embedded with bacteria that automatically open and close in response to sweat. Andrews explains that “as the bacteria relaxes and shrinks into itself, the cells pull away from the wearer, opening the flaps and letting fresh air flood in.”

MIT researchers have developed a workout suit with vents that are triggered by bacteria to automatically open in response to sweat, reports Rob Verger for Popular Science. Verger explains that the researchers hope to apply the technology to create clothing that can, “produce a pleasant smell when you sweat.”

Daily Mail reporter Colin Fernandez writes that MIT researchers have developed a self-ventilating workout suit that can help keep athletes cool and dry while they exercise. Fernandez explains that the suit is embedded with harmless microbes that contract when they sense heat or cold, triggering flaps in the suit to open and close. 

Science reporter Elizabeth Pennisi spotlights Institute Professor Sallie “Penny” Chisholm’s pioneering research into uncovering the secrets of Prochlorococcus. Prof. Michael Follows says that Chisholm, "has beautifully shown us how this microbe works and how the ocean world is organized."

In an article for Popular Science, Kate Baggaley speaks with Prof. Timothy Lu and postdoc César de la Fuente about strategies they are developing to tackle antibiotic resistance. Lu explains that researchers are attempting to develop an arsenal of treatments to “be able to come at the problem from a variety of different ways.”

Straits Times reporter Nadia Chevroulet writes that researchers from MIT and the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) have uncovered how certain bacteria evade the body’s defenses. The findings could provide “new ways to counter tuberculosis, and possibly a new generation of drugs to battle antibiotic resistance.”

Popular Science reporter Sarah Chodosh writes that MIT researchers have developed a strategy to deliver beneficial bacteria to the GI tract. The researchers used layers of different sugars "to coat individual cells of Bacillus coagulans, which is used to treat irritable bowel syndrome." 

Emma Grey Ellis writes for Wired that MIT researchers are aiming to get a better grasp on public health in cities around the world by analyzing the microbes in sewage systems using a robot dubbed Luigi. Wilson explains that sewage “carries drug metabolites, DNA, even biomarkers for diabetes—and all that data is available in real time.”

Liz Stinson writes for Wired that MIT researchers are using bees to help map the microbial makeup of cities around the world. “The goal in all of this is to produce an imagination around the microbiome,” explains Prof. Kevin Slavin. 

A new study co-authored by researchers at the Broad Institute examines how exposure to microbes during childhood can impact the development of immune systems, reports Elissa Strauss for Slate. The researchers found that “while our individual habits are a factor in autoimmune disorders, they’re hardly the only cause.”

MIT researchers have demonstrated that power plant emissions can be turned into liquid fuels using engineered microbes, reports Damian Carrington for The Guardian. Carrington explains that the process “uses bacteria to convert the waste gases into acetic acid - vinegar - then an engineered yeast to produce an oil.”

Bloomberg Business reporter Chris Martin writes about MIT startup Cambrian Innovation, which is using microbes to transform wastewater into clean water and energy. Martin explains that the system developed by Cambrian “uses bio-engineered microbes that consume much of the contaminants in wastewater and belch out methane.”

WBUR’s Deborah Becker and Lynn Jolicoeur report on the new MIT-MGH partnership aimed at developing better tools to treat disease. Prof. Arup Chakraborty hopes the collaboration will allow researchers to take risks. “Safe ideas are often not the transformative ones,” he says. 

Nature highlights the top science news of the week, including the new interdisciplinary center at MIT aimed at examining the microbiome. “The center will initially focus on inflammatory bowel disease, but organizers hope to eventually broaden the scope to diseases such as multiple sclerosis, arthritis and autism,” Nature reports.