Boston Herald reporter Lindsay Kalter writes that MIT researchers have developed a technique to record the history of human cells. “Much of our understanding of cancer is not reflective of what’s going on inside the patient,” explains Prof. Timothy Lu. “It’s only with tools like ours you can start testing those hypotheses.”
MIT researchers have developed a programming language that allows users to design DNA circuits for living cells, writes Andy Coghlan for New Scientist. “We take the same approach as for designing an electronic chip,” says Prof. Christopher Voigt. “Every step in the process is the same – it’s just that instead of mapping the circuit to silicon, it’s mapped to DNA.”
Christopher Intagliata reports for Scientific American about the programming language Prof. Christopher Voigt’s team developed for living cells. Intagliata explains that, “the researchers used the platform to design 60 genetic circuits, which they then ran inside E. coli bacteria. Many of these DNA-based circuits allow bacteria to sense environmental data…and respond in various ways.”
MIT researchers have developed a programming language for living cells, reports Erika Check Hayden for Nature. “What we’re finding over time is that biology isn’t this kind of mysterious unpredictable substrate; it just felt that way because we didn’t really have the tools to see what was going on,” Prof. Christopher Voigt says.
The Broad Institute Foundry, a synthetic biology lab, has been awarded a new grant from DARPA to pursue research on engineering cells in an effort to “find better treatments for disease, make new biofuels, or create fabrics woven with life,” reports Alexandra Ossola for Popular Science.
MIT biologists have developed a genetically modified version of a common gut bacteria that could be used to treat disease, reports Catherine Woods for the PBS NewsHour. “You could engineer a Bacteroides to live in the gut and detect when inflammation is just starting…so that you can seek treatment right away,” explains Prof. Timothy Lu.
Researchers at MIT have developed tools that could one day allow intestinal bacteria to monitor, diagnose and treat diseases, writes Eryn Brown for The Los Angeles Times. "Just as you'd program computers, we're starting to learn how to program cells by modifying their DNA," says Prof. Timothy Lu.
Writing for The Washington Post, Dominic Basulto reports on how the synthetic biology work at MIT startup Ginkgo Bioworks has been inspired by computer programming. “Ginkgo is essentially programming organisms, getting them to behave the same way as one might a piece of computer code,” explains Basulto.
Jane Wakefield reports for BBC News on a system developed by postdoctoral fellow Tal Danino in which bacteria are programmed to detect cancers in the liver. "It is a fascinating universe in our body and we can now program bacteria like we program computers,” Danino says.
Brendan Borrell writes for Scientific American about how MIT researchers have engineered the DNA of E.coli to detect and record environmental information. “Building gene circuits requires not only computation and logic, but a way to store that information,” says Prof. Timothy Lu. “DNA provides a very stable form of memory and will allow us to do more complex computing tasks.”
MIT engineers have altered the DNA of E.coli so that it can store memories, reports Colin Barras for New Scientist. The research could “pave the way for cellular biographers that can be inserted into our bodies for the inside scoop on our health,” Barras explains.
Francie Diep writes for Popular Science about a new waterproof adhesive developed by Professor Timothy Lu’s team. “The glue, which works underwater, incorporates proteins that mussels normally use to adhere to rocks, jetties, and larger sea critters,” writes Diep.
In an article for The New York Times, John Markoff writes about a recent synthetic biology conference hosted by MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms. “Neil Gershenfeld, a physicist who is the director of the Center for Bits and Atoms, said that the improvement in the capacity to read and write biological genes has given rise to the possibility of ‘spectacular advances,’” Markoff writes.
Professor Ron Weiss contributes to this article in Nature on how to overcome the greatest obstacles in the field of synthetic biology. Weiss recommends improving the efficiency of the design of genetic parts.
John Daly writes about new research from MIT that shows organic materials could be used to conduct electricity and emit different colors of light. The research could have major implications for the development of photovoltaic cells and solar energy