Self-organizing “pencil beam” laser could help scientists design brain-targeted therapies
MIT researchers leveraged a surprise discovery to devise a faster and more precise biomedical imaging technique.
Biology
MIT affiliates elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences for 2026
The prestigious honor society honors four MIT faculty and 13 additional MIT alumni among more than 250 new members.
Pyruvate is a natural suppressor of interferon signaling by inducing STAT1 protein pyruvylation
(Cell 189, 1975–1989.e1–e5; April 2, 2026)
Two MIT alumnae named 2026 Gates Cambridge Scholars
Mitali Chowdhury ’24 and Christina Kim ’24 will pursue graduate studies at Cambridge University in the UK.
Professor Michael Laub and MIT alumni named 2025 AAAS Fellows
The American Association for the Advancement of Science recognized Laub and 21 alumni for their efforts to advance science and related fields.
MIT study reveals a new role for cell membranes
Long thought to be mainly a structural support, the cell membrane also influences how cells respond to signals and may contribute to the growth of cancer cells.
NSF and partners invest $9M in AI-focused math education program
The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (NSF SBE) has launched the Collaboratory to Advance Mathematics Education and Learning (CAMEL), a new $9 million investment aimed at transforming K-12 mathematics learning and education. Supported through an agreement with philanthropic partners, including the Walton Family Foundation, CAMEL advances interdisciplinary collaboration that … Read more
Intent to restructure critical weather science infrastructure
The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) announced today that the agency is reviewing the structure of the research and observational capabilities operated by the NSF National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). NSF remains committed to providing world-class infrastructure for weather modeling, space weather research and forecasting, and other critical functions. To do so, NSF will … Read more
I’ve earned my PhD — what now?
Illustration: David Parkins The problem Dear Nature, In December 2024, I finished my PhD in biomedical chemistry in Italy, and I now find myself in that all-too-familiar early-career crisis, struggling to work out what to do next. Research is important to me as a way to contribute meaningfully to a better, healthier world. But I … Read more
Virology’s most wanted: the influenza virus
Emergency hospital wards were set up during the 1918 flu pandemic.Credit: NATIONAL MUSEUM OF HEALTH AND MEDICINE/SPL Of all the pathogens that have plagued humanity, few are as notorious and persistent as influenza. Its Houdini-like ability to regularly slip the shackles of vaccine- or infection-induced immunity, aided by a steady and sustained mutation rate, has … Read more