MIT News – MIT Department of Chemistry

At left, the makeup of a vaccine particle, which shows a labeled glycan, peptide, and SSRNA. At right, a dendritic cell with the vaccine elicits T cell activation and immune response

A new way to reprogram immune cells and direct them toward anti-tumor immunity

MIT scientists’ discovery yields a potent immune response, could be used to develop a potential tumor vaccine.

Professor Jeremiah Johnson smiles in a hallway.

Johnson wins 2025 Carl S. Marvel Award for Creative Polymer Chemistry

This award recognizes accomplishments and/or innovation of unusual merit in the field of basic or applied polymer science by younger scientists.

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MIT chemists explain why dinosaur collagen may have survived for millions of years

The researchers identified an atomic-level interaction that prevents peptide bonds from being broken down by water.

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Engineering proteins to treat cancer

PhD student Oscar Molina seeks new ways to assemble proteins into targeted cancer therapies, while encouraging his fellow first-generation graduate students.

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Photo-collage shows a large molecule over an aerial photo of New Calendonia. On the left are five Psychotria leaves in a vertical line.

MIT chemists synthesize plant-derived molecules that hold potential as pharmaceuticals

Large multi-ring-containing molecules known as oligocyclotryptamines have never been produced in the lab until now.

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Associate Professor Alex Shalek (left) is seen in his E25 lab at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Thu., July 14, 2022. Shalek is the Pfizer-Laubach Career Development Associate Professor at MIT, a Core Member of the Institute for Medical Engineering and Science (IMES), an Associate Professor of Chemistry, an Extramural Member of The Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, an Institute Member of the Broad Institute, an Associate Member of the Ragon Institute, an Assistant in Immunology at MGH, and an Instructor in Health Sciences and Technology at HMS. According to his MIT bio, Shalek's research "is directed towards the creation and implementation of new approaches to elucidate cellular and molecular features that inform tissue-level function and dysfunction across the spectrum of human health and disease."

Alex Shalek named director of the Institute for Medical Engineering and Science

Professor who uses a cross-disciplinary approach to understand human diseases on a molecular and cellular level succeeds Elazer Edelman.

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David Kastner holds two posters of journal covers showing his 3D art. The titles are “ACS Catalysis” and “Journal of Physical Chemistry.”

The art of the enzyme

Bioengineer and artist David Kastner seeks to unlock the secrets of catalysis and improve science communication through eye-catching visuals.

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Omar Abudayyeh ’12 stands beside a white BMW whose license plate reads CRISPR.

License plates of MIT

Custom plates display expressions of scholarship, creativity, and MIT pride among Institute affiliates.

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A photo of Susan Solomon beside the cover of her new book, entitled SOLVABLE.

Q&A: What past environmental success can teach us about solving the climate crisis

In a new book, Professor Susan Solomon uses previous environmental successes as a source of hope and guidance for mitigating climate change.

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Scientists use computational modeling to guide a difficult chemical synthesis

Using this new approach, researchers could develop drug compounds with unique pharmaceutical properties.

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Scientists preserve DNA in an amber-like polymer

With their “T-REX” method, DNA embedded in the polymer could be used for long-term storage of genomes or digital data such as photos and music.

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Jeremiah Johnson (Left) and Heather Kulik (Right) smile in their respective headshots.

Jeremiah Johnson and Heather Kulik among the winners of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s 2024 Materials Chemistry Horizon Prize

The prize was given for demonstrating the potential and impact of embedded mechanochemical reactivity on the mechanical limits of cross-linked polymer networks.

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Advocating for science funding on Capitol Hill

PhD students and postdocs recently met with legislators to share expertise and advocate for science agency funding.

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