- New study shows that COVID-19 mRNA can be reverse transcribed and integrated into human DNA, which explains why some patients who have recovered from COVID-19 continue to test positive. https://wi.mit.edu/news/new-research-reveals-why-some-patients-may-test-positive-covid-19-long-after-recovery 49 comments science
- An on-off switch for gene editing - Now, in a paper published online in Cell on April 9, researchers describe a new gene editing technology called CRISPRoff that allows researchers to control gene expression with high specificity while leaving the sequence of the DNA unchanged. https://wi.mit.edu/news/switch-gene-editing 4 comments science
- A CRISPR screen identifies 30 drugs that reduce Rett Syndrome symptoms by increasing the activity of a gene also associated with autism, epilepsy, schizophrenia, and depression, and most of the drugs are already in clinical trials or approved by the FDA http://wi.mit.edu/news/archive/2019/speeding-drug-discovery-brain-diseases 6 comments science
- Most of the science looking at gender differences among mammals have focused on physiological differences, but new research suggests many of those more outward-facing differences -- like height and facial hair -- are rooted in differences in the way males and females express their genes. http://wi.mit.edu/news/archive/2019/genetic-study-takes-sex-differences-research-new-heights 7 comments science
- Fragile X syndrome is the most frequent cause of intellectual disability in males. For the first time, researchers have restored activity to the fragile X syndrome gene in affected neurons using a modified CRISPR/Cas9 system in a human/mouse chimeric model published in journal Cell. http://wi.mit.edu/news/archive/2018/fragile-x-syndrome-neurons-restored-using-crisprcas9-guided-activation-strategy 453 comments science
- "Naive" Human Embryonic Stem Cells created for the first time http://wi.mit.edu/news/archive/2014/whitehead-institute-researchers-create-na-ve-pluripotent-human-embryonic-stem 4 comments science