Wyss InstituteNanotechnology – Wyss Institute

DNA Nanoswitch Calipers for Single-Molecule Proteomics

Jessica Leff — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 16:48:31 +0000

Proteins are well known as essential orchestrators of life, but what is less well-understood is their post-translational modifications (PTMs). These modifications can include the attachment of chemical groups, carbohydrates, or lipids to the proteins, which affect their folding, stability, and functions. Certain protein PTMs have been linked to diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disease…

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DoriNano – Improved DNA Origami Nanodelivery to Fight Cancer and Other Diseases

Jessica Leff — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 18:20:45 +0000

We’re developing DNA Origami nanodelivery, which is transforming nanoparticle industry. Developed at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and the Wyss Institute at Harvard University, this innovative approach overcomes the challenges of other nanoparticles, offering stability, high drug loading capacity, nano-scale control of cargo spacing, and more – making it a highly customizable solution for…

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Preventing pollution with bioinspired solutions

Jessica Leff — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 21:14:47 +0000

By Lindsay Brownell In honor of Pollution Prevention Week, we’re highlighting three Wyss projects that are taking on the formidable problems of PFAS and plastic – persistent and toxic pollutants that threaten the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicals,” are toxic substances that increase the risk of many health…

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Vinny Chandran Suja on Making Backpacks More Reliable and Predictable

Jessica Leff — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 13:10:41 +0000

The Humans of the Wyss (HOW) series features members of the Wyss community discussing their work, the influences that shape them as professionals, and their collaborations at the Wyss Institute and beyond. As a kid, Vinny Chandran Suja had no interest in biology. Instead, his math and science acumen led him to pursue degrees in mechanical and chemical engineering, studying non-living systems.

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Deep-dive Molecular Blueprinting of Therapeutic Nanostructures | Anastasia Ershova

Jessica Leff — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 13:29:50 +0000

Anastasia Ershova, a scientist at the Wyss, introduces the innovative field of bionanotechnology. In this talk from LabWeek Field Building, she explores how this cutting-edge science is revolutionizing therapeutics and diagnostics by building molecules that interact with the body in novel ways. Ershova discusses DNA nanotechnology, where DNA is used as a material to create nanoscale structures…

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ACE-ing protein detection in single cells

Jessica Leff — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 14:55:40 +0000

By Benjamin Boettner (BOSTON) — Since the 1950s, researchers have used a famous method invented by Wallace Coulter known as “flow cytometry” to characterize different types of immune cells in research studies and in blood samples from human individuals. This has enabled a much deeper understanding of immune cell development as well as new ways to assess human health and diagnose various blood…

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The Wyss Institute’s 2024-2025 Validation Projects

Jessica Leff — Wed, 29 May 2024 14:55:23 +0000

Every year the Wyss Institute names a class of Validation Projects whose teams receive dedicated funding, business development support, and other resources to advance their promising technologies towards commercialization. They also collaborate with key opinion leaders, investors, and potential customers to de-risk their innovations and speed their progress to the market. This year…

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Paper-Based Diagnostics

admin — Wed, 01 May 2024 00:34:41 +0000

With the imminent threat of new pandemics and frequent disease outbreaks exemplified by the recent Ebola and Zika epidemics, there is a growing need for low-cost, easily deployable and simple-to-use diagnostic tools. The Wyss Institute has developed paper-based synthetic gene networks as a next generation diagnostic technology for use in global healthcare crises and patient care. This new type of…

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Cellular “Backpacks” to Fight Cancer, Autoimmune Disorders, and More

admin — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 20:33:51 +0000

Macrophages are the body’s multipurpose defense agents, patrolling for pathogens and engulfing cellular debris, foreign substances, microbes, and even cancer cells. But cancerous tumors have evolved an insidious defense mechanism: they can switch arriving macrophages from an active, pro-inflammatory state to a passive, anti-inflammatory state, in which they actually promote the tumor’s growth.

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Catalytic Materials: Cheaper, Better Air Purification for a Healthier World

Mariel Schoen — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 20:22:04 +0000

Catalytic converters are the most widely used kind of air pollution control device, and are installed in many smokestacks and car tailpipes. However, standard catalytic converters are very expensive because the catalysts used in them are precious metals like platinum, meaning they are not always replaced as often as they should be, and are the target of theft in lower-income areas.

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