By applying engineering principles to study and manipulate biology, biological engineers aim to benefit society by applying technologies to agriculture, environment, health, and medicine. be.mit.eduhttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mtcmxpits527Voigt Lab researchers have engineered bacteria that can function as transistors, allowing the team to create living “circuit boards” that can be printed onto a growth medium in a Petri dish. https://ow.ly/jLrL50ZAH9B 17 Aug 2026 21:19 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtcmxpits527https://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mt2f5yzjqq25Boyden Lab researchers have developed a method for imaging neuron activity in the zebrafish brain. Each colored spot (green and yellow) represents an active neuron. https://ow.ly/ZkhG50ZzSUi 14 Aug 2026 14:38 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt2f5yzjqq25https://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mr5zezo2kh2lProf. Doug Lauffenburger named Institute Professor. This position is MIT's highest honor, recognizing invaluable contributions across teaching, research, and service. He was the central founder of MIT’s Department of Biological Engineering. https://ow.ly/lqBK50ZqLcU21 Jul 2026 14:28 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr5zezo2kh2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mni6tjdkjk2jNew MRI sensors developed in the Jasanoff Lab sensitively detect target molecules in the brain and body. Liposomal nanoparticle reporters, or LisNRs, can brighten or dim MRI signals in response to specific molecular targets. https://ow.ly/PkG650Z7JwV04 Jun 2026 17:51 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mni6tjdkjk2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mlvfclkdue23Who's up at BATS? Bishal Thapa (Voigt Lab): “Engineering Radiation Tolerant Fungi for Space Biomanufacturing” Blythe Irwin (Birnbaum & DeKosky Labs): “Introducing RePLiCA: A Replication-Based Protein:Ligand Cellular Activation Assay” https://be.mit.edu/our-community/seminars/15 May 2026 13:01 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlvfclkdue23https://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mldtvswc3a2bWho's up at BATS? Brian Cheng (Blainey Lab): “StimDrop: High-Throughput Combinatorial Microfluidics Platform for Transcriptional Profiling” Bruce Enzmann (White & Knouse Labs): “Investigating the Signaling Mechanisms of Organ Size Control in the Liver” https://be.mit.edu/our-community/seminars/08 May 2026 13:35 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mldtvswc3a2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3ml4x2ewmw32oIn a new study, Hansen Lab researchers have measured chromatin movement at timescales ranging from hundreds of microseconds to hours, allowing them to rigorously quantify those dynamics for the first time. https://news.mit.edu/2026/how-chromatin-movement-helps-control-gene-expression-050405 May 2026 19:42 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml4x2ewmw32ohttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mksanedrtl2zWho's up at BATS? Matt Zackin (Niles Lab): “A Machine Learning Pipeline for Target-Specific Antimalarial Drug Discovery” Daniel Sellers (Ribbeck Lab): “Intestinal Mucin Architecture as a Driver of Microbial Community Health” https://be.mit.edu/our-community/seminars/ #infectiousdisease #mucin01 May 2026 13:35 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mksanedrtl2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mkq5wl7x4o2x"Ask Janina Ojeiduma ’27 to describe one of her foremost personality traits and she’ll tell you: curiosity." https://betterworld.mit.edu/spectrum/issues/spring-2026/janina-ojeiduma-27-eyes-impact-of-environmental-toxins-on-human-health/30 Apr 2026 17:41 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkq5wl7x4o2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mkl6uk7bdu23Fraenkel Lab study shows that patterns of molecular activity in the blood may reveal not only a person’s fitness level, but also the biological processes that drive physical performance. https://ow.ly/1l6350YRfuj28 Apr 2026 18:14 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkl6uk7bdu23https://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mkap2n33e423Shenghao Guo (Koehler) “Discovery of FBXW7 Binders for Targeted Protein Degradation Using Small Molecule Microarray” Malik George (Voigt, Niles) “Bioprospecting and Evolving Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria for the Advancement of Microbial Biofertilizers” https://ow.ly/3Mt050YOwp9 24 Apr 2026 14:05 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkap2n33e423https://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mjpeaoauqc2tWho's up at BATS? Rachel McGinn (Bryson Lab): “Bacterial Control of Antigen Presentation on MHC-I in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection” James Jusuf (Hansen Lab): “Genome-Wide Absolute Quantification of Chromatin Looping” https://be.mit.edu/our-community/seminars/ 17 Apr 2026 16:36 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjpeaoauqc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mjn2x2fkje2tEngelward Lab research suggests that the chemical NDMA is much more likely to cause cancerous mutations after exposure early in life. https://ow.ly/LHns50YKzVM16 Apr 2026 18:44 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjn2x2fkje2thttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mjfhceqw2q2aNext BE Seminar this Thurs 4/9 at 4pm with Richard M. Murray, California Institute of Technology, 'Upscaling Engineering of Synthetic Biomachines via Synthetic Cells.' https://ow.ly/aX2850YIo1J13 Apr 2026 18:04 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjfhceqw2q2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mj5idlao6u2yHuaiyao Peng (Belcher Lab): “Developing Organoid Models and AI-Driven Optical Imaging for Ovarian Cancer Early Detection” Luka Karginov (Lauffenburger): “Learning Features and Paths of Vaccine-Mediated Protection in Tuberculosis via Partial Correlation” https://be.mit.edu/our-community/seminars/ 10 Apr 2026 14:01 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mj5idlao6u2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3milqurw3h223Who's up at BATS? Amanda Chan (Birnbaum Lab): “A Library-Based Examination of T Cell Allorecognition” Qingyang Henry Zhao (Birnbaum & Wittrup): “Decoding Endogenous Anti-Tumor T Cell Responses for Polyclonal TCR-T Therapy” https://be.mit.edu/our-community/seminars/ #TCRrecognition #TILtherapy 03 Apr 2026 12:46 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3milqurw3h223https://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mihanv7ivn2aBE Seminar Series this Thur, 4pm, 32-155 Melanie Graham, University of Minnesota "You Don’t Control the Immune System, You Design Around It” https://be.mit.edu/our-community/seminars/01 Apr 2026 17:45 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mihanv7ivn2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3micg4tnq6p2lWe have many administrative and technical open positions in BE! Learn more: https://be.mit.edu/about/open-staff-positions/ 30 Mar 2026 19:40 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3micg4tnq6p2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3micd5mwdpz25A backup survival pathway can help tumor cells resist certain lung cancer and other drugs. The Forest White Lab reveals that combining therapies may offer a solution. https://ow.ly/U1rf50YARTo30 Mar 2026 18:47 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3micd5mwdpz25https://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mh7hdo57k52fBE Seminar Series continues this Thursday at 4pm with BE alum Jennifer L. Wilson, UCLA "Turning Bugs Into Features - Modeling Drug Off-Target Effects to Understand Cancer Neurology” https://be.mit.edu/our-community/seminars/ 16 Mar 2026 21:58 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mh7hdo57k52fhttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mgx5elpyoo24Who's up at BATS? Myra Dada (Manalis & Hemann): “Investigating Cell Stiffness as a Determinant of CAR T Efficacy in B-ALL” Connie Wang (Collins & Edelman): “Nanoengineering Materials to Probe Tissue-Implant Interactions” https://be.mit.edu/our-community/seminars/ #CARTtherapy #ramanspectroscopy 13 Mar 2026 14:39 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgx5elpyoo24https://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mgv436jkvg2tHelp the MIT School of Engineering empower the next generation of thinkers and doers by contributing today, during the MIT 24-Hour Challenge. https://mit24hourchallenge.mightycause.com/story/School-Of-Engineering12 Mar 2026 19:10 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgv436jkvg2thttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mgsg5vgptf2vBE Seminar tomorrow at 4pm with Dan Dongeun Huh, University of Pennsylvania “Microengineered Mimicry of Human Health and Disease" https://be.mit.edu/our-community/seminars/11 Mar 2026 17:33 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgsg5vgptf2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mfu4okh2nh22Who's up at BATS? Miles George (Voigt & Niles Labs): “Containment of Engineered Bacteria by ‘Locking’ them to an Engineered Plant” Justine Shih (Blainey Lab): “Mapping Genetic Variants to Cellular Phenotypes with Targeted Optical Endogenous Sequencing (TOES)” https://ow.ly/AUip50Yn1TF 27 Feb 2026 16:23 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfu4okh2nh22https://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3mfckhu52dt2lWho's up at BATS? Evan Collins (Langer & Anderson Labs): “Data-Driven Approaches for Understanding and Improving mRNA Lipid Nanoparticles” Nikita Podobedov (Blainey Lab): “Integration of Label-Free Imaging Modalities with Optical Pooled Screening” https://be.mit.edu/our-community/seminars/ 20 Feb 2026 16:42 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfckhu52dt2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3meqqhvmbn32dWho's up at BATS? Anastasiya Grebin (Ribbeck Lab): “Mucus as a Host Lever in Recurrent Bacterial Vaginosis” https://be.mit.edu/our-community/seminars/ #bacterialvaginosis #Cervicovaginalmucus #Host–microbeinteractions 13 Feb 2026 14:42 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3meqqhvmbn32dhttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3me6ybtept32aWho's up at BATS? Victoria Chen (Voigt Lab): “Tracking Recombinant Genes in Estonia 35 Years After Release” Rachel Myers (Belcher & Hammond Labs): “Engineering Rare Earth Nanoparticles for Early Ovarian Cancer Detection” https://ow.ly/CTAR50Y9SZH 06 Feb 2026 13:13 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3me6ybtept32ahttps://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3me5ebykcjt24This afternoon, Prof Doug Lauffenburger opened the BE Seminar Series Spring Term 2026 by sharing the history of BE.05 Feb 2026 21:43 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3me5ebykcjt24https://bsky.app/profile/mitdeptofbe.bsky.social/post/3me2sbr5ufh24Griffith Lab created a mini “liver-on-a-chip.” Tiny clusters of liver cells (shown in magenta) are embedded within a network of blood vessels (green) https://news.mit.edu/2026/new-tissue-models-could-help-researchers-develop-drugs-liver-disease-020304 Feb 2026 21:15 +0000at://did:plc:at3qfsnfmlfvmfunotg7mo7b/app.bsky.feed.post/3me2sbr5ufh24