MIT Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research

It’s been a busy Fall! ?? MIT -> Baltimore for #BMES2024-> Boston for the KI Retreat -> Houston for the #BTCSummit2024-> Philly for #IMES2024 ?? Truly a whirlwind of talks, posters, cutting edge science, and thought provoking conversations! While I’m a bit tired, I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of so many welcoming, engaging communities, and connecting with research friends (old and new) is an amazing motivator to keep the science going. A big thanks to all the hard working organizers and volunteers that make attending these meetings possible! (And an extra thanks to Kimberly for lending me her poster tube through all these adventures ??) MIT Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research | Break Through Cancer

Lumicell, a KI spinout, has received FDA approval for its revolutionary device, providing surgeons with real-time imaging of residual breast cancer cells during surgery. This groundbreaking technology, developed with early research from the Koch Institute, helps reduce repeat surgeries and improve patient outcomes. Join us on December 3 as the Lumicell team shares their journey from funding to FDA approval for their innovative cancer imaging tech. Remarks at 5:30 p.m. Reception at 6:45 p.m. Register to attend: https://mit-ki.org/3TKFV2y Read more about the FDA approval here:https://mit-ki.org/4fL3Veg #MIT #MITKochInstitute #PatientAdvocacy #Cancer#CancerResearch #OvarianCancer #CancerPatients #CambMA #CambridgeMassachusetts #CambridgeEvents #Events

Congratulations to Linzixuan (Rhoda) Zhang, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Chemical Engineering, for winning the 2024 Collegiate Inventors Competition! Her groundbreaking work on nutrient-stabilizing materials, including the innovative MOFe? Coffee, aims to tackle global micronutrient deficiencies and improve health equity. The annual competition, organized by the National Inventors Hall of Fame, celebrates college and university student inventors. The finalists present their inventions to a panel of final-round judges composed of National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees and United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) officials. Winning the CIC competition means that Rhoda’s team, which consists of Ana Jaklenec, Bob Langer, and Xin Yang, can fast-track their patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, helping them to attract more investors and bring the technology to market faster, helping improve global nutrition and health for those who need it most. https://mit-ki.org/3Cqhm5d

We’re thrilled to share the program for #CancerAndMetabolism! ?? Join us on February 9-10 for an extraordinary two-day conference featuring major influencers in the field, including: ?? Alec Kimmelman – NYU Langone Health ?? Eileen White – Rutgers Cancer Institute ?? Matthew Vander Heiden MD, PhD – MIT Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights from these key opinion leaders and explore groundbreaking research in #cancer and #metabolism. ?? Visit our website to explore the full program and register today: https://lnkd.in/eYdnpnJA

In the latest episode of the Curiosity Unbounded podcast, MIT President Sally Kornbluth interviews Dr. Giovanni Traverso. They delve into the critical role of entrepreneurship at MIT—how it's deeply woven into the fabric of the Institute—and how MIT's culture of innovation empowers groundbreaking work like Dr. Traverso's. He also discusses the pivotal mentorship of Robert Langer, who helped ignite his curiosity and shape his path into developing the next generation of drug delivery systems. Don’t miss this insightful episode. Listen here:https://loom.ly/Hy5AIfQ

Lumicell, a Koch Institute spinout company, has developed a handheld device and optical imaging agent that allow surgeons to scan surgical cavities in real-time, ensuring the complete removal of cancerous tissue during lumpectomies. This innovative technology, which originated from research at the Koch Institute, significantly reduces the need for repeat surgeries and provides surgeons with a more accurate view of residual cancer cells. The company, co-founded by MIT professors Linda Griffith and Moungi Bawendi (2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry), and PhD candidate W. David Lee, received FDA approval for this game-changing technology earlier this year. Much of the early work developing and testing the system took place at the Koch Institute, beginning in 2008. As a two-time breast cancer survivor, Griffith’s personal experience has fueled her dedication to improving patient outcomes, while Lee’s journey—sparked by the loss of his wife to cancer—has driven his commitment to advancing cancer care. Their work exemplifies the power of interdisciplinary collaboration at the Koch Institute. Congratulations to Lumicell on this major milestone, and to all the researchers, engineers, and clinicians who made this possible. https://lnkd.in/gqvK3Aim

In just two days, on Thursday, November 14th, we’ll celebrate this year’s Amon Awards Young Scientist Award winners with a presentation ceremony at 2:00 p.m. in the Luria Auditorium, followed by a reception in the KI Galleries. Join us to hear Anna Uzonyi and Lukas Hennenberg share their groundbreaking research. The MIT community and Amon Lab alumni are invited. We look forward to seeing you there! https://mit-ki.org/4g5Gb5P

Looking forward to the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC)'s 39th Annual Meeting in Houston next week! I'm excited to learn about the latest in cancer immunology research and to present some of my PhD work from Stefani Spranger's lab at the MIT Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research during Saturday's poster sessions. Abstract 870: "Tumor-resident CD103+ CD11b+ dendritic cells are associated with poor anti-tumor immunity in ovarian cancer" #SITC2024

Lights, camera, action! Join us on December 3 for an engaging discussion with the multidisciplinary team behind Lumicell’s groundbreaking cancer imaging technology. Discover their journey from Koch Institute seed funding to FDA approval, and learn how they’re tackling the challenge of residual cancer cells during surgery to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. Our featured speakers will be: Moungi Bawendi, PhD Linda Griffith, PhD W. David Lee, Founder, Lumicell Remarks begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by a reception at 6:45 p.m. Register to attend in person or via Zoom: https://mit-ki.org/3TKFV2y #MIT #MITKochInstitute #PatientAdvocacy #Cancer #CancerResearch #OvarianCancer #CancerPatients #CambMA #CambridgeMassachusetts #CambridgeEvents #Events

Congratulations to Zach Rogers for being awarded a postdoctoral fellowship from the American Cancer Society for his project, “Generating a B-progenitor Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cell Library to Study Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell-induced Lineage Switch.” Zach's groundbreaking research aims to deepen our understanding of leukemia and improve therapeutic strategies through innovative cell models.