Wyss InstituteFundamental Research – Wyss Institute https://wyss.harvard.edu Wyss Institute at Harvard Mon, 15 Jun 2026 17:18:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 David Chou on keeping people safe from radiation on Earth and beyond https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/humans-of-the-wyss-david-chou-on-keeping-people-safe-from-radiation-on-earth-and-beyond/ Thu, 28 May 2026 13:00:27 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?p=45523 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. David Chou’s work is literally out of this world! In addition to identifying radiation countermeasures for use on Earth, he is part of the AVATAR project, which aims to understand how humans…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/humans-of-the-wyss-david-chou-on-keeping-people-safe-from-radiation-on-earth-and-beyond/ Studying astronaut cells in Organ Chips will inform medical strategies for future long-duration missions to Mars and beyond. The findings could also contribute to biomedical advancements for patients on Earth, such as cancer treatments and pharmaceuticals. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University. https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2026/04/08174412/NASA-Bonemarrow-Chips-03443_David-Chou-Holding-Chip-scaled.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=bef790204e2d347f30adce2ce3c3d5a5"/> Decoding inflammatory bowel disease – on a chip https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/decoding-inflammatory-bowel-disease-on-a-chip/ Thu, 21 May 2026 09:30:43 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?p=45488 Replication of patient- and sex-specific hallmarks of IBD in a human organ chip reveals stromal fibroblasts as drivers of inflammation, fibrosis, and enhanced cancer risk By Benjamin Boettner (BOSTON) — Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which comprises the inflammatory conditions Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, affects about 1.6 million Americans, many of whom cannot be effectively treated. This is mostly due to a lack of understanding of what exactly causes the increased inflammation, fibrosis, and compromised intestinal barrier that underlie this…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/decoding-inflammatory-bowel-disease-on-a-chip/ https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2026/05/20121105/Colon-Chip.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=c60ba1aa68dd5c86bf69c58c19a8c841"/> Wyss Institute technologies enable breakthrough in astronaut health research aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/wyss-institute-technologies-enable-breakthrough-in-astronaut-health-research-aboard-nasas-artemis-ii-mission/ Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:55:20 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?p=45228 Wyss Institute-enabled Organ Chip “avatars” will provide insights into astronaut health risks and provide a tool for future discovery of countermeasures necessary for travel to the Moon and beyond By Alexandra Jirstrand (BOSTON) – Launched on April 1, 2026, Artemis II is a historic, approximately 10-day lunar flyby mission that is sending four astronauts farther into space than any humans have traveled since the Apollo era, marking a critical step toward sustained lunar exploration and future missions to Mars. The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/wyss-institute-technologies-enable-breakthrough-in-astronaut-health-research-aboard-nasas-artemis-ii-mission/ Using Organ Chips containing astronaut cells, Wyss Institute and Emulate researchers will examine how radiation and microgravity impact human tissue. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2026/04/08174051/NASA-Bonemarrow-Chips-03480_Chip-on-Microscope-scaled.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=1f2bbd476766a3827d203d14fedb5a30"/> Toward autonomous self-organizing biological robots with a nervous system https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/toward-autonomous-self-organizing-biological-robots-with-a-nervous-system/ Mon, 16 Mar 2026 18:30:42 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?p=44996 In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers demonstrate that functional nervous systems can form within self-organized living cellular robots, conferring complex movement patterns and distinct gene expression profiles By Benjamin Boettner (BOSTON) — Biobots, whose growing line of variants started with Xenobots, are fascinating tiny self-powered living robots built exclusively using frog embryonic cells. Originally developed in the laboratories of Wyss Institute Associate Faculty member and Tufts University Professor Michael Levin, Ph.D. and his collaborators at University of Vermont…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/toward-autonomous-self-organizing-biological-robots-with-a-nervous-system/ The team made an important step towards creating self-organizing biological robots with a functional nervous system. As can be seen in this image, neurobots are made of an outer surface consisting of multicilliated cells, mucus-secreting goblet cells, ionocytes, and small secretory cells, and a nervous system that reaches out to surface cells underneath. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2026/03/09141311/Neurobot-cover-image-e1773080011693.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=1fb2c1abf80eec239961949d4dffbf6e"/> When Matter Makes Decisions: Michael Levin on the Intelligence of Form https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/when-matter-makes-decisions-michael-levin-on-the-intelligence-of-form/ Mon, 24 Nov 2025 18:39:49 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?post_type=media_post&p=44350 In this episode of Grow Everything, hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan have a conversation with Professor Michael Levin, Ph.D., Wyss Associate Faculty member and the Director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University. He reveals how cells make decisions without brains, store memories without DNA, and navigate anatomical space like we navigate physical space. Discover how his team…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/when-matter-makes-decisions-michael-levin-on-the-intelligence-of-form/ 07/16/2012 - Medford, Mass. - Tufts University Biology professor Michael Levin poses for a portrait in his lab on July 16, 2012. Levin's research focuses on embryonic development and cellular regeneration, using frogs and tadpoles, among other organisms, to measure their regenerative properties. (Kelvin Ma/Tufts University) https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2017/03/27090245/120716_8672_levin0927.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=011e9e7b5cfa2875d810eb92acd34105"/> 20-ish Questions with Michael Levin https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/20-ish-questions-with-michael-levin/ Thu, 23 Oct 2025 15:05:20 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?post_type=media_post&p=43953 20-ish Questions shows a different side of Wyss Institute faculty, touching on aspects of their personal life, hobbies, interests, as well as their research. This round follows Michael Levin, an Associate Faculty member of the Wyss Institute, as well as the Director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts and Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology, and a Distinguished Professor…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/20-ish-questions-with-michael-levin/ https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2025/10/15140627/THUMBNAIL_20ish-Questions-with-Michael-Levin_No-Text-Option-1-scaled.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=caf7e985a4ef3f23d8587f68a5002346"/> Finding a Balance In Bipolar Disorder Through Drug Prediction and Organoid-Based Drug Screening https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/finding-a-balance-in-bipolar-disorder-through-drug-prediction-and-organoid-based-drug-screening/ Wed, 07 May 2025 16:47:52 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?post_type=media_post&p=42679 CircaVent is a high-throughput drug screening platform that combines predictive algorithms, preclinical models, and human brain organoids to efficiently identify and test drugs that could treat the underlying causes of bipolar disorder. CircaVent is initially focused on addressing the circadian rhythm disruptions that are a common hallmark of BD, and could dramatically speed up the process of…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/finding-a-balance-in-bipolar-disorder-through-drug-prediction-and-organoid-based-drug-screening/ https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2025/05/07124559/THUMBNAIL_Finding-a-Balance-In-Bipolar-Disorder-Through-Drug-Prediction-and-Organoid-Based-Drug-Screening_No-Text-scaled.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=51e126bc23da1e8988cecf64a29d601c"/> Wyss Institute launches Healthy Aging Fund with a gift from The Colossal Foundation https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/wyss-institute-launches-healthy-aging-fund-with-a-gift-from-the-colossal-foundation/ Thu, 30 Jan 2025 15:55:59 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?p=41970 The Healthy Aging Fund will explore the intricate connection between human and planetary health, aiming to unlock the secrets of aging and extend lifespans By Alexandra Jirstrand (BOSTON, MA and DALLAS, TX) – The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University is proud to announce the establishment of the Healthy Aging Fund, a transformative initiative aimed at unlocking the mysteries of aging. The Colossal Foundation has contributed $1.5 million to the Wyss Institute to launch this pioneering Fund…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/wyss-institute-launches-healthy-aging-fund-with-a-gift-from-the-colossal-foundation/ Credit: Envato Elements/ YuriArcursPeopleimages https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2025/01/27083744/love-is-all-they-need-2024-08-22-20-11-23-utc-scaled.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=cefa23e0582ba5868780e71f328a19b8"/> 20-ish Questions with George Church https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/20-ish-questions-with-george-church/ Wed, 22 Jan 2025 14:15:54 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?post_type=media_post&p=41879 20-ish Questions shows a different side of Wyss Institute faculty, touching on aspects of their personal life, hobbies, interests, as well as their research. This round follows George Church, a founding Core Faculty member of the Wyss Institute and lead of the Synthetic Biology Focus Area. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/20-ish-questions-with-george-church/ https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2025/01/17121313/THUMBNAIL_20-ish-Questions-with-George-Church_No-Text.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=969a8e50b4569d43ea5982be6aaa7fee"/> The Dish Live with special guest George Church https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/the-dish-live-with-special-guest-george-church/ Thu, 02 Jan 2025 15:24:53 +0000 https://wyss.harvard.edu/?post_type=media_post&p=41759 In this very special live taping of “The Dish,” host Johannes Fruehauf sits down with renowned geneticist and Wyss Core Faculty member, George Church, Ph.D. Widely known for discovering the first direct genomic sequencing method, Church has reshaped the world of genetics. A professor at Harvard and MIT and a founding professor at the Wyss Institute, Church has co-founded over 50 startups—15+ of…

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]]> https://wyss.harvard.edu/media-post/the-dish-live-with-special-guest-george-church/ A pioneer in CRISPR gene-editing technology, Church has been instrumental in advancing genetic research with real-world applications, including breakthroughs in organ transplantation and gene therapies. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University. https://wyss-prod.imgix.net/app/uploads/2017/01/10173821/George-Church-headshot-003.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=faces%2Centropy&fit=crop&h=400&q=50&w=300&s=42dbf81c80ac72016e94e4a85275457c"/>