Wyss InstituteSearch Results for “Richard Novak” – Wyss Institute

Wyss Mentors new and old still buzzworthy after five years

Jessica Leff — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 14:00:18 +0000

By Jessica Leff The power of mentorship is clear: 70% of small businesses that received mentoring survived for five years or more, which is double the rate of their non-mentored counterparts. Mentors provide guidance and share advice, allowing mentees to benefit from experiences they haven’t had yet. This support can be paramount to a company’s success, with 84% of CEOs reporting that mentors…

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Russell Gould on using data to solve problems

Jessica Leff — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:45:43 +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. Russell Gould wants to know why. Seeking a flexible, open career path after serving in the military, he gravitated toward science, where he was encouraged to ask questions about the unknown.

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Unravel: from tools for studying pathogen tolerance to hope for rare disease patients

Jessica Leff — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 17:49:56 +0000

Part of the Wyss Institute’s series on the positive, life-altering impact of federal research funding By Jessica Leff There are approximately 350 million people in the world with a rare disease, including 25-30 million Americans. About 80% of the disorders are genetic, and 95% of them have no FDA-approved treatments. Finding an effective drug is no small task; after an expensive and long…

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Forging a novel therapeutic path for patients with Rett Syndrome using AI

Jessica Leff — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 13:55:03 +0000

By Benjamin Boettner (BOSTON) — Rett syndrome is a devastating, rare genetic childhood disorder primarily affecting girls. Merely 1 out of 10,000 girls are born with it, and much fewer boys. It is caused by mutations in the MeCP2 gene on the X chromosome, leading to a spectrum of cognitive and physical impairments, including repetitive hand motions, speech difficulties, and seizures. However…

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The Tipping Point for Women’s Health

Mariel Schoen — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 14:00:29 +0000

Last month, the Wyss Institute had the honor of hosting the Women’s Health Access Matters (WHAM) Spring Forum, convening researchers, industry leaders, investors, and advocates committed to closing the gender health gap. The event brought together cross-sector voices to explore bold ideas, share scientific breakthroughs, and catalyze action across women’s brain, heart, and reproductive health.

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Alzheimer’s drug may someday help save lives by inducing a state of “suspended animation”

Jessica Leff — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 15:25:07 +0000

By Lindsay Brownell (BOSTON) — Researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University report that they were able to successfully put tadpoles of Xenopus laevis frogs into a hibernation-like torpor state using donepezil (DNP), a drug approved by the FDA to treat Alzheimer’s. The team had previously used another drug, SNC80, to achieve similar results in…

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HydroPEF: Portable Off-the-Grid Water Purification

admin — Wed, 01 May 2024 05:48:43 +0000

Globally, more than 2 billion people are forced to use a drinking water source that is contaminated with bacteria, parasites, and other pathogens, and an estimated 502,000 people die each year from diarrhea as a result of unsafe water. While a majority of the world has access to improved water sources, many are often contaminated; thus, a need for effective water treatment at the point of…

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Plastivores: Plastic-Degrading Super-Microbes and Enzymes

Jessica Leff — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 14:21:30 +0000

More than 360 million tons of plastic waste are generated around the world every year, presenting a global threat to our environment and human health. There is presently little or no way for ecosystems to decompose most commercial plastics, with more than 75% of waste plastic remaining either in landfills, soils, or in the oceans for decades. Plastics increasingly contaminate all environments and…

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Wyss Institute promotes Christopher Chen to a Core Faculty member and appoints Ellen Roche and Michael Springer as new members of its Associate Faculty

Jessica Leff — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 14:58:15 +0000

By Benjamin Boettner (BOSTON) — Christopher Chen, M.D., Ph.D. has had a long and prolific past at the Wyss Institute and its 3D Organ Engineering Initiative as an Associate Faculty member, and based on his deep commitment to the Institute and its translational mission, he has now been promoted to become one of the Institute’s 12 Core Faculty members. The Wyss Institute is also excited to welcome…

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Solving tough problems together

Jessica Leff — Wed, 12 Jul 2023 13:50:56 +0000

It all started with an art exhibition. A few years ago, artist Lynn Hershman Leeson approached the Wyss Institute about collaborating to create a piece for her upcoming exhibit Twisted. The vision included the Wyss’ HydroPEF system purging microbes from water and a second, yet-to-be-created system that would use microbes to purge plastic from water. Among the team assembled to develop the plastic…

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