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ReConstruct: Vascularized Tissue for Breast Reconstruction and Augmentation

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 1d

Wyss researchers developed ReConstruct, an approach that creates living tissue implants from a patient's own cells that can be integrated into their body to offer cancer survivors a more natural, safer reconstruction option following a mastectomy. #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth

ReConstruct is a platform for growing, vascularizing, and implanting patient-derived tissues that enable safer breast reconstruction after cancer surgery.

Senior Manager, Donor Relations

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 1d

We are looking for a Senior Manager of Donor Relations to strategically grow and manage a growing portfolio of new prospects and donors. In this role, you will be a key contributor to expanding the donor base and strengthening stewardship practices that align with the Institute’s strategic goals.

We are looking a Senior Manager of Donor Relations to partner closely with the Director of Strategic Engagement to strategically grow and manage a growing portfolio of new prospects and donors. In thi...

NeoSense: Sepsis Detection in Newborns

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 2d

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition, & the third leading cause of neonatal mortality worldwide. Current sepsis diagnostics rely on blood draws that can take days to deliver results.

So, Wyss researchers are developing Neosense, a faster & more accurate method for diagnosing sepsis using saliva.

NeoSense is a new test that uses a tiny sample of saliva instead of blood, powered by advanced single-molecule detection and AI.

HarborSite: Precise and Efficient Gene Editing for Next-Generation Gene Therapies

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 3d

The HarborSite platform overcomes key limitations in current gene therapy approaches by combining two genome editing technologies: genomic safe harbors and highly effective recombinases. Combined, these could enable more predictable, safe, and durable future gene therapies.

The HarborSite next-generation gene therapy platform enables integration of therapeutic genes into genomic safe harbors using highly specific and efficient recombinases to enable more predictable,…

iNode: Implantable Lymphoid Organs for Ovarian Cancer Therapy

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 4d

Our team is developing injectable immune organs (iNodes) that aim to boost immune responses to enable the formation of lymphoid organs and improve ovarian cancer survival rates by at least 50%. This innovative approach may also benefit other cancers and diseases.

Over 12,000 women die of ovarian cancer every year, yet ovarian cancer receives less than 1% of research funding compared to other solid tumors. Early symptoms can often mimic less serious…

Engineering Living Materials with Peter Q. Nguyen

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 5d

In this podcast interview, the Wyss' Peter Nguyen explores how synthetic biology can turn biofilms into useful materials, embed cell-free systems into wearables, & program probiotics as future therapeutics. He discusses the philosophy behind bioengineering, iGEM, & ideas to tackle plastic pollution.

In this episode of the CoreSpin Podcast Interview Series, host Misha Bagirov sits down with Wyss Senior Scientist Peter Q. Nguyen, Ph.D., to explore how synthetic biology can turn biofilms into…

Wyss Institute receives Wellcome Leap funding to develop first Human Organ Chip model for heavy menstrual bleeding

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Reposted by The Wyss Institute at Harvard University

Science in Boston @scienceinboston.com · 5d

🩸 The @wyssinstitute.bsky.social has received Wellcome Leap funding to develop the first-ever human Organ Chip model for heavy menstrual bleeding. This work led by Dr. Don Ingber could transform our understanding of #ReproductiveHealth and lead to better treatments.

See more: https://bit.ly/3KBzcGe

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The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 6d

With funding from Wellcome Leap, the Wyss will develop the first human model of HMB enabling researchers to uncover the causal factors & early biomarkers of HMB progression & identify potential non-hormonal therapeutics by combining multi-omics analysis w/ AI-driven computational approaches.

By Alexandra Jirstrand (BOSTON) – The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University has been awarded funding from Wellcome Leap’s $50 million The Missed Vital Sign…

GeneSkin: A Novel mRNA Therapy for Skin and Hair Rejuvenation

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The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 7d

The GeneSkin team is developing breakthrough mRNA therapies that focus on restoring the function of basal skin stem cells by reducing inflammation and mitigating cellular stress, which is critical for skin rejuvenation and hair restoration.

GeneSkin is developing novel mRNA therapies to rejuvenate skin and hair by targeting basal stem cells. Using advanced microneedle delivery, our non-invasive treatments aim to reduce scarring, reverse ...

Large language models for drug discovery and development

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 8d

In this paper in @cp-patterns.bsky.social, Core Faculty member George Church, Postdoc Li Li, and their colleagues outline how LLMs are becoming crucial tools at every stage of drug development to dramatically reduce the time and cost associated with bringing new therapeutics to patients.

In this review, the authors explore the transformative impact of large language models (LLMs) on drug discovery and development. They detail how LLMs can potentially accelerate our understanding of…

Microbes Also Change the Climate. Could That Help Us? | Quanta Magazine

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 9d

Check out this collection of short dispatches from the field of climate microbiology from @quantamagazine.bsky.social, which includes a conversation with Core Faculty member Pam Silver on her vision of engineering microbes that can make carbon-based products and replace the fossil fuel economy.

A collection of short dispatches from the field of climate microbiology conveys the contributions that single-celled life forms make to our climate system, and how we can work with them to address cli...

www.quantamagazine.org

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The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 10d

How can we better harness immune cells to treat disease?

Cellular "backpacks," developed at the Wyss, are disc-shaped nanoparticles that can stick to immune cells without being engulfed, and keep them activated against diseases, including cancer and autoimmune diseases.

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

Macrophages are very malleable immune cells, but that also means that they can be influenced by cancerous tumors and inflammatory processes. Our cellular "backpacks" stick to macrophages and can…

Ichor is addressing multiple age-related diseases by identifying genetic interventions that reprogram old cells to a younger state. Therapies based on these interventions could improve survival for…

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 11d

The Ichor project uses multiomics and gene network data to identify genes that can reverse the biological age of distinct human cell types. It has the potential to treat major age-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, and cancer.

Ichor: Reversing Aging

20-ish Questions with David Walt

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 12d

If David Walt could give his teenage self one piece of advice, it would be not to listen to his parents' career advice. Learn more about him in this 20-ish Questions video, showcasing his hobbies, interests, and research. @brighamandwomens.bsky.social @harvardmed.bsky.social @hhmi.org
#Wyss20ishQs

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 David Walt, a Core Facu...

Mentoring and making connections: Business Development Team spotlight

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The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 13d

What does it take to transform an innovative idea at the bench into a commercializable product that can overcome the valley of death and make a positive societal impact? The Wyss' in-house Business Development Team knows the answers. Learn more about the team and how they support the Wyss community.

By Jessica Leff Imagine you’re a researcher who has answered pressing scientific questions and overcome challenges to develop an innovative way to detect pathogens. In addition to technical feasibilit...

Reimagining the World Without Terminal Illness: John Caramanica

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 14d

As we #ReimagineTheWorld without terminal cancer and work towards that vision, we keep patients like Wyss Scientific Instrument Maker John Caramanica, who continues working even after being diagnosed with metastatic skin cancer, at the top of our minds. #WorldCancerResearchDay

By Jessica Leff As he battles metastatic skin cancer, Wyss Scientific Instrument maker John Caramanica is more motivated than ever to do his part in fabricating technologies to improve the health of ...

An organ chip that predicts the response to chemotherapy | McGill University Health Centre

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 15d

Lorenzo Ferri's group at McGill, in collaboration with Don Ingber, developed patient-specific organs-on-chips that accurately predicted how cancer patients responded to different chemotherapy regimens. Their study opens up exciting new possibilities for drug discovery and precision oncology.

With the development of a patient-specific organ-on-a-chip, Dr. Lorenzo Ferri at The Institute and collaborators at Harvard are advancing personalized cancer medicine.

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 15d

Yesterday, Wyss researchers volunteered at the Cambridge Science Carnival, a family-friendly science extravaganza, where they taught curious minds of all ages about Organ Chips.

Six people standing behind a table; they're holding stickers and display items and there is a projector and microscope on the table

Two people standing behind a table as a young boy holds on to a microscope, about to look in

A woman pointing to a large-scale model of an Organ Chip

A woman gesturing towards a large-scale model of an Organ Chip

AI-driven protein design - Nature Reviews Bioengineering

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 16d

In this @natrevbioeng.nature.com paper, Core Faculty member @geochurch.bsky.social, Postdoc Li Li, and their colleagues offer an actionable, practical roadmap for integrating AI tools into protein design, including step-by-step guidance and case studies that demonstrate this roadmap in action.

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing protein design by enabling precise navigation of sequence space and accelerating the creation of functional proteins. In this Review, a practical roadmap gui...

www.nature.com

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The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 19d

The Wyss received funding from @wellcomeleap.bsky.social's Missed Vital Signs program to use Organ Chips to create the first-ever human model of heavy menstrual bleeding to uncover root causes & early biomarkers, apply AI to find non-hormonal therapies, & cut the average wait time for treatment.

Wyss Institute receives Wellcome Leap funding to develop first Human Organ Chip model for heavy menstrual bleeding

By Alexandra Jirstrand (BOSTON) – The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University has been awarded funding from Wellcome Leap’s $50 million The Missed Vital Sign program...

Namita Sarraf on Using DNA as a Building Block

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 20d

Namita Sarraf loves to find herself at intersections. As a Wyss postdoc, she's pursuing interests in technology and business development. She's working on two DNA nanotechnology projects while also co-leading the Biotech Interest Group. Learn more about Namita and her work in this month’s #HOWyss.

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 be...

Boston’s Additive Edge: Inside Harvard’s Lewis Lab and the Road to Patients, Part II - 3DPrint.com | Additive Manufacturing Business

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The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 21d

"We're thinking about any way we can get this to patients. That's the whole point of what we're trying to do," explains Paul Stankey, a researcher in Core Faculty member Jennifer Lewis' lab. Learn what it will take to scale up their work and bring their technologies to patients.

When I visited Jennifer Lewis’s lab earlier this summer, doctoral researcher Paul Stankey showed me how the team is laying the groundwork for bioprinting, from stem cells to vascular networks...

3dprint.com

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The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 22d

Happy #PostdocAppreciationWeek!

Our driven, hardworking, creative postdocs power our engine of innovation towards positive impact. We celebrated these individuals with a lunch, complete with messages of gratitude from across the Institute. Thank you!

Four people sitting at a table smiling, with empty dishes and soda cans in front of them

Two people sitting at a table and smiling

Five people sitting at a table with empty dishes and soda cans in front of them

The Wyss Institute at Harvard University @wyssinstitute.bsky.social · 23d

Because of the success of the composting program at the Wyss, initiated by our Green Team, and a few other tenant companies, our building is instituting compost collection for everyone to enable all of our work neighbors to prevent pollution and live more sustainably. #PollutionPreventionWeek

Text says, “Since moving into our new habitat in the fall of 2023.” There is a graphic of a trash can, and bold text says, “6,240 pounds of food waste diverted,” then regular text says, “through our composting program.”