The Harvard Gazette

Center for Systems Biology

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Science stock photos of beakers at Harvard University's Wyss Institute. Rose Lincoln/Harvard Staff Photographer

Funding for projects with promise

Four Harvard scientists receive a total of nearly $8M in NIH grants

News|

DateOctober 15, 2014

Dream job? Rachel Dutton, a Bauer Fellow at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ Center for Systems Biology, traveled through Europe to collect cheese samples, which she studies to understand how microbial communities form. “Cheese is fascinating to me in its own right — it’s somewhat surprising that, for a food that we’ve been eating for thousands of years, we don’t have a complete understanding of the microorganisms that are present," said Dutton (left), here with Julie Button, a postdoctoral researcher.

Cheese-based research

Bauer Fellow unlocks secrets of how microbial communities form

Health|

DateJuly 28, 2014

At a youth center in Cambridge, Harvard students brought science into the kitchen. Harvard junior Bonnie Lei (left, photo 1) and Dennis Friendly-Akers compared the composition and taste of various dairy and non-dairy milks, while Prerna Bhat (right, photo 2) and Jahmaya Adamson did the same thing, starting with cow's milk. Sicheng Wu wanted the taste of fresh juice so he made his own (photo 3).

Science on a plate

Undergrads adapt popular SEAS cooking course to teach Cambridge children

Campus|

DateMarch 27, 2014May 21, 2019

A medication typically prescribed to treat heart failure and cardiac arrhythmia is one of the few drugs that is inactivated by gut microbes, said Peter Turnbaugh (left), the senior author of a new paper on the topic. The research also identifies a possible way to stop the process from happening. Turnbaugh is pictured with Henry Haiser, who worked with him on the research.

Bacterial blockade

Research explains how gut microbes can inactivate cardiac drugs

Health|

DateJuly 23, 2013March 22, 2019

Researcher Peter Turnbaugh (left) and Associate Professor of Medicine Lee Kaplan (right) are the senior authors on a paper detailing drastic changes in the gut microbes of mice following gastric bypass surgery. The pair are pictured with Alice Liou, a research fellow in medicine at Harvard Medical School, who was also part of the research team.

Major weight loss tied to microbes

Study suggests possible alternative to gastric bypass surgery

Health|

DateMarch 27, 2013April 18, 2019

In a recent paper in Cell, Peter Turnbaugh (pictured) and fellow researchers show that as drugs are administered, the activity of human gut microbes can change dramatically.

Go with your gut

Research sheds light on how microbes can interact with drugs

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DateFebruary 14, 2013April 16, 2019

“The ancient fight-or-flight responses to injury stimulate immune cell activities that are involved in wound healing. But when the ‘wound’ is in the heart and caused by atherosclerosis, that increased activity actually accelerates the underlying disease,” explained Matthias Nahrendorf, assistant professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School.

Heart attack worsens atherosclerosis

Study finds mechanism behind recognized risk, suggests new treatment strategy

Health|

DateJune 27, 2012July 24, 2019

John Calarco (left), a Bauer Fellow at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Center for Systems Biology, and Harris Wang, a Technology Development Fellow at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, were among the first 10 researchers to receive NIH Director’s Early Independence Awards.

Early excellence, rewarded

Harvard researchers receive NIH grants to support junior researchers

News|

DateOctober 4, 2011June 6, 2019