Scientific research is the pursuit of answers. Every trial, every study, produces facts; the accumulation of these facts leads to the answers we seek. Answers that ultimately can lead to longer, healthier lives. After decades of studying cancer, two truths have emerged: the only hope for curing cancer is through research; and the closest we may come to a cure will likely be the ability to control and manage it as a chronic disease.
Traditional cancer research involves biologists seeking to learn more about the disease from a molecular level. That knowledge can translate into new pharmaceuticals and treatment regimens. In recent years, a growing number of engineers have worked to develop technological solutions to problems relating to cancer – such as how to target and deliver drugs to tumors that are too risky or difficult to remove surgically.
MIT, with a long history of excellence in both molecular biology and engineering, stands poised on the front lines of a new revolution in cancer research. The first revolution was the development of molecular biology, beginning with the structural definition of DNA. That was followed by the genomic revolution, capped by the sequencing of the human genome. Now, by combining biological investigation with engineering technology, we are ushering in the third revolution. This exciting new era could be the one that brings the goal of controlling cancer for good within our reach.
To do so requires not merely combination, but rather true collaboration. It requires deploying a broad range of specialties, from computer science and nanotechnology to chemical, mechanical, and biological engineering. It also requires partnerships with fellow MIT departments and MIT-affiliated institutes, local clinical institutions, and the rich roster of life sciences corporations in the region.
Ultimately, if we are to succeed in leading this new revolution, we must look beyond the current conventions and face the future with imagination and innovation. Our multidisciplinary approach and entrepreneurial spirit can take us far, but only with the support of friends and partners can we achieve the solutions once thought impossible: the ability to detect cancer before tumors appear, the ability to monitor cancer hour by hour through devices implanted within the bloodstream, the ability to deploy molecularly guided drugs that can kill even late-stage cancers without poisoning the patient, the ability to design personalized therapies for individual patients.
These and many more challenges face us – rather, it is we who face them. Yes, we may change the world, yet our primary goal is to change people's lives, for the better. We invite you to join us on the fascinating journey ahead.
The Koch Institute, as viewed from the intersection of Ames and Main streets.
