MIT New Engineering Education Transformation (NEET)

In the NEET Living Machines (LM) thread, you will have the opportunity to work on disruptive research areas, united by a theme of improving our understanding of and developing therapies for human disease.

Living Machines (LM) allows you to apply engineering principles and concepts to problems in the Life and Medical Sciences, through various biotechnology innovations. As a Living Machines scholar, you have the opportunity to work on projects spanning synthetic biology, immuno-engineering, tissue engineering, microfluidics, and computational biology and other disruptive research areas, united by a theme of improving our understanding of and therapies for human disease. The thread aims to engage you with frontier challenges in biotech no matter what your background is – course 6, interested in applying your skills to bio/medical problems; course 2 who wants to design the next cutting-edge biotech platforms, perhaps integrating robotics; or a course 20 who wants to gain greater depth in one of the tracks. The most important problems in biotech require interdisciplinary teamwork, a skill Living Machines emphasizes through projects and professional development.
As an LM scholar, you choose one (or more) technical track you would like to pursue at your own pace. Tracks offer flexibility and modularity and give you the technical skills to be highly competitive in your next career steps. Most importantly, you will be part of a diverse and interdisciplinary community of undergrads, graduate students, staff researchers, faculty, and industry partners where you establish long-term personal and professional relationships through a variety of personal and career development opportunities.

Synthetic Biology and BioManufacturing

Immune, Cancer, and Infection Engineering

Tissue Engineering

Microfluidic Device Engineering

Computational Biology

Biotechnology for Environmental Engineering

Subjects
20.051 Introduction to Living Machines (6 units)
Intellectual Diversity Requirement (IDR)
Category 1 (Choose one):● 10.28 (10.28 A&B) Chemical-Biological Engineering Laboratory● 10.29 Biological Engineering Projects Laboratory● 20.129/6.4880 Biological Circuit Engineering Laboratory● 20.109 Laboratory Fundamentals in Biological Engineering● 20.005 Ethics for Engineers
Category 2 (Choose one):● 2.180 Biomolecular Feedback Systems● 10.321 Design Principles in Mammalian Systems and Synthetic Biology● 10.345 Fundamentals of Metabolic and Biochemical Engineering: Applications to Biomanufacturing● 20.305/6.8721 Principles of Synthetic Biology● 7.36 The CRISPR Revolution: Engineering the Genome for Basic Science and Clinical Medicine● 7.38 Design Principles of Biological Systems● 7.46 Building with Cells ● 10.03/7.458 Advances in Biomanufacturing ● 10.442 Biochemical Engineering and Biomanufacturing Principles● 20.005 Ethics for Engineers
Immersion
UROP● Volgt Lab● Weiss Lab● Del Vechhio Lab● Others possible
Internship:● Ginkgo Bioworks● Asimov● Senti Biosciences● Intellia Therapeutics● Twist Bioscience● Syniogic● Others possible
Senior Thesis
IGEM
Growth
LM Activities:● Career Development● Personal Development● Socials● Technical Workshops
Technical Talks:● Biological Engineering● IMES● CEHS● Broad Institute● Biotech Club● Whitehead Institute● Others possible

Subjects
20.051 Introduction to Living Machines (6 units)
Intellectual Diversity Requirement (IDR)
Category 1 (Choose one):● 20.230/7.23 Immunology● 1.088 Genomics and Evolution of Infectious Disease● 7.21 Microbial Physiology● 20.106/1.084 Applied Microbiology● 20.005 Ethics for Engineers
Category 2 (Choose one):● 20.365 Engineering the Immune System in Cancer and Beyond● 7.24 Advanced Concepts in Immunology● 7.26 Molecular Basis of Infectious Disease● 1.063 Fluids and Diseases● 7.36 The CRISPR Revolution: Engineering the Genome for Basic Science and Clinical Medicine ● 7.371 Biological and Engineering Principles Underlying Novel Biotherapeutics● 20.005 Ethics for Engineers
Immersion
UROP● Irvine Lab● Birnbaum Lab● Bryson Lab● Lauffenburger Lab● Wittrup Lab● Others possible
Internship● Novartis● Repertoire Immune● Kite Pharma● Takeda● Genentech● Amgen● Others possible
Senior Thesis
Growth
LM Activities:● Career Development● Personal Development● Socials● Technical Workshops
Technical Talks:● Biological Engineering● IMES● CEHS● Broad Institute● Biotech Club● Whitehead Institute● Others possible

Subjects
20.051 Introduction to Living Machines (6 units)
Intellectual Diversity Requirement (IDR)
Category 1 (Choose one):● 2.793/20.330/6.4830 Fields, Forces and Flows in Biological Systems ● 20.310/2.797/6.4840/3.053 Molecular, Cellular, and Tissue Biomechanics● 20.005 Ethics for Engineers
Category 2 (Choose one):● 20.375 Applied Developmental Biology and Tissue Engineering● 20.363/3.055 Biomaterials Science and Engineering● 7.46 Building with Cells● 6.4820/2.792/HST.542 Quantitative and Clinical Physiology ● 2.787/HST.535 Tissue Engineering and Organ Regeneration● 20.005 Ethics for Engineers
Immersion
UROP● Griffith Lab● Kamm Lab● Langer Lab● Others possible
Internship● Novartis● Amgen● Roche● Pfizer● Merck● Javelin Biotech● Others possible Senior Thesis
Growth
LM Activities:● Career Development● Personal Development● Socials● Technical Workshops
Technical Talks:● Biological Engineering● IMES● CEHS● Broad Institute● Biotech Club● Whitehead Institute● Others possible

Subjects
20.051 Introduction to Living Machines (6 units)
Intellectual Diversity Requirement (IDR)
Category 1 (Choose one):● 2.793/20.330/6.4830 Fields, Forces and Flows in Biological Systems ● 10.301 Fluid Mechanics ● 2.005 Thermal-Fluids Engineering I ● 2.674 Introduction to Micro/Nano Engineering Laboratory● 1.060 Fluid Mechanics● 1.066/8.292/12.330 Fluid Physics ● 1.063 Fluids and Diseases● 20.005 Ethics for Engineers
Category 2 (Choose one)● 2.676 Micro/Nano Engineering Laboratory● 20.334 Biological Systems Modeling● 6.2600/3.155 Micro/Nano Processing Technology● 20.005 Ethics for Engineers
Immersion
UROP● Griffith Lab● Kamm Lab● Doyle Lab● Fang Lab● Blainey La● Manalis Lab● Karnik Lab● Others possible
Internship● Culture Biosciences● Javelin Biotech● Illumina● Emulate Bio● Cambridge Consultants● SQZ Biotech● Others possible
Senior Thesis
Growth
LM Activities:● Career Development● Personal Development● Socials● Technical Workshops
Technical Talks:● Biological Engineering● IMES● CEHS● Broad Institute● Biotech Club● Whitehead Institute● Others possible

Subjects
20.051 Introduction to Living Machines (6 units)
Intellectual Diversity Requirement (IDR)
Category 1 (Choose 1):● 20.260 Computational Analysis of Biological Data● 6.3900 Introduction to Machine Learning● 20.390/6.8711 Computational Systems Biology: Deep Learning in the Life Sciences● 20.005 Ethics for Engineers
Category 2 (Choose 1):● 20.320 Analysis of Biomolecular and Cellular Systems● 2.180 Biomolecular Feedback Systems ● 20.334 Biological Systems Modeling● 20.005 Ethics for Engineers
Immersion
UROP● Voigt Lab● Weiss Lab● Del Vechhio Lab● Lauffenburger Lab● Alm Lab● Gilford Lab● Others possible
Internship● Ginkgo Bioworks● Kite Pharma● Illumina● nference● Editas Medicine● Applied Biomath● Others possible
Senior Thesis
Growth
LM Activities:● Career Development● Personal Development● Socials● Technical Workshops
Technical Talks:● Biological Engineering● IMES● CEHS● Broad Institute● Biotech Club● Whitehead Institute● Others possible

Subjects
20.051 Introduction to Living Machines (6 units)
Intellectual Diversity Requirement (IDR)
Category 1 (Choose one):● 10.28 (10.28 A&B) Chemical-Biological Engineering Laboratory● 10.29 Biological Engineering Projects Laboratory● 20.129/6.4880 Biological Circuit Engineering Laboratory● 20.109 Laboratory Fundamentals in Biological Engineering● 20.005 Ethics for Engineers● 20.106/1.084 Applied Microbiology● 7.21 Microbial Physiology● 12.004 Introduction to Chemistry of Habitable Environments● 7.30/1.018/12.031 Fundamentals of Ecology● 20.005 Ethics for Engineers
Category 2 (Choose one):● 2.180 Biomolecular Feedback Systems● 20.305/6.8721 Principles of Synthetic Biology● 1.088 Genomics and Evolution of Infectious Disease● 1.089 Environmental Microbial Biogeochemistry● 1.063 Fluids and Diseases● 7.26 Molecular Basis of Infectious Disease● 12.007 Geobiology: History of Life on Earth● 20.005 Ethics for Engineers
Immersion
UROP● Babbin Lab● Des Marais Lab● McRose Lab● Others possible
Internship● Ginkgo Bioworks● Twist Bioscience● Novozymes● Biogen● Genzyme● Amgen● Others possible
Senior Thesis
Growth
LM Activities:● Career Development● Personal Development● Socials● Technical Workshops
Technical Talks:● Biological Engineering● IMES● CEHS● Broad Institute● Biotech Club● Whitehead Institute● Others possible

Introduction to Living Machines

In 20.051 | Introduction to Living Machines, you will gain a high-level, hands-on introduction to all the tracks offered through expert lectures and mini-projects in the context of "Physiomimetics: Transforming Therapeutic Strategy and Development." The class is 6 units and offered both Fall and Spring. This is a common class required of all LM scholars entering the thread and it is expected that you take it sometime in Sophomore year or Spring of Freshmen year (with instructor permission).

Intellectual Diversity Requirement

A core subject from outside of your major
As engineers in 2020, it is important that you be able to understand the thought process and terminology of other engineering disciplines besides your own. The IDR is a core class that you take that is outside your major, for example, a course 20 would take 2.00 while a course 2 might take 20.110. The table on the right shows options based on your declared major. Note that other IDRs might be possible by petition.

Research Immersion

Internship, Two-semester UROP, Thesis, or IGEM
Depending on the track, this can be a structured UROP, an internship, senior thesis or other MIT activity (such as iGEM for example). The structured UROP is accompanied by a variable unit class (20.054) that encompasses certain communication-based deliverables that accompany your for-credit or for-pay UROP. The internship is an industry or academic summer internship of your choosing that falls under the track focus area. The purpose of this immersion experience is to give you real-world experience.

LM Activities

A fundamental part of NEET Living Machines is to help you grow as an individual. Throughout your time as an LM Scholar, you will have many opportunities to engage in career and personal development events which include industry site visits, lab tours, lunch & learn with academics and industry guests, panel discussions and of course many socials and technical workshops! You are required to complete 60 HEQ in total while you are an LM Scholar (over a 3-year period). Each HEQ is approximately 1 hour.

Technical Talks

It is vital that you as an engineer continuously learn about new areas of research, that's why we require you to attend 8 seminars as part of your track. These are departmental seminars and other types of talks of your choosing, but they have to be technical in nature. We recommend 4 of them be related directly to your track and the other 4 be something not directly related to allow you to gain breadth in the biotech field. These can be taken at any time during your time as an LM Scholar (over 3-year period). Each seminar is usually around 50 min long. No units or grades are associated with the seminars. You just have to fill in a short online form specifying the seminar title/date and describing briefly what you learned.

Intro to Living Machines

In 20.051 - Intro to Living Machines, you gain a high-level hands-on introduction to all the tracks offered through expert lectures and mini-projects in the context of "Physiomimetics: Transforming Therapeutic Strategy and Development”. The class is 6 units and offered both Fall and Spring. This is a common class required of all LM scholars entering the thread and it is expected that you take it sometime in Sophomore year or Spring of Freshmen year (with instructor permission).

Engineering Subjects

To build a strong foundation in your track(s) of choice, you also need to complete some MIT subjects being offered by several departments. Depending on your major, in most cases, these might also fulfill your major's degree requirements. Please note that some subjects on the diagrams have prerequisites that are not indicated. It is up to you to decide which track to choose and what classes within the track to take that would be practical for your MIT course trajectory.

Immersion

Depending on the track, this can be a structured UROP, an internship, senior thesis or other MIT activity (such as iGEM for example). The structured UROP is accompanied by a variable unit class (20.054) that encompasses certain communication-based deliverables that accompany your for-credit or for-pay UROP. The internship is an industry or academic summer internship of your choosing that falls under the track focus area. The purpose of this immersion experience is to give you real-world experience.

MIT NEET - Living Machines Ginkgo Bioworks

LM Activities

A fundamental part of NEET - Living Machines is to help you grow as an individual. Throughout your time as an LM Scholar, you will have many opportunities to engage in career and personal development events which include industry site visits, lab tours, lunch & learn with academics and industry guests, panel discussions and of course many socials and technical workshops! You are required to complete 60 HEQ in total while you are an LM Scholar (over a 3-year period). Each HEQ is approximately 1 hr.

Technical Talks

Intellectual Diversity Requirement (IDR)

As engineers in 2020, it is important that you be able to understand the thought process and terminology of other engineering disciplines besides your own. The IDR is a core class that you take that is outside your major, for example, a course 20 would take 2.00 while a course 2 might take 20.110. The table on the right shows options based on your declared major. Note that other IDRs might be possible by petition.

20.051

20.054

20.051: Intro to NEET - Living Machines

A gateway to the NEET Living Machines thread, which has the focus on “Physiomimetics: Transforming Therapeutic Strategy and Development”. The development of therapies for complex diseases relies on understanding disease mechanisms in heterogeneous patient populations, developing therapeutic strategies for patient subgroups, modeling these in vitro, and testing the therapies. Five essential technological contributions to this process comprise tracks in the LM thread: computational systems biology, synthetic biology, immuno-engineering, microphysiological systems devices/tissue engineering, and microfluidic device engineering for in vitro models and analysis. This subject introduces students to the disease modeling, patient stratification, and drug development processes and how these fields work together, includes extensive examples from industry, and provides context for students to choose a concentration track (or tracks) for further study in the Living Machines thread. The format is weekly topical lectures from experts in the field, with structured short projects in each topic area. Required for all NEET - Living Machines students. This is a 6-unit class.

20.054: NEET - Living Machines Research Immersion

A structured lab research experience in a specific Living Machines track. Students identify a project in a participating research lab, on a topic related to the five tracks in the NEET Living Machines program, propose a project related to the drug development theme, and prepare interim and final presentations and reports while conducting the project. Links to industry-sponsored research projects at MIT are encouraged. A project proposal must be submitted and approved in the term prior to enrollment. It can be used to fulfill the optional research immersion requirement for NEET - Living Machines tracks. This 3-unit class is for NEET - LM students only and is designed to accompany a for-credit or for-pay UROP.

Human Gut-on-a-Chip

Using their interdisciplinary expertise spanning mechanical, biological and chemical engineering as well a computer science, LM scholars designed, built and validated a human gut micro-physiological system that houses epithelial, vascular and fibroblast cells. The chip is being utilized by multiple scientific collaborators for real-world experiments.

Exabyte-scale Molecular Data Storage, Recovery, and Computing

DNA offers the highest information storage density compared to all current storage solutions. The project aims to 1) Optimize a microfluidics system for DNA manipulation, 2) Devise improved synthesis or retrieval methods and 3) Integrate methods with device automation.

Analysis of Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Data

Various machine learning and computational biology approaches were applied on single-cell RNA-Seq datasets which revealed differences in cell populations and molecular features of Endometriosis and Adenomyosis.

Professor Linda Griffith

Founding Faculty LeadAssociate DirectorMIT NEET

MIT School of Engineering

Dr. Mehdi Salek

Founding Lead InstructorLecturerMIT NEET

MIT School of Engineering

Alexandra Volkova

Industry Liaison Officer

Julie Chen

Academic Liaison Officer

David Kwabi-Addo

Communications Officer

Grace Yang

Community Building Officer

Zixuan Liu

Mentoring Program Officer

Who is eligible for the Living Machines thread?
The thread is open to all MIT rising sophomores who can satisfy a specific track's requirements within their degree plan.
How many students are you planning to take?
New enrollments will be capped at 30 students/year.
Will I get a certificate?
Yes, upon completing your SB degree you will also gain a NEET Certificate in Living Machines from the School of Engineering.
What benefits may I expect from being in Living Machines?
The thread emphasizes interdisciplinary team-work, research output and individual mentoring. As such, you will benefit from exposure to a variety of interesting work being carried out by research labs from across all participating majors.
Can I pursue multiple Living Machines tracks?
Of course! But keep in mind the tracks are quite different and it is unlikely you can easily fulfill the requirements for multiple tracks.
Is there a specific time-line to finish a track?
Not at all, you can satisfy the various requirements anytime during your MIT degree.
Will you help me find a UROP or internship?
It is up to you to sort those out but we are certainly willing to help by offering contacts, guidance and helping you with application material when applicable.

Join the LM thread!

APPLY NOW

Living Machines

About LM

LM Thread Requirements

Requirements Details

Classes

Who is eligible for the Living Machines thread?

The thread is open to all MIT rising sophomores who can satisfy a specific track's requirements within their degree plan.

How many students are you planning to take?

New enrollments will be capped at 30 students/year.

Will I get a certificate?

Yes, upon completing your SB degree you will also gain a NEET Certificate in Living Machines from the School of Engineering.

What benefits may I expect from being in Living Machines?

The thread emphasizes interdisciplinary team-work, research output and individual mentoring. As such, you will benefit from exposure to a variety of interesting work being carried out by research labs from across all participating majors.

Can I pursue multiple Living Machines tracks?

Of course! But keep in mind the tracks are quite different and it is unlikely you can easily fulfill the requirements for multiple tracks.

Is there a specific time-line to finish a track?

Not at all, you can satisfy the various requirements anytime during your MIT degree.

Will you help me find a UROP or internship?

It is up to you to sort those out but we are certainly willing to help by offering contacts, guidance and helping you with application material when applicable.