The National Science Foundation (NSF) has selected MIT to establish and lead a new Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) focused on materials technologies for medical imaging, sustainable metals production, and next-generation semiconductors. The center is expected to provide $18 million in research funding over six years, bringing together 16 research groups from nine departments across four institutions, including five MIT departments, three collaborating universities, and a teaching hospital. The center will have two main research thrusts. One will engineer specialized materials to advance X-ray detectors used in medical imaging, potentially leading to better cancer diagnosis, lower radiation exposure, and improved industrial and security imaging. The other will explore high-temperature sulfur-based molten materials to transform how metals and semiconductors are made, opening a path to more efficient metal production, improved access to critical materials, and new thin-film semiconductor technologies. Blogger's Review: The establishment of this research center is a significant milestone in materials science research, and MIT's leadership will drive innovation and application of materials technology, leading to better medical imaging, more efficient metal production, and new semiconductor technologies.