October 10, 2008 | honors and awards
Four Rockefeller researchers named finalists in Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists

Head of laboratory Tom W. Muir, postdocs Valerie Horsley and Andreas Keller and former postdoc Matthew Evans have been named finalists for the second annual Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists. Established by the New York Academy of Sciences and the Blavatnik Charitable Foundation, the awards recognize the contributions of young scientists and engineers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

October 3, 2008 | science news
Newly identified cells make fat

By using a mouse that lacks fat cells and observing the growth of fat after injections of different kinds of immature cells, Rockefeller University scientists have discovered an important fat precursor cell that may in time explain how changes in the numbers of fat cells might increase and lead to obesity. The finding could also have implications for understanding how fat cells affect conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

October 2, 2008 | science news
Scientists identify a molecule that coordinates the movement of cells

An elaborate track of exceptionally strong proteins known as the extracellular matrix allows cells to migrate toward wounds and heal them. It also gives cancer cells a way to spread. Now, new research from Rockefeller University shows that a recently discovered molecule called ACF7 orchestrates and powers this directed movement. The finding offers a new potential target for setting up a roadblock for the spread of cancer.

September 30, 2008 | science news
A DNA-based vaccine shows promise against avian flu

By combining a newly discovered application technique with a broad genetic target, researchers may have created a potent vaccine against the virus. If successful, the new vaccine could be rapidly produced and effective against a broad spectrum of viral strains.

September 29, 2008 | science news
New formula predicts how people will migrate in coming decades

Countries use population projections to estimate local needs for things like jobs, schools, housing and health care, but coming up with those projections has been an inexact science. A newly developed, more precise formula to describe how people move between countries could lead to better use of resources and improved economic conditions.

September 23, 2008 | meetings and events
Paris Piano Trio opens 51st Peggy Rockefeller Concert Series

Through the Peggy Rockefeller Concerts program, a subscription series, the university has played host to some of the world’s most renowned soloists, duets, chamber ensembles and musical groups from across the globe.

September 23, 2008 | science news
Neurons in zebrafish may reveal clues to the wiring of the human ear

Neurobiology, like networking, is about making the right connections. Now, new research shows that developing neurons in zebrafish know exactly where to go to find the right match. Because analogous cells exist in the human ear, the work may ultimately lead to new therapies for people who are hard of hearing.

September 19, 2008 | science news
Variations in key genes increase Caucasians’ risk of heroin addiction

By scanning a large swath of the human genome, Rockefeller University researchers identify tiny variations in a few genes that can influence some people’s likelihood of developing heroin dependency. The work, which raises questions about race and personalized medicine, sheds new light on the role of genetics in addictive diseases.

September 17, 2008 | science news
A blood marker may indicate Alzheimer’s risk

In research that could lead to a simple test for certain forms of dementia, scientists have found that when blood levels of a specific protein decrease over time, the change could herald the onset of Alzheimer’s disease or other types of cognitive impairment.

September 16, 2008 | appointments and promotions
New Rockefeller faculty member studies cancer metastasis

Sohail Tavazoie, a physician-scientist whose research focuses on the molecular basis of cancer metastasis, has been named assistant professor and will join The Rockefeller University as head of the Laboratory of Systems Cancer Biology in January 2009.

September 10, 2008 | science news
Abuse of painkillers can predispose adolescents to lifelong addiction

No child aspires to a lifetime of addiction. But their brains might. Now, Rockefeller University researchers reveal that adolescent brains exposed to the painkiller Oxycontin can sustain lifelong changes in their reward system that increase the drug’s euphoric properties, and make them more vulnerable to the drug’s effects later in adulthood.

September 3, 2008 | honors and awards
C. Erec Stebbins awarded prestigious EUREKA grant

C. Erec Stebbins, associate professor at The Rockefeller University, has been awarded an inaugural EUREKA grant from the National Institutes of Health for a project aimed at exploiting a bacteria-based “nanosyringe” as a means of delivering proteins into specific cells for therapeutic purposes. The award, which provides $200,000 a year for three years, was announced by the NIH September 3.

August 28, 2008 | science news
U.S. and China tie for Olympic glory, according to statistician

By applying a statistical method originally developed to understand side effects associated with medical treatments, scientists have computed an objective score for each country in the Beijing games. The result: China and the United States are dead even, each ranking ahead of 85 other countries.

August 26, 2008 | studies and trials
Clinical study to examine role of vitamin D in kidney disease

Vitamin D is the key to preventing rickets and osteoporosis, but a new clinical study at Rockefeller University will investigate whether it also plays a role in preventing atherosclerosis in patients with chronic kidney disease.

August 20, 2008 | science news
Newly uncovered cells may be critical in psoriasis

In a study that could change researchers’ understanding of the skin disorder and suggest potentially powerful new drug targets, Rockefeller University scientists have found that the source of psoriasis may lie in a specific population of inflammatory dendritic cells.

August 19, 2008 | science news
Intensity of human environmental impact may lessen as incomes rise, analysis suggests

The richer you are, the more of the world’s resources you can afford to consume. But in many parts of the world, rising incomes are not having the proportionate effect on energy consumption, croplands and deforestation that one might expect, a new 25-year study shows.

August 19, 2008 | science news
Rifamycin antibiotics attack tuberculosis bacteria with walls, not signals

When it comes to describing how a potent class of antibiotics kills deadly tuberculosis-causing bacteria, the more beautiful model is not always the right one. New research shows that a simple physical barrier rather than a complex allosteric mechanism still best explains how these antibiotics keep the bacteria in check — and how they fight back.

August 15, 2008 | science news
By amplifying cell death signals, scientists make precancerous cells self-destruct

On the cellular level, death signals can actually be life saving, by killing off abnormally dividing cells before they turn cancerous. Now, Rockefeller University researchers have found a way to amplify these signals by turning a life-affirming protein into a killer. The findings not only mark a breakthrough in the field but also open the door to a new line of drugs for cancer therapeutics.

August 13, 2008 | science news
A snooze button for the circadian clock

Humans, and most other organisms, have 24-hour rhythms that are regulated by a precise molecular clock that ticks inside every cell. A new study by Rockefeller University researchers shows how two molecules interact to regulate this clock’s cycle and uncovers how that switch can go haywire, identifying a potential cause of heritable sleep disorders.

August 11, 2008 | science news
Researchers solve structure of an enzyme vital for DNA repair

As freshly made DNA coils into a chromosome, cells recognize DNA damage in need of repair. Now, a new study shows how an enzyme known as Rtt109, which creates slack in the coils in order to allow the cell access to fix the errors, is regulated.