News & HighlightsNews
New approach to treating gastrointestinal disease patches up leaky intestines
Researchers have discovered a new compound that helps fortify the intestine's inner lining, which becomes porous in inflammatory bowel diseases.  
New tool allows scientists to catch elusive protein in action
Scientists still have a lot to learn about the processes that trigger cell division, partly because they happen so quickly. A new chemical probe will make it possible to capture the workings of one of the key players.
Researchers discover a common link among diverse cancer types
Some cancers have been traced to changes in histones, proteins responsible for packaging DNA and regulating genes. Now, research from Rockefeller scientists shows that, among tumors, mutations to these proteins are a lot more common than previously suspected.
Enzyme structure reveals how DNA is opened up for transcription
DNA’s two strands must be separated before its code can be read, or transcribed. By studying the structure of the enzyme RNA polymerase, researchers have elucidated how DNA unwinds and becomes legible.
Study explains how geckos gracefully gallop on water
Geckos are amazingly agile. In addition to running across land and up trees, the animals can prance across the surface of water. A new study reveals how they do it.
Shape-shifting protein protects bacteria from invaders
Researchers have discovered how bacteria manage to destroy enemy DNA, while keeping their own genetic material safe.
First mapping of cells in the early human placenta to advance research on problem pregnancies
Scientists have made the first comprehensive inventory of cells present in the human placenta of the first trimester, a stage when many pregnancy complications are thought to arise. The findings could fuel new research on conditions such as preeclampsia and pre-term birth.
Enzyme structure helps to explain how protein factories are constructed
Researchers characterized the structure of Mdn1, an enzyme key to making ribosomes.
Sohail Tavazoie promoted to professor
Sohail Tavazoie, a physician-scientist who studies the genes that regulate a tumor’s ability to metastasize, has been promoted to professor.
Structural studies help explain how cancer cells resist chemotherapy
New research sheds light on how some cancer cells use molecular pumps to expel chemotherapy drugs before they have a chance to work.
Scientists map the portal to the cell’s nucleus
The gateway to cellular headquarters has 552 components. A new map that shows how all these pieces fit together could help scientists study numerous diseases.
Scientists caution that a rare childhood liver cancer can spread to the brain
A new report details three cases of secondary brain tumors in people with fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma. The researchers say imaging tests could improve treatment for patients whose cancer spreads to the brain from the liver.
Molecular doorstop could be key to new tuberculosis drugs
In discovering how an antibiotic kills the bacteria that cause tuberculosis, scientists open the door to new treatments for the disease—and possibly others, as well.
Building the machinery that makes proteins
Scientists have used cryo-electron microscopy to capture the very first snapshots of the large ribosomal subunit—part of the ribosome responsible for forging bonds between amino acids, the building blocks of proteins—coming together.
Molecule discovered in dirt could help against multi-resistant bacteria
In mining soil for natural drugs, scientists have discovered a brand-new antibiotic potent against many bacteria. They hope it could be used to treat infections that cannot be stopped with existing drugs.
In brief: Tweaking RNA protects cells from harmful inflammation
New research has helped explain what goes wrong in Aicardi-Goutières syndrome, a rare brain disorder. Patients with the disease have genetic abnormalities that may put their cells at risk of accidentally triggering an antiviral response.
Günter Blobel, a Nobel laureate who redefined cell biology, has died
Günter Blobel, a Nobel Prize-winning Rockefeller biologist who discovered the mechanisms by which proteins are targeted for delivery to specific locations within cells, died February 18 at 81.
New images reveal how the ear’s sensory hairs take shape
Our ability to hear relies on tiny bundles of hair-like sensors inside the inner ear. Scientists have identified a key component of the machinery that makes these bundles grow in an orderly fashion.
New immunotherapy approach boosts body’s ability to destroy cancer cells
A new treatment may help cancer patients who don't respond to traditional immunotherapy. Findings from the first-ever clinical trial reveal that it is effective in activating immune cells that kill cancer cells.
3D imaging of fat reveals potential targets for new obesity treatments
With new imaging methods, scientists hope to make significant progress in the fight against obesity. A new report reveals striking images of neural projections within fat tissue, and clues for the development of new drugs.
Neuroscientist Vanessa Ruta promoted to associate professor
Ruta, who explores how brains produce such flexible responses to fixed stimuli, has been promoted to Gabrielle H. Reem and Herbert J. Kayden associate professor.
New study points the way to therapy for rare cancer that targets the young
Scientists have engineered a mouse model to study a rare and often-fatal form of liver cancer. They’ve used it to clarify what drives these tumors at the molecular level, and discover new drug concepts.
Targeting a single protein might treat a broad range of viruses
Scientists have identified a protein that many viruses require to spread within a host—a discovery that could lead to fighting diseases as varied as parainfluenza, West Nile, and Zika with a single drug. This finding could also lead to the development of treatments for emerging viruses.
Potential new treatment for Fragile X targets one gene to affect many
Scientists found that inhibiting a regulatory protein alters the intricate signaling chemistry that is responsible for many of the disease’s symptoms. The findings provide a path to possible therapeutics for disorders associated with Fragile X.
Titia de Lange to receive 2017 Rosenstiel Award
de Lange is honored for her elucidation of the mechanism of telomere protection and the maintenance of genome stability.
Gut bacteria that “talk” to human cells may lead to new treatments
Scientists developed a method to genetically engineer gut bacteria to produce molecules that have the potential to treat certain disorders by altering human metabolism.
In brief: How a microRNA protects against liver cancer
New insights about gene regulation in liver cells could lead to better treatments for a common tumor type.
New animal models for hepatitis C could pave the way for a vaccine
In the rats that roam New York City’s streets and tunnels, scientists have found a virus that resembles hepatitis C. They have used it to create the first animal model of the human disease, a breakthrough that potentially could yield a much-needed vaccine.
In brief: A glimpse into the origins of antibiotic resistance
Scientists have identified several genetic mechanisms by which antibiotic resistance may have arisen in a bacterium that causes deadly infections.
A hidden movement in the molecule that makes RNA
Researchers have uncovered new details about the molecular machine that separates DNA strands before copying a gene's sequence into RNA.
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