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Biosafety Level 3
Science News

Rockefeller scientists launch a broad range of studies into novel coronavirus

Over 130 scientists in 18 labs are conducting research to advance the development of new, urgently needed approaches for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
Phase separation
Science News

How skin cells embark on a swift yet elaborate death

Scientists have identified the mechanism that allows skin cells to sense changes in their environment, and very quickly respond to reinforce the skin's outermost layer. The findings provide insight into how errors in this process might lead to skin conditions like psoriasis.  
Image of a medicine bottle
Science News

Rockefeller grants commercial license for the development of new HIV drugs

The novel compounds are based on so-called broadly neutralizing antibodies, molecules that make rare people's immune systems capable of fighting HIV. They could potentially yield new treatment and prevention approaches benefitting people around the world, including in developing countries.
Calcium signaling
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In Brief

Neuron-like activity detected in an unforeseen place

Scientists have identified a particular type of skin cell that looks and behaves similar to a nerve cell, prompting new questions about the body's biggest organ.
Image of lysosomes
Science News

Small containers inside cells might offer new targets for cancer treatment

For reasons that have long been unclear, cells stop dividing when the pH rises inside tiny cellular compartments called lysosomes. Now scientists have found an explanation for this phenomenon, with potential implications for drug development.
Wilms tumor
Science News

Researchers discover a new mechanism in childhood kidney cancer

A problem in reader proteins that identify which gene is up for expression may cause normal cells to turn malignant during development.
Nerve cells without PI31
Science News

Neurodegenerative diseases may be caused by molecular transportation failures inside neurons

Protein clumps are routinely found in the brains of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Now researchers find a link between this buildup and the intracellular movement of proteasomes, molecular machines tasked with degrading protein waste inside cells.
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In Brief

Study sheds new light on how epigenetic events might spur disease

Research that began with the analysis of two developmental syndromes ultimately helped scientists understand how diverse epigenetic mechanisms can combine to drive tissue overgrowth in cancer.
dopamine neurons
Science News

The pathway to Parkinson’s takes a surprising twist

A new study finds that neurons affected in Parkinson’s disease can shut down without fully dying, allowing them to also switch off neighboring cells. The findings might give scientists a better understanding of how the condition wreaks havoc in the brain, as well as ideas for new treatments.
hair follicle
Science News

Lymphatic system found to play key role in hair regeneration

To grow new hair, stem cells throughout the skin must work in sync. Researchers have discovered the molecular communication tool, part of the lymphatic system, that the cells use to synchronize their activities.  
C. David Allis
Awards and Honors, Campus News

C. David Allis elected to the National Academy of Medicine

Allis, whose pioneering research established that enzymes that modify histone proteins, which package DNA in the nucleus, regulate gene expression, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine.
Dividing cell
Science News

Research on cell division provides new clues to how a common cancer treatment works

In studying cell division, scientists happened upon a new way of understanding how a chemotherapy compound works. The findings could make it possible to predict which patients are most likely to benefit from the drug.
Emily Lorenzen and Thomas Sakmar
Science News

Shapeshifting receptors may explain mysterious drug failures

Scientists have found that many receptors with high potential for drug discovery take a different configuration inside the body than in the test tube. The findings could explain why some promising drugs fail in clinical trials, and potentially open doors to new drug-development approaches.
Jeff Friedman
Awards and Honors, Campus News

Jeffrey M. Friedman to receive 2020 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences

Friedman's discovery of the hormone leptin has transformed our understanding of obesity.
Kidney cells
Science News

Findings shed new light on why Zika causes birth defects in some pregnancies

Researchers have shown that antibodies against Zika might be involved in causing birth defects in babies born to infected women. The findings might provide important caveats for the development of a vaccine.
Seek illustration
Science News

Fruit flies find their way by setting navigational goals

Navigating fruit flies do not have the luxury of GPS, but they do have a kind of neural compass. In a new study, researchers found that the animals decide which way to turn by comparing this internal compass needle to a fixed goal.
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In Brief

New molecular diagnostics test could help guide lupus treatments

A tool that detects glitches in gene expression could help doctors tailor treatments for lupus-related kidney damage.
Bacteriophages inject their DNA into bacteria, typically resulting in the bacterium’s demise. CRISPR-Cas systems defend bacteria against these attacks.
Science News

To curb infection, bacteria direct their defenses against themselves

To fight off invading viruses, bacteria have evolved a slew of creative defense tactics. New research shows that in some cases, microbes go to great lengths to keep an infection from spreading, even destroying bits of their own genetic material.
Newly-developed molecules bind to a key enzyme pocket to inhibit its activity, and possibly prevent autoimmune responses.
Science News

New compounds could be used to treat autoimmune disorders

In autoimmune disorders, the body’s defense system erroneously attacks normal cells, leading to serious health problems. Researchers have developed new molecules that potentially could be used to treat many of these conditions.
Here, a winner (red) engulfs a loser (green)
Science News

Cellular rivalry promotes healthy skin development

Scientists have discovered a curious phenomenon taking place in mouse skin: cells compete with one another for the chance to develop into mature tissue. The findings indicate that this antagonism is key to creating healthy skin.
Human astrocytes
Science News

Research on repetitive worm behavior may have implications for understanding human disease

Studying microscopic worms, Rockefeller scientists have identified a brain circuit that drives repetitive behavior—providing potential clues for understanding some human psychiatric conditions.
Tumor stem cells
Science News

Study pinpoints what causes relapse after cancer immunotherapy

In many cancer patients who have been treated with immunotherapy, the tumor comes back. New research identifies the cells responsible for thwarting the treatment and offers new insights into how they do it.
DIPG cells, pictured here, are generally resilient and replicate rapidly. With a dose of MI-2, however, the cells abruptly die.
Science News

New hope for treating a childhood brain cancer

Recent research has shown that a drug known as MI-2 can kill cells that cause a fatal brain cancer. But only now have scientists been able to explain how the compound works: by targeting cholesterol production in tumors.
Intestine
Science News

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.  
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In Brief

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.
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In Brief

Scientists find new clues about how the body stores fat

Scientists discovered a protein that plays a crucial role in regulating fatty acids, the molecules that make up body fat. This research could lead to new options for treating people with diseases associated with fatty acid buildup.
An excess of squalene (pink)—
Science News

Researchers discover a weakness in a rare cancer that could be exploited with drugs

Researchers have identified a rare type of cancer cell that cannot make cholesterol, a key nutrient. By targeting this deficiency, scientists may be able to develop new strategies for treating the disease.
Jeff Friedman
Awards and Honors, Campus News

Jeffrey M. Friedman to receive the 2019 Wolf Prize in Medicine

Friedman receives the award for his discovery of leptin, a hormone that modulates food intake and energy expenditure.
Geckos move through water they slap their arms, generating air bubbles that help them stay afloat.
Science News

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.
Though small and seemingly simple organisms, bacteria are equipped with effective, multifaceted immune systems.
Science News

Shape-shifting protein protects bacteria from invaders

Researchers have discovered how bacteria manage to destroy enemy DNA, while keeping their own genetic material safe.
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