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In simple bacteria, scientists find new evidence of complex immunity

Bacteria use a multifaceted immune response to get rid of invading DNA. In a new study, researchers identify an enzyme that can destroy foreign genetic material capable of evading a microbe’s first line of defense.

Tri-institutional symposium inspires young scientists to get involved in policy

Over 230 attendees from across the country came to campus to learn about a range of topics, such as the federal budget, international science diplomacy, science advocacy, science communication, and careers in science policy.

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.

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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.

Electronic engineer Larry Eisenberg, who helped develop the modern pacemaker, dies at 99

In addition to his work at Rockefeller, Eisenberg was a prolific writer of science fiction and limericks.

Attallah Kappas, who led studies of newborn jaundice, dies at 92

Attallah Kappas, professor emeritus at The Rockefeller University and physician-in-chief emeritus at The Rockefeller University Hospital, died December 18, 2018 at the age of 92. Kappas was a leading authority in diseases related to liver function and metabolism and in the development of diagnost...

Study identifies genetic mutation responsible for tuberculosis vulnerability

Scientists discovered a genetic variant that greatly increases a person’s likelihood of developing tuberculosis. Their research elucidates how this mutation affects the immune system, and points to a possible treatment for people with the disease.

Year in review: 10 science stories to remember

Rockefeller researchers accomplished a lot this year. We look back at 10 of the most exciting science stories of 2018.

Caspary reverberates with the sound of the Music and Medicine Orchestra

On a recent wintry evening, over 400 people took their seats in Caspary Auditorium. Scientists were center stage, but there wasn’t any lecturing. Instead, there was music.

Rockefeller scientists tell their stories in new oral history project

Interviews with some of the university’s most prominent researchers reveal the stories behind the science, and the humans underneath the lab coats.

New strategic plan will outline university priorities over five-year term

President Rick Lifton has established a committee to guide the strategic planning process. It will be informed by presentations from administrative departments as well as input from the community at large.

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.

Seek magazine is now available online

A new digital edition makes Rockefeller’s award-winning publication available to readers everywhere.

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.

New method for studying gene expression could improve understanding of brain disease

By analyzing gene expression patterns, researchers have identified previously unknown distinctions between mouse and human neurons. They have also developed a new way to track cellular changes associated with brain disorders.

“Discoveries are delicate things”: What a century-old war can teach us about science today

In the 1910s, Rockefeller biochemist Israel Kleiner came close to discovering insulin, but missed his opportunity to find a much-needed treatment for diabetes. In a recent Harper’s Magazine essayneuroscientist Jeffrey M. Friedman explores the factors that set back Kleiner's wo...

Mosquito genome opens new avenues for reducing bug-borne disease

Researchers have assembled a new and improved DNA catalogue for the mosquito Aedes aegypti. This tool will help researchers understand the insect’s biology, and may lead to new strategies for preventing diseases like Zika and dengue.

Fundraising campaign surpasses goal two years ahead of schedule

Launched in 2011, the university’s Campaign for Transforming Biomedicine has raised $1.059 billion as of September 30 this year.

University updates policy on storm-related closures

Beginning this winter, Rockefeller will close during days that New York City public schools close due to weather emergencies.

Embryos remember the chemicals that they encounter

A new study shows that embryonic cells retain a memory of the chemical signals to which they are exposed. Without these memories, cells fail organize into distinct tissue types.

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Enzyme structure helps to explain how protein factories are constructed

Researchers characterized the structure of Mdn1, an enzyme key to making ribosomes.

Searching in soil, scientists find a new way to combat tuberculosis

Analyzing soil samples from across the country, researchers have identified an antibiotic capable of treating strains of tuberculosis that do not respond to existing therapies.

More than 750 people visit campus during Open House New York

Rockefeller hosts historical and architectural tours as part of Open House New York, a citywide festival that puts on display buildings and spaces not usually open to the public.

This instrument will make it possible to build (almost) any other

The Precision Instrumentation Technologies facility has been outfitted with a CNC milling machine, a high-performance instrument that will help Rockefeller engineers custom-make scientific devices.

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New approach to cancer immunotherapy overcomes toxicity hurdle

Using a unique mouse model, Rockefeller scientists have developed a new strategy in cancer immunotherapy that is more safe and effective than other treatments of its kind.

To see what’s right in front of you, your brain may need some rewiring

As you encounter new experiences and form new memories, your brain changes. Now, researchers show that some of these change occur in a brain region devoted to visual perception.

Herbert Gibbs, who brightened Rockefeller’s campus for 45 years, dies at age 74

A janitor and porter, “Mister Gibbs” was known for his infectious smile and his dedication to the university community.

Rockefeller welcomes new librarian, Matthew V. Covey

Covey is bringing an inside-out approach to the library’s work, with librarians visiting scientists in their labs to help with everything from training sessions to data management.

In tiny worms, researchers find spiking neurons—and clues about brain computation

Studying neurons in C. elegans, researchers made a surprising discovery: these roundworms, like most animals, process information using a digital, electric code.

C. David Allis accepts Lasker Award for insights into gene regulation

During the time-honored Lasker Award ceremony, Allis outlined the five-decade-long history of research on histones and their modification.

Scientists investigate how DEET confuses countless critters

DEET, a chemical in bug sprays, affects the behavior of highly diverse organisms—but how it works remains unclear. New research in C. elegans shows that the compound exploits unique receptors and neurons to interfere with the animals’ response to odors.

In clinical trials, new antibody therapy controls HIV for months after treatment

A new clinical trial shows that broadly neutralizing antibodies can suppress HIV for up to four months, far longer than currently available drugs.

Study of protein “trafficker” provides insight into autism and other brain disorders

Researchers have discovered that the protein ASTN2 shuttles receptors away from the surface of neurons, a process that facilitates efficient brain activity.

Jennifer Doudna to receive the 2018 Pearl Meister Greengard Prize

Doudna, a pioneer in the study of RNA, will be given the prize during a ceremony on the Rockefeller campus on Tuesday, October 2.

C. David Allis wins 2018 Lasker Award for discovery of new mechanisms regulating gene expression

Allis receives the nation's top science award for research on epigenetic gene regulation and its role in disease.

New campus caterer to focus on fresh food, variety, and sustainability

Committed to innovative cuisine, Great Performances will be introducing changes over the next weeks and months as they get to know Rockefeller tastes and culture.

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New gene-engineering technique will help scientists study the immune system

Using gene editing technology, researchers have developed a new way to study B cell activation in mice. This technique makes research more efficient, and has the potential to improve our understanding of immune responses in humans.

Third Rockefeller cryo-EM to help tame poorly behaved proteins

With a new transmission cryo-electron microscope, Rockefeller researchers will be prepared to sleuth out complicated protein structures in increasingly sophisticated ways.

Ant-y social: study of clonal raider ants reveals the evolutionary benefits of group living

A new study in ants demonstrates that living in groups leads to improved fitness. The researchers show that, in larger groups, ants take on specialized roles and colony stability increases.

New faculty member studies the architecture of the genome

Risca explores the three-dimensional structures that organize and support DNA, and the biochemical rules that govern the organization of the genome. She will join Rockefeller as an assistant professor on January 2, 2019.

Structure of ion channel reveals how insects smell their way around the world

Researchers describe, for the first time, the structure of a smell-receptor protein common among insects. Its inner architecture illuminates how insects evolved to detect an amazing diversity of odors.

Researchers uncover molecular mechanisms of rare skin disease

Scientists describe a group of proteins that protect cells from a subtype of human papilloma virus. They also outline genetic mutations that make this virus unusually harmful in people with epidermodysplasia verruciformis, a rare skin condition.

Lack of a single molecule may indicate severe and treatment-resistant depression

Researchers find that a deficiency of acetyl-L-carnitine is associated with a particular subtype of depression. Individuals with very low levels of this molecule often have highly severe symptoms and don’t respond to traditional antidepressants.

Ant study sheds light on the evolution of workers and queens

A new study in ants identifies a peptide that plays an important role in regulating reproduction. This research illuminates a potential trajectory for the evolution of distinct social castes—workers and queens.

Giant neurons in the brain may play similarly giant role in awareness and cognition

Scientists find that certain neurons release nitric oxide onto nearby blood vessels, and potentially use this mechanism to control awareness in the brain.

Erich Jarvis receives grant from W.M. Keck foundation

With a new grant from the W.M. Keck foundation, the Jarvis Lab will further their research on the genes and neural circuits involved in speech production.

Studies reveal possible origin of human speech

Scientists have long debated the evolutionary origins of human speech. New research reveals neural circuits in the brains of monkeys that may represent the source of our unique speech capabilities.

Scientists discover a mechanism of drug resistance in breast and ovarian cancer

A new study helps explain why certain cancers don't respond to treatment, and offers hope for overcoming this deadly resistance.

New faculty member studies the mechanics of development, challenging long-held assumptions

Earlier this month, developmental biologist Amy Shyer joined the Rockefeller community as an assistant professor. Shyer combines mechanical and molecular perspectives to better understand how patterns form and how tissues develop.

Three Rockefeller scientists promoted to professor

Sean Brady, Winrich Freiwald, and Luciano Marraffini have been promoted to professor. Respectively, these scientists have characterized previously unknown small molecules, provided insight into how the brain processes faces, and revolutionized gene editing.

Rockefeller University Press launches new science journal with the publishing arms of EMBO and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Life Science Alliance is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal with a streamlined manuscript submission and review process.

Deep in the fly brain, a clue to how evolution changes minds

A new study sheds light on the mysterious ways in which evolution may tweak the brain to shape behavior. It started with a close look at two Drosophila species and their mating maneuvers.

David Rockefeller Fellowship awarded to graduate student Krithika Venkataraman

Venkataraman has been recognized for her study of the hormonal triggers that lead female mosquitoes to toggle between hunting for blood and spawning eggs.

A new tactic for starving tumors

Scientists have found a metabolic particularity in tumor cells lacking oxygen. The discovery might point to new drugs to target the most difficult-to-treat spots within a tumor.

Scientists solve the case of the missing subplate, with wide implications for brain science

A new study shows that a group of neurons, previously thought to die in the course of development, in fact become incorporated into the brain’s cortex. This research has implications for understanding—and possibly treating—several brain disorders.

Bacterial art, sheep brains, and a fish race: highlights from our Science Saturday festival

The annual event invites children to campus for an unforgettable day of hands-on experiments and interactive learning.

30 young scientists receive Ph.D.s at Rockefeller’s 60th convocation

Since its first convocation, Rockefeller has granted doctor of philosophy degrees in bioscience to more than 1,260 students, including today’s graduates.

Troves from a search for new biomarkers: blood-borne RNA

Scientists have found a new way to trawl blood samples for snippets of RNA released by tumors or diseased organs. The method might eventually help doctors diagnose and track a wide range of medical conditions.

William E. Ford elected Chair of The Rockefeller University Board

Ford succeeds Russell L. Carson, who is retiring after leading the Board for the past 13 years.