News & HighlightsNews
Study reveals first evidence inherited genetics can drive cancer’s spread
Scientists have long struggled to understand what drives a tumor to seed itself elsewhere in the body. New research implicates our own pre-existing genetics.
Rockefeller scientists investigate life-threatening inflammation affecting children with COVID-19
The condition resembles a rare childhood illness, Kawasaki disease. Researchers are analyzing blood samples to find genetic clues to what might be causing it.
Mice with patchy coats lay bare how stem cells endure
Scientists have discovered how stem cells in the skin maintain their ability to replenish themselves, a process critical for hair growth. The findings suggest that errors in stem cell maintenance might contribute to permanent hair-loss conditions.
The gene hunt to explain why some young, healthy people die from COVID-19
People under 50 without preexisting conditions typically develop mild symptoms of coronavirus infection—but there are exceptions. Researchers are working to identify rare genetic variations that may explain why some in this group have succumbed to the disease.
Scientists are using ‘elite’ antibodies from COVID-19 survivors to develop potent therapies

Most people infected with the coronavirus are able to fight it off because their immune system produces effective antibodies. Rockefeller scientists are working to turn such antibodies into a drug.

Study captures the molecular architect of cells’ infrastructure
Using atomic-resolution technology, scientists have constructed the most detailed view yet of the molecular complex that decides where microtubules form.
New faculty member designs chemical probes to dissect and alter immune protein function
Ekaterina Vinogradova, an organic chemist, investigates the functions of immune proteins, with the goal of finding new targets for therapies. She will join Rockefeller as an assistant professor on January 1, 2021.
Researcher studying the dynamics of gene activity, cell by cell, joins Rockefeller faculty
Junyue Cao examines patterns of gene expression in order to better understand how cells differentiate into distinct types and how the body’s organs maintain stable populations of cells throughout life. He will move to Rockefeller as an assistant professor this summer.
Stavros Niarchos Foundation donates $3 million to Rockefeller COVID-19 research
The grant bolsters Rockefeller’s round-the-clock research initiatives related to COVID-19 and the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes it.
3D imaging of blood vessels could shed new light on cardiovascular disease
The new imaging technique enables researchers to construct a comprehensive image of blockages and other vascular injuries.
The Rockefeller University releases statement concerning Knut Wittkowski
The opinions that have been expressed by Knut Wittkowski, discouraging social distancing in order to hasten the development of herd immunity to the novel coronavirus, do not represent the views of The Rockefeller University, its leadership, or its faculty.
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.
Elaine Fuchs awarded 2020 Canada Gairdner International Award for Biomedical Science
Fuchs, a world leader in the study of skin biology, is being recognized for revealing the molecular mechanisms by which skin stem cells make and repair tissues.
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.  
Research on soldier ants reveals that evolution can go in reverse
Turtle ant soldiers and their oddly-shaped heads suggest that evolution is not always a one-way street toward increasing specialization.
Paul Muller wins 2020 Weintraub Graduate Student Award
Muller receives the honor for his examination of the interactions between neurons in the intestinal tract, known as enteric neurons, and intestinal macrophages, a kind of immune cell.
Rockefeller gets a new, more efficient boiler
With the aid of a mobile crane and a crew of around 20, a fully assembled Cleaver Brooks Fire Tube boiler was delivered into the university’s Power House. This winter, after months of work to plumb, wire, and test the machine, it was lit for the first time and began providing heat to Rockefeller ...
When zombies take over the brain 
Research on Parkinson’s has taken a surprising twist. A group of neurons long assumed to expire in the disease were recently found to not be dead after all—providing a possible explanation for how the condition worsens.
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.
The Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute renews partnerships with Takeda and Bridge Medicines
The renewal allows Rockefeller faculty to continue transforming their discoveries into new medicines.
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.
New BSL-3 lab to advance research on pathogens
Rockefeller researchers studying the tuberculosis bacterium now have access to a state-of-the-art biosafety level 3 laboratory on campus. The new facility is one of only a small handful in New York City.
Becoming a Scientist: Jasmine Nirody 
She’s the physicist whose love of locomotion became a research topic, and a career.
Kivanç Birsoy receives 2020 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise
Birsoy is honored for his research examining how metabolic pathways regulate biological processes and contribute to disease.
Rockefeller joins tri-institutional Ph.D. program in computational biology
Data analysis is becoming increasingly important in all fields of science. In joining the program, Rockefeller will connect with a stream of talented students focused on computational problems.
Patient with unusually severe infection leads scientists to a rare type of immune deficiency
A rare genetic change may explain why some people die from cytomegalovirus, a stealth pathogen that is often asymptomatic.
Erich D. Jarvis speaks with high-school students about the evolution of speech and diversity in science
On a recent Saturday, over 400 teens crowded into Caspary Auditorium to hear Jarvis’s 2020 Talking science seminar, “Singing in the Brain: A Personal Science Journey.”
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.
Leslie B. Vosshall to receive Pradel Research Award
The National Academy of Sciences announced that Vosshall will receive the honor for her research on how mosquitoes seek out and bite human hosts.
How decisions unfold in a zebrafish brain
Tracking neuronal activity in a zebrafish brain, researchers can predict when the fish will flip its tail and to which direction, left or right.
How to starve a tumor 
Scientists are learning how tumor cells’ nutritional needs differ from those of normal cells. Will their work help launch the next genre of cancer therapies?
Scientists examine how a gut infection may produce chronic symptoms
For some unlucky people, a bout of intestinal distress like traveler’s diarrhea leads to irritable bowel syndrome. Recent discoveries have given scientists a better idea of how this happens, and potential leads for new treatments.
Neuroscientist Bruce McEwen, who studied the impact of stress on the brain, has died
A pioneer in neuroendocrinology, McEwen’s work on how the brain changes throughout life has profound implications for public health. He died on January 2, at age 81.
Insects on a diet, zombie neurons, and other memorable science stories of 2019
Rockefeller researchers accomplished a lot this year. We look back at 12 of the most exciting science stories of 2019.
A surprising new source of attention in the brain
Scientists find a new brain area in control of our attention skills, raising new questions in what has long been considered a settled scientific field.
New clues about why a universal flu vaccine is so elusive
To scientists' surprise, the immune system develops its response to each virus variant mostly from scratch, instead of building on what it has already learned.
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.
Collaborative Research Center installation bridges past and present scientists
A new digital display, the Scientist Explorer, is a portal into the cumulative accomplishments of researchers with labs in Flexner and Smith Halls.
Scientists develop new method that predicts vulnerability to stress
Researchers have identified a set of biological factors in mice that seem to determine one's ability to bounce back from a traumatic event, and provide preliminary evidence that a naturally-occurring substance may help boost resiliency in the face of stressful situations.
Five-year strategic plan is approved by Board of Trustees
Here are the main priorities of the new plan, intended to maximize the university’s scientific impact through 2024.
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.
A summer program that gives undergraduates the tools to ask big scientific questions
Madeleine Delbeau, who spent 10 weeks in the lab of Seth A. Darst, improves a method for cryo-electron microscopy.
Zoran Jankovic, a member of the Nussenzweig lab for nearly two decades, dies at 60
Zoran Jankovic, known for his generous spirit and unassuming manner, worked in the Nussenzweig lab for nearly 20 years.
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.
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.
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.  
The Abby Dining Room turns a page
Earlier this month, the Abby reopened with table service, libations, and new menus.
Xiaowei Zhuang will receive the 2019 Pearl Meister Greengard Prize
Zhuang, who pioneered the development of super-resolution and genome-scale imaging techniques, will be given the prize during a ceremony on the Rockefeller campus on November 19.
Study pinpoints rare genetic change that may boost risk of HPV-related illness
The human papilloma virus is usually kept in check by the immune system, but scientists identified a genetic variant that makes some infected children prone to developing warts in the throat.
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.
Biologist and ant paparazzo Daniel Kronauer recognized in Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition
An expert on ant biology, Kronauer found himself in the right place at the right time to capture a cathedral-shaped bivouac, or ants’ nest, in Costa Rica. The photo is now part of an international exhibit by the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
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.
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.
Tips for a greener lab
Even the most routine scientific experiment may come with a hefty environmental footprint. Here are several best practices to reduce waste, save energy, and cultivate more planet-friendly lab habits.
Vanessa Ruta named a 2019 MacArthur Fellow
Ruta, who investigates how the brain is modified by experience, has received a MacArthur Fellowship, an award intended to encourage people of outstanding talent to pursue their own creative, intellectual, and professional inclinations.
Study gives clues to the origin of Huntington’s disease, and a new way to find drugs
Using a new technique to study brain development, scientists were able to trace the causes of Huntington's back to early developmental stages when the brain has only just begun to form.
Jeffrey M. Friedman to receive 2020 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences
Friedman's discovery of the hormone leptin has transformed our understanding of obesity.
Recent donations establish centers for computational science and for metabolism, and renew resources for faculty recruitment
The university’s Campaign for Transforming Biomedicine—which raised $1.17 billion over eight years—closed this summer with a bang: three significant capstone gifts, made in the campaign’s final months, to directly support Rockefeller science.
Becoming a Scientist: Priya Rajasethupathy 
Memories are inherently shifty. A neuroscientist with a new lab of her own, Rajasethupathy likens the brain’s memory function to Wikipedia—always evolving, occasionally unreliable.
From the tiny testes of flies, new insight into how genes arise
A common birthplace of new genes, the male testes are a hotspot for biological innovation. Within these organs, scientists have found a trove of virgin genetic sequences—and a better understanding of how evolution moves forward.
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