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Neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene to be awarded the 2025 Lewis Thomas Prize
The author of How We Learn will be presented with Rockefeller’s prestigious science writing award on March 17.
Wenbin Mei wins 2025 Weintraub Graduate Student Award
Mei, a graduate student in Sohail Tavazoie’s lab, is being honored for work showing that a commonly inherited mutation governs breast cancer metastasis and influences survival.
A scientist’s 30-year quest reveals why a fat-sensing hormone can lose its effectiveness, leading to obesity
Jeffrey M. Friedman’s lab has discovered a mechanism to explain how leptin resistance works.
Researchers discover a cause of leptin resistance—and how to reverse it
Most obese patients grow resistant to satiety signals from the hormone leptin. A new study shows that leptin sensitivity can be restored in mice, leading to weight loss.
The art of tracking invisible patterns in animal behavior
An artist-in-residence collaborates with scientists in the Kronauer lab to reveal the unseen movements of ants.
How solving a hepatitis B paradox opened the door to new therapies
A collaboration between Rockefeller, MSK, and Weill Cornell answers a longstanding mystery about the basic biology of the hepatitis B virus, while also proposing a novel therapy.
Researchers identify a gene potentially linked to the evolution of spoken language
When placed in mice, an RNA-binding protein found only in the brains of humans changed how the animals vocalized to each other.
A single protein may have helped shape the emergence of spoken language
How much does the evolution of human speech owe to one amino acid?
How fruit flies flit between courtship and aggression to fight for mates
Male fruit flies don’t just sing to their mates; they also use sound-cancelling wing-flicks to jockey with rivals. This new understanding of how male flies compete for female partners could shed light on how the brain balances cooperation and competition.
Rockefeller exceeds NYC Carbon Challenge goals 5 years ahead of schedule
Achieving a 41% emissions reduction, the university sets a new sustainability benchmark.
Researchers uncover key insights into how the body protects against neuron damage
New research on nematodes reveals how glial cells maintain and monitor neuronal dendrites.
New clues to the mechanism behind food tolerance and allergies
Study reveals how immune cells in the gut distinguish between food and harmful pathogens, shedding light on the origins of both food allergies and intestinal diseases.
Scientists finally know how cells build a structure that lets them migrate. What they learned could help treat cancer
Unpacking “finger-like” protein bundles that protrude from cells may lead to novel treatments for metastasis.  
Unique characteristics of a rare liver cancer identified as clinical trial of new treatment begins  
Long classified as a subset of common liver cancer, FLC should be considered its own unique disease. Now researchers are testing a combination drug therapy that targets FLC tumors.
New mechanism for maintaining genome stability discovered
New research reveals how the RapA enzyme protects against R-loop cytotoxicity in E. coli.
Svetlana Mojsov receives Frontiers of Knowledge Award
She shares the award with three other scientists who together laid the groundwork for a new generation of drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Rockefeller postdocs Paige Arnold and Jim Castellanos are named Hanna Gray Fellows by HHMI
The awards are worth up to $1.5 million each over the course of up to eight years, covering both postdoctoral training and the transition to the start of an independent laboratory as a faculty member.
It’s not just the winter blues—circadian rhythms have been implicated in diseases from dementia to cancer
Every cell in the body and up to 80 percent of our genes operate under circadian control, significantly influencing our overall health. Here’s some ways to mitigate disruptions to this daily cycle.
Intriguing science discoveries of 2024
From decoding the mysteries of memory formation to revealing cancer’s metabolic, neurologic, and genetic tricks, here are some fascinating discoveries that came out of Rockefeller in 2024.
Inna Piscitello, a member of Jeff Friedman’s lab, has died
Piscitello had been a Rockefeller-based HHMI employee since 2019. She passed away on November 22.
What ants can teach us about the neurobiology of social behavior
Daniel Kronauer’s research on an unusual ant species illuminates the biochemistry and genetics behind complex social behavior—and potentially offers clues to the evolution of our own social brains.
Study reveals how unexpected shifts in cell populations are revising our understanding of the aging process
A newly created atlas of 21 million cells could upend long-held assumptions about how we age and provide fresh directions for anti-aging therapies.
A new class of antivirals could help prevent future pandemics
Researchers discovered a vulnerability in viral enzymes that could lead to novel treatments for diseases as diverse as COVID and Ebola, while also minimizing side effects and reducing the odds of drug resistance.
Is metastasis a hereditary disorder?
Mounting evidence suggests that metastasis, the culprit in the vast majority of cancer deaths, is in part driven by genetic disposition. Physician-scientist Sohail Tavazoie discusses the newest research into this phenomenon, and what it may mean for breast cancer patients.
Researchers discover a genetic predisposition increasing the risk of breast cancer metastasis
Metastasis is responsible for 90 percent of cancer deaths. Researchers have found that the mutations driving it may stem from a commonly inherited variant of the PCSK9 gene.
New center for ambitious neuroscience projects comes to campus
The Miller Brain Observatory, which boasts some of the most advanced imaging technology in the world, is now accepting research proposals. 
Study explains why checkpoint inhibitors so adept at fighting cancer may also leave patients vulnerable to infections
New insights could fine-tune this immunotherapy to avoid a common side effect without sacrificing efficacy.
New faculty member studies how to leverage microbial forces to combat climate change
Avi Flamholz joins Rockefeller to investigate how microbes process nutrients and how that understanding can help develop tools to better anticipate and mitigate the effects of climate change.
Winrich Freiwald wins 2025 Rosenstiel Award
Freiwald is honored for his groundbreaking work revealing biological mechanisms of facial recognition.
Newly discovered neurons change our understanding of how the brain handles hunger
A new cell type provides a missing piece of the neural network regulating appetite.
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