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Stem cell model offers first glimpse of early human development

The new platform’s ethically grounded approach promises to reveal much about how human embryos form during the earliest stages of pregnancy.

Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli to receive 2024 Lewis Thomas Prize

The author of There Are Places in the World Where Rules Are Less Important Than Kindness will be presented with Rockefeller’s prestigious science writing award on April 9.

The SNF Institute for Global Infectious Disease Research announces new advisory board

SNFiRU, which aims to better understand the agents that cause infectious disease and to lower barriers to treatment and prevention globally, launched numerous initiatives in its inaugural year.

New Mtb study offers a novel paradigm for understanding bacterial transcription

A novel sequencing technique reveals a genetic trick TB may be using to evade the immune system and resist antibiotics.

A pioneering way to target the culprit behind a deadly liver cancer

Researchers have translated a cutting-edge tactic for treating genetic disorders into a fresh approach for potentially stymying cancer.  

Vitamin A may play a central role in stem cell biology and wound repair

Retinoic acid, the active state of Vitamin A, appears to regulate how stem cells enter and exit a transient state central to their role in wound repair.

New study on mating behaviors offers clues into the evolution of attraction

In examining the mating rituals of roundworms, researchers uncovered a unique approach to reproduction that maximizes genetic fitness.

Universal tool for tracking cell-to-cell interactions

uLIPSTIC, an updated method for directly observing physical interactions between cells, could allow scientists to one day map every possible cell interaction.

Innovative microscopy tech answers fundamental questions

A powerful tool captures data from an unprecedented 1 million neurons simultaneously, painting a much fuller picture of brain dynamics.

Rogue enzymes cause numerous diseases. A new method could help design drugs to treat them.

A novel platform allows researchers to directly target enzymes implicated in infectious diseases, several genetic disorders, and some cancers for the first time.

David J. Lyons, former vice president for business and finance, has passed away

Known for his dedication, keen financial sense, and community spirit, Lyons served the university for decades.

Karl Palmquist wins 2024 Weintraub Graduate Student Award

Palmquist receives the honor for developing innovative methods to study mechanical forces and emergent phenomena in early organ development.

Svetlana Mojsov named 2024 recipient of the Pearl Meister Greengard Prize

Mojsov's research into hormonal triggers for insulin production led to groundbreaking treatments for diabetes and obesity. She will be presented with the award on April 17.

Double trouble at chromosome ends

The end replication problem dictates that telomeres shrink unless telomerase intervenes. But the problem is actually twice as complicated, with telomerase providing only part of the solution.

Cutting-edge methods yield surprising insights into Huntington’s disease

New findings add depth to our understanding of neurodegeneration.

Keeping telomerase in check

Telomerase could run amok, deleteriously capping damaged DNA, were it not for a first responder to DNA damage.

Luciano Marraffini wins Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science

Marraffini is honored for his pioneering research on the study of CRISPR-Cas systems.

How fruit flies control the brain's "steering wheel"

A newly discovered neural circuit mediates between navigational brain cells, acting as a sort of mental steering wheel. 

Newly discovered genetic malfunction causes rare lung disease

The absence of a single immune cell receptor has been linked to both fewer defenses against mycobacterial infections, such as TB, and damaging buildup of sticky residue in the lungs.  

"Exhausted" immune cells may drive Alzheimer's

A class of ineffective immune cells may be driving Alzheimer’s disease, a finding that could both explain why APOE4 gene increases the risk of the disease and why a new drug can impact it.

Revealing how an ancient genetic invader inhabits our DNA

LINE-1 is associated with disease and aging. The Rout lab has uncloaked the core of its key protein, pointing the way towards therapeutic targets.

Yvena Bouillon, the assistant director of e-procurement and inventory control, has died

She was known by her colleagues for both her committed professionalism and her generous spirit.

A CRISPR pioneer looks back as the first gene-editing therapy is approved

Luciano Marraffini’s research helped lay the groundwork for the newly FDA-approved CRISPR-based therapy for sickle cell anemia. He reflects on how we got here—and where the science is going next.

Innovative method identifies rare brain cell types for the first time

It also reduces the cost of a million single-cell transcriptomes from $10,000 to $700—and the time necessary down to about a day.

A new way of thinking about how organ architecture develops 

By focusing on the emergent features of cell collectives, instead of individual cells, scientists forge a new path for understanding how organs develop their architecture.   

Intriguing science discoveries of 2023

From plumbing the depths of wound repair to tackling how songbirds solve problems, here are some fascinating discoveries that came out of Rockefeller in 2023.

Rockefeller launches startup incubator

Carlo Yuvienco, the inaugural director of the university’s new Ford Center Incubator, on how the new space will help translate research breakthroughs into market-ready biomedical innovations.

Her scientific breakthrough took 5 years. Getting credit took decades.

Mojsov’s research directly led to blockbuster drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. She talks about the long quest for proper credit and lessons that can be learned from her experience.

How bacteria recognize viral invasion and activate immune defenses

Bacteria have an array of strategies to counter viral invasion, but how they first spot a stranger in their midst has long been a mystery.

How the antioxidant glutathione keeps mitochondria healthy

“I believe this is going to be a very fruitful find. Every time people have studied nutrient sensing, we’ve learned a lot about biology, and many drugs have been developed as a result.”

New blood test could offer earlier detection of common deadly cancers

The low-cost multi-cancer detector can pick up the presence of a telltale protein in a tiny amount of blood in less than two hours.

The bacteria that may trigger multiple sclerosis

New research suggests that the long sought-after environmental trigger for MS is a toxin produced by certain C. perfringens bacteria.

Toward a universal dengue vaccine

Why do our bodies not only fail to learn from prior dengue infection but also become more vulnerable to it as a result? New research pinpoints a subgroup of antibodies that may be to blame.

The Rockefeller University joins with leading New York City-area institutions to launch new Chan Zuckerberg research hub

The new research hub will engineer immune cells for early disease prevention, detection, and treatment.

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Community-developed guidelines for publishing images help address reproducibility problem in science

The use of images in scientific papers is more popular than ever, but there have been no common standards for their publication—until now.

Popular community science festival returns to Rockefeller

Science Saturday brings hundreds of kids back to campus for the first time since 2019.

New method tracks how brain cells age

The novel technique may offer panoramic view into the mechanisms of many diseases and the enigma of aging.

New faculty member untangles the mysteries of RNA folding 

Steve Bonilla joined Rockefeller as an assistant professor on October 1, 2023.

Lily Jan and Eve Marder receive 2023 Pearl Meister Greengard Prize

Jan and Marder, who have both made fundamental contributions to neurobiology, were presented with the award in a ceremony on The Rockefeller University campus on September 20.

Vocal learning linked to problem solving skills and brain size

The better a songbird is at working its way around obstacles to retrieve a snack, the more complex its vocal learning ability will be.

Unlocking how the new Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab works

As with many cutting-edge therapies, we know more about the drug's effectiveness than we do about how it actually operates. A new study reveals a possible mechanism for its impact on patients.

A conversation with Ashton Murray, Rockefeller’s Chief Diversity Officer

Murray discusses developing strategies and programming grounded in the belief that a true community draws strength from its individuals.

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Boosters are key to protecting pregnant individuals and newborns against the worst effects of COVID

Patients with a specific cocktail of COVID exposure had the highest level of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, which also provided a strong immunological shield for their babies.

Rockefeller community symposium brings together scientists and local gardeners

Sponsored by the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the event brought together land stewards from across the city in an effort to make soil science more accessible to the local community.

A scent paradise for flies 

One clever way to observe the neural activity of Drosophilae: build them a custom fly treadmill and tempt them with the tangy perfume of apple cider vinegar.

Researchers find an epigenetic key that unlocks common deadly cancers

In skin, some aberrant adult epidermal stem cells turn on SOX9, kickstarting a process that ultimately activates cancer genes.

Kivanç Birsoy named a 2023 Blavatnik National Awards finalist

Birsoy is honored for groundbreaking research uncovering metabolic weaknesses of diseased cells, such as cancer, while shedding light on debilitating mitochondrial diseases and rare genetic disorders.

An immune flaw may cause West Nile virus’s deadliest symptoms

With 40% of encephalitis cases now explained by an autoimmune deficiency, West Nile virus "is by far the best understood human infectious disease in the world. It’s stunning.”

Probing the dynamic forces that move 37 trillion cells in the human body

Gregory Alushin reveals fundamental truths about cellular biomechanics by studying how the wiggly protein strands known as actin filaments bend and flex, crisscross each other, and have tugs of war.

How one of nature's most fundamental molecules forms

New high-resolution images of the large ribosomal subunit shed light on how human ribosomes are assembled.

Researchers discover neuronal mechanism linked to a minutes-long decision process in fruit flies

They identified a brain signal that guides one type of decision-making—findings that could build a foundation for understanding how humans make educated and strategic decisions.

The potential molecular indicators of Parkinson’s symptoms

Overlapping RNA changes in the blood and brain were associated with many of the clinical signs of the disease.

Proteome of rare liver cancer sheds new light on basic biology

Fibrolamellar carcinoma not only hinders the body's ammonia consumption but also produces ammonia, a finding with sweeping implications for treating this cancer—and the study of ammonia metabolism.

Rockefeller tops an international ranking of research impact

According to the 2023 CWTS Leiden Ranking of over 1,400 universities from 72 countries, Rockefeller has the highest percentage of most frequently cited scientific publications.

Campus tennis court transforms into a new multisport athletic hub

You'll be able to book court time for basketball, pickleball, badminton, futsal, and of course tennis.

World’s first transgenic ants reveal how colonies respond to an alarm

The findings raise tantalizing possibilities for revealing what hundreds of ant odorant receptors are up to.

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New algorithm cleans microbiome data with unprecedented efficiency

The algorithm, dubbed SCRuB, can distinguish native bacteria and viruses from contaminants—a powerful tool for researchers working with the microbiome.

36 students receive Ph.D.s at Rockefeller’s 65th convocation

With this week’s ceremony, Rockefeller has granted Ph.D.s in bioscience to 1,431 students. In addition, Ingrid Daubechies, Marc W. Kirschner, and Evelyn G. Lipper received honorary doctor of science degrees.

Studying the cleanup crew of the genome to illuminate a rare disease

Agata Smogorzewska investigates the handful of DNA repair mechanisms that attempt to correct problems, errors, and breakdowns.

Lab-grown mini lungs could accelerate the study of respiratory diseases  

The labs of Ali Brivanlou and Charles M. Rice collaborated to refine a cell culture technology platform that grows genetically identical lung buds from human embryonic stem cells.
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