Skip to main content

The rockefeller university

News & HighlightsNews
This fly likes its fruit fresh 
Farmers have a new enemy, a species of fruit fly that lays eggs in ripe produce. To help curtail the problem, scientists are getting to the bottom of how this trait arose in the course of evolution.
Three Rockefeller researchers are elected to the National Academy of Medicine
Mary E. Hatten, Charles M. Rice, and Leslie B. Vosshall are three of 100 new members elected to the academy today.
Noninfectious versions of SARS-CoV-2 provide powerful research tools
The new experimental system will facilitate efforts to study different coronavirus variants and develop new drugs for
  • Read more
    • A mission to end metastasis 
    Not all cancer cells are killers. One lab is focusing its energy on only those that enable tumors to spread—and it may have found their kryptonite.
    Small molecule may prevent metastasis in colorectal cancer

    The compound works by hindering a key pathway that cancer cells rely upon to hoard energy, and is already undergoing clinical trials.

    Study detects origins of Huntington's disease in two-week-old human embryos
    The findings shed new light on the root causes of this disease, which leads to the degeneration of neurons in midlife.
    Seth A. Darst honored with Gregori Aminoff Prize
    Darst receives the honor for pioneering research on RNA polymerase, the molecular machine that transcribes RNA from DNA. His work is leading to new knowledge about the transcription process, as well as to insights enabling development of urgent antibiotic and antiviral treatments.
    Katalin Karikó named the 2022 recipient of the Pearl Meister Greengard Prize
    Katalin Karikó discovered how to keep synthetic RNA from activating the innate immune system, paving the way for RNA vaccines including two for SARS-CoV-2.
    Novel method for trapping HIV inside its host may give rise to new antivirals
    Human cells can be coaxed into preventing certain enveloped viruses (including HIV, Ebola, and parainfluenza) from escaping their membranes in the lab, a finding that could lead to novel treatments for many viral diseases.
    Linker histones tune the length and shape of chromosomes
    A new study finds that proteins known as linker histones control the complex coiling process that determines whether DNA will wind into long and thin chromosomes, made up of many small loops, or short and thick chromosomes with fewer large loops.
    Hospital hallway installation honors 11 women scientists at Rockefeller
    Uncovering the chemical composition of histones and innovating addiction treatment are only two of the accomplishments of the women scientists featured in a new photographic display.
    A refurbished pharmacy supports research trials at Rockefeller
    A new pharmacy with clean room and other features makes it possible for pharmacists to prepare highly specialized compounds and sterile injectable drugs for use in clinical research.
    Three Rockefeller researchers are named HHMI investigators
    Daniel Kronauer, who studies evolution in insect societies, Daniel Mucida, who examines mucosal immunology, and Vanessa Ruta, who investigates neural circuits that underlie innate and learned behaviors, are among 33 scientists nationwide to receive this designation.
    Rockefeller leads global university ranking in measure of top cited publications
    An international ranking of research institutions by U-Multirank placed Rockefeller first in a measure of its impact based on citations.
    Rockefeller postdoc, Luka Mesin, named a Blavatnik Regional Award Finalist
    Mesin, a member of the Victora Lab, receives the honor for developing novel techniques to better understand how B cells in the immune system mature and evolve to create antibodies to fight off pathogens.
    Could future coronavirus variants fully dodge our immune system?
    Studying dozens of naturally occurring and laboratory-selected mutations in SARS-CoV-2, researchers found that the virus will need to pull off a genetic feat to become fully resistant to antibodies.
    Rockefeller faculty member, Leslie B. Vosshall, named vice president and chief scientific officer of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
    Vosshall will join the leadership team at HHMI, a major philanthropy that supports basic biomedical scientists and educators.
    Pamela Björkman wins the 2021 Pearl Meister Greengard Prize
    Pamela J. Björkman, who discovered key aspects of the immune system that are helping to direct better treatment for infection from viruses and other diseases, will receive the prize in a virtual ceremony hosted by Rockefeller on September 30.
    Frames of Mind 
    We think of brains as computers—stimulus in, action out. But they’re far more finicky than any iMac. Easily swayed by underlying internal states such as hunger, aggression, or arousal, our neurons are capable of incredible flexibility. For neuroscientists, it’s yet another wrinkle in understandin...
    Rockefeller saliva test for COVID-19 outperforms commercial swab tests
    The DRUL saliva assay is safer, more comfortable, and less expensive than comparable COVID screening tools. Now a new study demonstrates that it is at least as sensitive as swab tests, too.
    Study reveals how ribosomes are assembled in human cells
    Three-dimensional images of human small ribosomal subunits offer the most detailed explanation for how the cell's protein-making machines are assembled.
    Missing immune molecule may explain why some HPV patients sprout giant horn-like growths
    Scientists identified a mutation that affects one’s reaction to HPV by decreasing the production of CD28, a vital molecule within the immune system.
    Guido Guidotti, a biochemist and one of Rockefeller’s early graduates, has died
    Guido Guidotti, who made contributions to biochemistry and performed pioneering work during his study in the lab of Lyman Craig, has died at the age of 87.
    New microscopy technique reveals activity of one million neurons across the mouse brain
    Using light beads microscopy, researchers can now capture images of a vast number of cells across different depths in the brain at high speed, with unprecedented clarity.
    The physics behind a water bear's lumbering gait
    Animals as small and soft as tardigrades seldom have legs and almost never bother walking. But a new study finds that water bears propel themselves through sediment and soil on eight stubby legs, in a manner resembling that of insects 500,000 times their size.
    Natural infection versus vaccination: Differences in COVID antibody responses emerge
    People who recover from COVID-19 may have better protection than those who received a vaccine, but the benefits of natural immunity do not outweigh the very real risk of disability and death from contracting the disease.
    Emeritus Professor Te Piao King, expert on allergens, has died
    Te Piao King, a Rockefeller biochemist whose pioneering research greatly advanced the science and treatment of allergic reactions, died August 18 at the age of 90.  
    The common thread in severe COVID-19 
    New studies point to a single molecular explanation for 20 percent of critical COVID-19 cases: insufficient or defective type I interferons.
    Lonely flies, like many humans, eat more and sleep less
    If COVID-19 lockdowns scrambled your sleep schedule and stretched your waistline, you're not alone. Fruit flies quarantined in test tubes sleep too little and eat too much after only one week of social isolation.
    Study reveals how smell receptors work
    The first-ever molecular images of an olfactory receptor at work answer decades-old questions about odor recognition.
    When ant colonies get bigger, new foraging behavior emerges
    By increasing the size of ant colonies bit by bit, scientists identified the mechanism responsible for the evolution of mass raiding behavior.
    How cells draw on memories of past inflammation to respond to new threats
    A new study uncovers a near-universal mechanism behind this phenomenon, known as inflammatory memory.
    New Pearl Meister Greengard Prize exhibit celebrates the accomplishments of women scientists
    The installation located in the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Lounge features the 22 Pearl Meister Greengard Prize awardees.
    Hunting for TB's most vulnerable genes
    Not every gene that's essential in tuberculosis is also vulnerable to attack. A new study ranks essential genes by vulnerability, allowing researchers to better prioritize future drug targets.
    Putting the brakes on immune reactions
    Helper T cells may play a dual role in the immune system, both encouraging and suppressing the process by which B cells mature.
    Identifying the spark of desire in fruit flies
    In Drosophila’s neural circuitry for courtship, researchers discover a configuration that enables a male fruit fly to be persistent, yet flexible in his pursuit of a female.
    Purnell Choppin, pioneering virologist, has died
    Purnell Choppin, a physician, virologist, and scientific administrator who performed pioneering research on viruses at The Rockefeller University and later exerted a powerful influence on biomedical research as president of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, has died at the age of 91.
    Scientists discover a new class of neurons for remembering faces
    Our brains have sensory cells, which process the faces that we see, and memory cells dedicated to storing data from person encounters. But until now, a hybrid neuron capable of linking vision to memory—and explaining how we recall familiar faces—remained elusive.
    Robert G. Roeder named the 2021 Kyoto Prize laureate in basic sciences
    Roeder, a pioneer in the field of gene regulation and expression, is being honored for revealing the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional regulation.
    Convocation 2021 caps a year like no other
    For Rockefeller’s class of 2021, it has been a year with both challenges and accomplishments.
    Toward the first drug to treat a rare, lethal liver cancer
    After scouring more than 5,000 compounds, scientists have identified several new classes of therapeutics that may help treat fibrolamellar carcinoma.
    A missing antibody molecule may indicate when dengue will become deadly
    The antibody's altered structure helps explain an enduring mystery of dengue—why only a fraction of those infected will develop severe disease.
    How CRISPR promotes antibiotic resistance in bacteria
    Whenever a cell uses CRISPR to defend itself, there's a chance of mutations creeping into its genetic code. Some of these mutations are harmless; others kill the cell. But fortuitous mutations can occasionally render major human pathogens, such as Staphylococcus aureus, antibiotic resistant.
    Rockefeller leads an international ranking of research impact
    According to this year’s CWTS Leiden Ranking of over 1200 universities from 69 countries, Rockefeller has the highest proportion of frequently cited scientific publications.
    Vaccines charge up natural immunity against SARS-CoV-2
    Vaccination enhances antibodies in people who have had COVID, likely giving them protection even from the new variants.
    New findings to boost IVF success rates
    New research casts doubt on a genetic test used to screen would-be embryos for IVF implantation. The findings suggests that these embryos can develop into healthy babies regardless of whether or not they’ve been flagged as defective by the test.
    Scientists release error-free genomes of 25 animals—with another 70,000 coming up
    Scientists have launched an ambitious effort to produce high-quality reference genomes for all vertebrate species, from mammals to birds and reptiles. The result could be discoveries with implications for animal conservation as well as human health and disease.
    A case for simplifying gene nomenclature across different organisms

    Scientists call it oxytocin in humans, isotocin in fish, mesotocin in birds, and valitocin in sharks. But according to a new study, it’s all the same hormone—and high time we settled on just one name.

    New Caspary exhibit honors 58 Rockefeller award winners, past and present
    Redesigning the exhibit provided an opportunity to consider how to best honor and commemorate Rockefeller award winners. Discussions with university leadership and an ad-hoc faculty committee steered the process and led to a broadening of the criteria for inclusion.
    Evolutionary biologist and ornithologist Richard Prum receives the 2021 Lewis Thomas Prize
    The author of The Evolution of Beauty was presented with Rockefeller’s science writing award, which honors scientists as inspirational authors.
    Study of “breakthrough” cases suggests COVID testing may be here to stay
    Two new cases helped scientists confirm what many have come to suspect: that people can get infected by SARS-CoV-2 variants even after successful vaccination. The findings suggest continued testing may be needed to prevent future outbreaks in a post-vaccine world. <...
    Inside the protein channel that keeps bacteria alive
    A novel method for studying how one crucial membrane protein functions may pave the way for a new kind of broad-spectrum antibiotic.
    Brain disease transmitted by tick bites may be treatable
    The virus that causes tick-borne encephalitis appears to trick the immune system, misdirecting it into producing inferior antibodies. But new research shows some people produce more potent antibodies, providing hope for treatment.
    Immunologist Katharine Hsu is named director of the Tri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. program
    The joint program between Weill Cornell Medicine, The Rockefeller University, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center will be lead by Hsu, an accomplished physician-scientist who specializes in immunology research and treatment of blood cancers.
    Paul Cohen, expert on fat, is promoted to associate professor
    Cohen, a physician-scientist exploring obesity and metabolic disease, has conducted groundbreaking research on the complex inner workings of fat tissue.
    Immunologist Daniel Mucida promoted to professor
    A pioneer in the field of mucosal immunology, Mucida is unlocking the secrets of the digestive system and answering fundamental questions about the origins of human disease.
    Mary Jeanne Kreek, pioneer in studies of addiction, has died
    Kreek conducted landmark studies that led to the establishment of methadone as a treatment for heroin addiction. Her work not only yielded new treatments for addiction disorders, but also influenced societal attitudes toward them. She was 84.
    Paula Volent is named chief investment officer
    The university has named its next vice president and chief investment officer. Volent, who for decades oversaw investments at Bowdoin College, will assume stewardship of Rockefeller's endowment in August.
    How one patient’s rare mutation helped solve a mycobacterial mystery
    The discovery may explain why some patients suffer more severe reactions than others—putting us one step closer to understanding how our DNA influences our susceptibility to a wide range of infectious diseases.
    Financial crashes, pandemics, Texas snow: How math could predict "black swan" events
    Statistical modeling may one day help scientists anticipate and manage a wide range of extreme occurrences, according to a new study.
    View
    View