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News & HighlightsNews
Heritable genome editing technology is not yet ready for clinical use, concludes an international commission co-chaired by President Lifton
A range of scientific and medical issues have yet to be addressed, the committee determined, and many ethical, moral, and societal concerns remain.
Scientists uncover antiviral protein that blocks coronavirus infection
New research identifies a protein that blocks infection by SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, along with several other types. The findings could inform treatment strategies and help us better prepare for future outbreaks.
How mechanical forces nudge tumors toward malignancy
Researchers studying two forms of skin cancer identified a long-overlooked factor determining why some tumors are more likely to metastasize than others: the physical properties of the tissue in which the cancer originates. The findings might set the stage for new ways to monitor and treat the di...
Newly discovered anti-CRISPR protein gives viruses a leg up against bacteria
Molecular CRISPR-Cas systems, most commonly known for their usefulness as gene editing tools, are ancient defense mechanisms employed by bacteria against viruses. The discovery of a counteracting viral trick could inform scientists' efforts to develop future gene-editing technologies.
Study uncovers the molecular events by which popular antidepressants work
Scientists have outlined a molecular program by which serotonin reuptake inhibitors reshape the brain to alleviate depression. Their findings provide clues for how to make better and faster-acting versions of these drugs.
Life's inner mechanics 
Cells—and the molecules inside them—are always on the move. They’re being tugged at, prodded, reshuffled. Behind these actions are tiny forces that, after decades of neglect, are emerging as the next big thing in biology.
Will SARS-CoV-2 escape future drugs by mutating? The answer may be a nuanced “no.”

Scientists hope to deploy antibodies in the quest to end COVID-19. A recent study moves them closer to accomplishing a key step: finding out if the virus may acquire resistance to antibody-based drugs or vaccines, and how to potent...

A never-before-seen image of the coronavirus copy machine
The high-resolution 3D image can speed COVID-19 drug discovery.
How toothless mock viruses could advance research on COVID-19
Scientists have engineered four viruses resembling SARS-CoV-2 to enable faster and safer research on vaccines and treatments.
Bacteria in the gut have a direct line to the brain
Scientists find that microbes inside the intestines can control the activities of neurons connecting the gut and brain.
Amid the rush for COVID-19 drugs, a case for the helicase
The enzyme is essential for the virus to replicate itself inside our cells. Scientists already have ideas for how to block it.
How neurons in body fat grow to boost calorie-burning capacity
Scientists have found that a hormone tells the brain to dramatically restructure neurons embedded in fat tissue.  Their work widens our understanding of how the body regulates its energy consumption, and how obesity might be treated in the future.
Becoming a Scientist: Jeanne Garbarino 
Meet Jeanne Garbarino, the scientist whose job it is to get teens out of their textbooks and into the lab.
Novel cells might act as a warning sign for rheumatoid arthritis flares
A genomics study has identified a previously unknown cell type whose blood levels tend to rise and fall in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The findings could make it easier to manage the disease and help scientists understand its root causes.
Interview: Mary Jeanne Kreek 
Thousands of years after humans discovered opioids, we’re just beginning to understand how these substances warp the brain and change behaviors.
How Plant Operations maintained essential university functions during shutdown
For the men and women of Plant Operations, there really was no university closure. Even as most of the university’s labs shut down, those that remained still semi-operational required support.
Rockefeller tops international ranking of research impact
According to this year’s CWTS Leiden Ranking of over 1100 universities from 65 countries, Rockefeller has the highest proportion of frequently cited scientific publications.
Why memory-forming neurons are vulnerable to Alzheimer's
Scientists have used advanced technology to “micro-dissect” the first brain cells to perish in Alzheimer’s disease. The result is a short list of genes that could represent new drug targets.
If humans could hide 
The Aedes aegypti genome might hold clues for developing the most effective repellants yet—including ones that make the mosquito unable to smell us, or less motivated to seek us out.
How an adapting Child and Family Center supports the littlest learners in the pandemic
The CFC’s team has had to pivot quickly to create new online programming to support their young charges and provide age appropriate education and enrichment—and a measure of continuity.
Rockefeller statement on executive order suspending visas
The Office of the President today issued the statement below to all Rockefeller University employees. President Donald J. Trump’s ill-conceived executive order to suspend the issuing of temporary visas for foreign workers, including H1-B and J-1 visas, is detrimental to the advance of science a...
David Rockefeller Fellowship awarded to graduate student Tom Hindmarsh Sten
Hindmarsh Sten receives the university’s most prestigious graduate fellowship for his work exploring the fundamental cognitive and neurological pathways underlying courtship behavior in Drosophila.
30 young scientists receive Rockefeller Ph.D.s during virtual convocation ceremony
Since its inception, Rockefeller’s graduate program in bioscience has granted doctor of philosophy degrees to more than 1,320 students, including this year's graduates.
COVID-19 immunology study reveals universally effective antibodies

New findings characterize human antibody response to SARS-Cov-2, with implications for convalescent plasma therapy, vaccine design, and antibody-based drugs.

Transparent fish reveal the subtle, cellular dance in which sensory organs take shape
How do primitive cells “know” where to go during development? Scientists studying the fish equivalent of inner-ear hair cells have shown that biochemical and mechanical cues work together to orchestrate a highly complex arrangement.
Alipasha Vaziri promoted to professor
Vaziri has created and applied new imaging techniques that capture the activity of vast numbers of neurons with record speed and spatial resolution, and at new depths.
How antibodies from llamas may lead to COVID-19 treatment
Llamas make antibodies that are much smaller than their human counterparts, yet still potent. Scientists hope that future drugs based on these molecules could provide new weapons against SARS-CoV-2.
Rockefeller leads global university ranking in measure of top cited publications
An international ranking of research institutions by U-Multirank placed Rockefeller first in the United States among 227 universities, and first internationally in a measure of its impact based on citations.
Brain study finds a molecular “off” switch for nicotine craving
In findings that might lead to better smoking-cessation tools, scientists have shown that manipulating a specific brain receptor can alter a mouse’s nicotine sensitivity.
Rockefeller’s 62nd Convocation to be held virtually this week
The spirit of the occasion will be preserved as this year’s usual in-person event is replaced with a virtual ceremony.
Rockefeller statement calls for justice and inclusivity in the United States
Read the Office of the President’s message to the campus community.
Unique mutation reveals a new role for well-known DNA-repair gene
The discovery of a rare mutation in BRCA2, commonly known as the breast cancer gene, has shed new light on how cells safeguard their genetic material.
 
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.
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