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immunofluorescent image of gut cells and neurons

Pain-Sensing Neurons Kick-Start Immune Responses

Pain-sensing neurons in the gut kindle inflammatory immune responses that cause allergies and asthma, according to a new study by Weill Cornell Medicine. The findings, published Jan. 7 in Nature, suggest that current drugs may not be as effective because they only address the immune component of these conditions, overlooking the contribution of neurons.

“Today’s blockbuster biologics are sometimes only 50% effective and when the treatments do work, they sometimes lose their efficacy...

illustration of stem cells differentiating into B cells

B Cells Transiently Unlock Their Plasticity, Risking Lymphoma Development

Immune cells called B cells make antibodies that fight off invading bacteria, viruses and other foreign substances. During their preparation for this battle, B cells transiently revert to a more flexible, or plastic, stem-cell-like state in the lymph nodes, according to a new preclinical study from Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. The results could help explain how many lymphomas develop from mature B cells rather than from stem cells, as many other cancers do, and guide researchers in...

Research Matters: How Folate Deficiency May Alter Genes to Promote Cancer

Video of Folate deficiency: How it can rewrite your genes and fuel cancer Genetic alterations lie at the heart of cancer development, but scientists may have been overlooking a powerful driver of these changes—the everyday nutrients that feed our cells. “Most efforts have focused on known carcinogens—like tobacco smoke or radiation,” said Dr. John Blenis, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Professor in Cancer Research in pharmacology at Weill Cornell Medicine. “But metabolism has been...

AI-generated image of intestines with microbes superimposed

Microbiome May Aid in Successful Pregnancies

Gut microbes may play a key role in training a mother’s immune system to adapt to the developing fetus during pregnancy, according to a preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

The findings, published Dec. 17 in Cell, show that beneficial gut bacteria help prevent immune system reactions that can lead to pregnancy loss in mice. The investigators demonstrated that metabolites produced by gut microbes promote the recruitment of two types of protective immune cells,...

Students Break Down Big Science into Inspiring Stories

Three minutes and one slide were all it took for twelve young scientists to turn cutting-edge research into dramatic stories of hope at Weill Cornell Medicine’s tenth annual Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition on Nov. 13 in Uris Auditorium. The night showcased bold ideas about tackling Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, infectious diseases and more with creativity and passion.

Students from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Gerstner Sloan Kettering Graduate School of...

Improving Lives Through Academic Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship

Why are innovation and entrepreneurship important in academic research? Since the Bayh-Dole Act was passed in 1980, permitting institutions to retain ownership of their inventions arising from federal funding, more than 200 drug treatments and vaccines have been brought to market through academic-commercial partnerships.

Weill Cornell Medicine’s Ninth Annual Dean’s Symposium on Innovation and Entrepreneurship celebrated and fostered this entrepreneurial spirit on Nov. 17 at Weill...

immunofluorescent image of neurons stained for dopamine

Aging Midbrain Neurons Face Energy Crisis Linked to Parkinson’s

Dopamine neurons in a part of the brain called the midbrain may, with aging, be increasingly susceptible to a vicious spiral of decline driven by fuel shortages, according to a study led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. The findings offer a potential explanation for the degeneration of this neuron population in Parkinson’s disease.

In the study, published Dec. 5 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the scientists examined how midbrain dopamine neurons, which...

Research Matters: Personalizing Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

Video of Research Matters: Personalizing Pancreatic Cancer Treatment

It’s not surprising that pancreatic cancer is often referred to as a silent killer. With few early symptoms and an aggressive nature, it has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers.

“By the time people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, most are not candidates for surgery because the tumor is too extensive,” said Dr. Despina Siolas, assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and an...

New Immune Cell Suspects in Lupus

Detailed mapping of CD4⁺ T cells from children with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has revealed distinct immune cell subsets with likely roles in disease pathogenesis, according to a study led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. The findings are poised to redirect lupus research and open the door to more precise therapies that avoid broad immune suppression.

Published Oct. 21 in Nature Immunology, the study used single-cell RNA sequencing to profile CD4⁺ T-cell subtypes from...

Early Brain Differences May Explain Sex-Specific Risks for Addiction

The roots of addiction risk may lie in how young brains function long before substance use begins, according to a new study from Weill Cornell Medicine. The investigators found that children with a family history of substance use disorder (SUD) already showed distinctive patterns of brain activity that differ between boys and girls, which may reflect separate predispositions for addiction. The research, published Nov. 21, in Nature Mental Health, analyzed brain scans from nearly 1,900...