News and Events | Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics

Coordinating the Development of Heart Muscle and Vasculature

August 5, 2026

During development, regional dips in oxygen levels serve as a signal that triggers the coordinated growth of heart muscle and coronary vessels, according to a study led by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine. The findings, published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could point toward innovative approaches for treating cardiovascular conditions that lead to heart failure.

“The signaling...

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New Tool Empowers Research on Key Proteins

June 15, 2026

A new single-protein analysis technique gives researchers an unprecedented ability to study proteins called scramblases, which have critical roles in biology. The development of the new technique, in a study led by investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine and Ruhr University Bochum in Germany, expands the toolkit available to cell biologists and biophysicists and could someday be useful in devising new strategies against multiple diseases.

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Targeting Inflammation May Help Overcome Drug Resistance in Colon Cancer

May 21, 2026

Chemotherapy drugs that target a common mutation in colorectal cancer rapidly lose efficacy in patients, leading to relapse. According to a new preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine and MD Anderson Cancer Center investigators, colorectal tumors often find multiple ways to survive treatment, including additional genetic mutations and activation of cellular pathways typically associated with inflammation and regeneration. Targeting this tumor-specific inflammatory process could enhance...

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Faculty Honored with Notable Awards

May 15, 2026

Weill Cornell Medicine faculty members were honored with awards for their exemplary achievements in medical research, education and care May 13-14 during Weill Cornell Medicine’s commencement activities.

Dr. Pinkal Desai was awarded the Jeanne and Herbert Siegel Faculty Development Award. The prize recognizes an early-career faculty member for exemplary clinical and research contributions, as well as teaching and mentoring medical students.

Dr. Michele...

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A New Kind of Cold Sensor

May 6, 2026

All life forms need to continuously adapt to temperature changes to survive. Now, Weill Cornell Medicine investigators studying a bacterial protein have identified a new mechanism of sensing cold temperatures. The finding points to the possibility that this same type of mechanism exists in other organisms, including humans, and may have relevance for disorders involving faulty temperature regulation.
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Reverse Engineering Ketamine’s Effects May Lead to New Antidepressants

May 1, 2026

Weill Cornell Medicine investigators have “reverse engineered” ketamine’s antidepressant effects to identify potential new strategies for treating depression.
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45th Vincent du Vigneaud Symposium Celebrates Graduate Student Research

April 30, 2026

Rows of poster boards filled the Griffis Faculty Club at Weill Cornell Medicine, showcasing research ranging from cancer immunology and microbiome science to the emerging field of space biology. Standing beside them, graduate students explained months of work in a matter of minutes, fielding questions from judges, faculty and peers.
The 45th annual Vincent du Vigneaud Memorial Research Symposium held on April 16 had a record number of 153 abstracts submitted this year, including...

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Nerves in Skin Can Slow Melanoma Growth

April 29, 2026

Nerve fibers within melanomas can slow the growth of these tumors, according to a study led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators. The findings help clarify the emerging field of cancer neuroscience and may inform future therapeutic strategies.
In the study, published April 29 in Neuron, the researchers used mouse models of the skin cancer melanoma to examine the...

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Dr. Olga Boudker Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

April 28, 2026

Dr. Olga Boudker, professor of biochemistry and biophysics at Weill Cornell Medicine, has been elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
The academy, one of the United States’ oldest honorary societies, was chartered during the American Revolutionary War to recognize Americans with significant accomplishments, and...

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Catching a Scramblase in the Act

April 17, 2026

Weill Cornell Medicine investigators have revealed the detailed workings of a cell membrane protein that has essential roles in all animals. The discovery could lead to new therapeutic strategies for blood coagulation disorders, cancers and other conditions in which the protein, called a TMEM16 scramblase, works abnormally.
Scramblases operate within cell membranes, where they alter or “scramble” the normal layered...

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