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Rockefeller University


Unlisted ingredients in teas and herbal brews revealed in DNA tests by high school students

A study published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports found that many tea and herbal products contain unlisted ingredients, including weeds and plants from various families. The research used DNA barcoding technology to identify unknown species in 70 tea products and 60 herbal products, revealing a total of 25 unexpected ingredients.

SourceRockefeller University·JournalScientific Reports·DateJul 20, 2011

'Reaper' protein strikes at mitochondria to kill cells

Researchers found that the Reaper protein triggers apoptosis by interfering with inhibitor of apoptosis proteins and delivering its death sentence to the mitochondria. By targeting the protein to the mitochondrial membrane, it can be made more effective at killing cells, providing a potential new approach for cancer treatments.

SourceRockefeller University·JournalJournal of Cell Biology·DateOct 20, 2010

Telomeres resemble DNA fragile sites

Researchers at Rockefeller University discovered that telomeres resemble fragile sites in DNA, where replication can stall. A protein called TRF1 helps prevent this by removing unusual structures from telomeric DNA, allowing smooth progression of DNA replication.

SourceRockefeller University·JournalCell·DateJul 9, 2009

Scientists show how a neuron gets its shape

Researchers used microscopy to study neuron growth in Caenorhabditis elegans and found that certain neurons work backward from their destination. The discovery suggests that the brain is wired based on connectivity rather than absolute distance, providing an explanation for how the brain grows in proportion to the organism.

SourceRockefeller University·JournalCell·DateApr 3, 2009

A natural approach for HIV vaccine

Researchers at Rockefeller University have identified a diverse team of antibodies in slow-progressing HIV patients whose coordinated pack hunting knocks down the virus. These natural antibodies, produced by six people infected with HIV, show limited neutralizing ability when alone but become effective when combined.

SourceRockefeller University·JournalNature·DateMar 15, 2009

Researchers unveil new monkey model for HIV

Researchers have successfully infected pig-tailed macaques with a human version of HIV, creating an animal model for studying prevention methods. The new strain, simian-tropic HIV-1 (stHIV-1), can spread almost as quickly as in humans and persists for several months.

SourceRockefeller University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 2, 2009