Two Center members have been selected for the 2020–21 State University of New York (SUNY) Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence. Brian Rudd, associate professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, was a winner of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research and Scholarly Activity. John Parker, Ph.D. ’99, associate professor of virology at the Baker Institute for Animal Health, was a winner of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service.
News
Better implant device may ease therapy for Type 1 diabetes
A Cornell-led research team’s improved cell therapy device effectively secreted insulin and controlled blood sugar in diabetic mice for up to six months – showing promise for the possibility of an effective, complication-free treatment for Type 1 diabetes, a chronic disease with no known cure.
Award commends typhoid toxin and potential peptide therapy research
Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology faced stiff competition for this year’s Biocytogen Best Research Paper Award. Their work in infectious disease and host immune responses has been recognized in peer-reviewed journals, and faculty members faced the difficult task of selecting the winning entries. First- and second-place winners of this year’s award are Drs. Sohyoung Lee and Abrrey Monreal, respectively.
Study finds ‘Achilles heel’ of Crohn’s-linked bacteria
The discovery of an “Achilles heel” in a type of gut bacteria that causes intestinal inflammation in patients with Crohn’s disease may lead to more targeted therapies for the difficult-to-treat disease, researchers have found.
Fungi in the gut prime immunity against infection
Common fungi, often present in the gut, teach the immune system how to respond to their more dangerous relatives, according to new research from scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine. A study, published Feb. 5 in Cell, reveals a new twist in the complex relationship between humans and their associated microbes, and points the way toward novel therapies that could help combat a rising tide of drug-resistant pathogens.
Gene critical to immune cell development identified
Much of the three-dimensional architecture of the genome in antibody-producing immune cells is dependent on a gene called SMC3. When this gene is not working properly it can lead to improper immune cell development and to cancer, by disrupting how DNA is structured inside the cell nucleus, according to a team of researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine.
Multiple Tenure-track Immunology Faculty Positions Available
The Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Center for Immunology at Cornell University invite applications from scientists focused on Molecular or Cellular Immunology for multiple tenure-track positions at the Assistant, Associate or Full Professor levels. We are seeking outstanding investigators who use innovative approaches to study innate or adaptive immunity, including but not limited to host-microbe interactions, mucosal immunity, tumor immunology, neuro-immunology, autoimmunity and vaccines. Candidates with interests in high-dimensional genomic and imaging approaches are particularly encouraged to apply.
Discovery needs diversity: Black in Immunology Week drives awareness on inclusion within the field
As events ignited mainstream awareness and urgency around systemic racism and inequalities, the scientific community has rallied to address systemic bias. Black in Immuno, a movement started by six early-career Black scientists, is mobilizing scientific communities to support Black immunologists.
NIH extends funding of research into deadly Nipah virus
A Cornell researcher is studying Nipah virus in an effort to understand the basic mechanisms of transmission and infection, which are necessary steps toward vaccine development and other therapies.
Dr. Virginia Pascual Leads Grant to Study Immune Responses in Children with COVID-19 and Receives Prestigious ACR Award
Dr. Virginia Pascual, the Drukier Director of the Gale and Ira Drukier Institute for Children’s Health at Weill Cornell Medicine, has been awarded a grant supplement from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to lead a multi-institutional effort studying differences in immune responses in children infected with SARS-CoV-2.
