Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have developed technologies that allow investigators, for the first time, to watch what they call the “”dance”” of HIV proteins on the virus’ surface, which may contribute to how it infects human immune cells. Their discovery is described in the Oct. 8 issue of Science, and is also a… Read More
Under the Lens
BRAINYAC Research Program at Columbia University
This past summer 11 Columbia University S-PREP students participated in the BRAINYAC program. The BRAINYAC program (Brain Research Apprenticeships In New York At Columbia) is a mentored science research program for high school students run by the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute with funding from the Pinkerton Foundation. The program aims to introduce high school… Read More
Science Talk: Brainwave Test Could Improve Autism Diagnosis and Classification
A new study by Dr. Sophie Molholm suggests that measuring how fast the brain responds to sights and sounds could help in objectively classifying people on the autism spectrum and may help diagnose the condition earlier. The paper was published today in the online edition of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Dr. Molholm… Read More
NYIT Medical Student wins the McCaughan Heritage Scholarship
A New York Institute of Technology osteopathic medical student has won a national award for her leadership and academic accomplishments. Kathleen M. Vazzana, a fourth-year student at NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine, won the McCaughan Heritage Scholarship Award from the American Osteopathic Foundation. Vazzana, currently applying for a residency in pediatric medicine, was involved in… Read More
Why Protein Structure Matters in Drug Development: Lab Chat with Steven Almo, Ph.D.
Using animations and a walk through his lab, Dr. Steven Almo explains in lay terms why protein structure and shape are important in developing drugs to fight disease. See how proteins are turned into crystals, how X-ray crystallography works and how an immune cell’s ignition, accelerator and brakes can be manipulated to fight cancer or… Read More
Pre-Clinical Surgical Program Gives Students Operating Room Exposure
A new program allows first-year Weill Cornell students the opportunity to gain early exposure to the surgical field by participating in operating room procedures that are proving to be powerful motivators towards surgical careers. While a few other schools have implemented surgical-exposure programs, PreOp’s rotation-based structure and extensive skills component make it unique among medical… Read More
Children with Autism Have Extra Synapses in Brain
Children and adolescents with autism have a surplus of synapses in the brain, and this excess is due to a slowdown in a normal brain “pruning” process during development, according to a study by neuroscientists at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC). Because synapses are the points where neurons connect and communicate with each other, the… Read More
Student Scientists Showcase 2014 Buffalo Summer Research Projects
Nearly 100 student-scientists from across the country showcased their original biomedical research during the 2014 Buffalo Summer Research Day. The interdisciplinary research forum marked the culmination of diverse summer research projects that the undergraduate and graduate students conducted in Buffalo. They worked with mentors from the University at Buffalo and partner institutions to explore cancer,… Read More
Elvis Camacho’s Unusual Path to Medical School
Now in the Ivy League, Elvis Camacho’17 couldn’t be much farther from the slums of Puerto Rico, where he was born. “It’s surreal at times,” he said. “When you first get that acceptance letter, you think it must be a mistake.” Being from a world in which “little is expected of you and college is… Read More
Pipeline Program Offers Opportunities for Academic Excellence
Three years ago, when Kathy Persaud got accepted to the Einstein Enrichment Program (EEP), she had no idea that it would become a turning point in her life. This fall, Ms. Persaud, along with fellow EEP student, Julio Henriquez, will attend Columbia University on a Higher Education Opportunity Program scholarship—an award that helps educationally and… Read More