Weill Cornell Medicine

A multinational team led by Weill Cornell Medicine has developed a test to measure the persistence of HIV in viral strains found in Africa. This is a significant step forward in the search for an HIV cure that will benefit patients worldwide. "HIV cure research tends to focus on viral strains circulating in developed countries, but to achieve a cure that is globally applicable, we must study viral strains that are affecting other regions of the world," said Weill Cornell Medicine's Dr. Guinevere Lee. The study addresses a major gap in HIV research by focusing on strains in Africa, where women are disproportionately affected. The findings show that HIV strains circulating in Africa establish viral reservoirs in the human body. Although antiretroviral therapy can reduce the level of HIV in the blood to an undetectable level, these dormant reservoirs continue to survive. Researchers from Simon Fraser University, Canada; BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Canada; Rakai Health Sciences Program (RHSP), Uganda; University of Cape Town, South Africa; and The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine also contributed to this study. Read the full study: https://bit.ly/3VPW5Yp

Pioneering the use of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging as a tool for studying estrogen activity in the brain, researchers have uncovered new evidence on the brain's response to menopause. The team led by Dr. Lisa Mosconi of Weill Cornell Medicine has found that the transition to menopause is marked by progressively greater density of estrogen receptors (ER) on brain cells and remains elevated in women up to their mid-sixties. Until now, researchers haven't been able to track estrogen activity in the brain. https://bit.ly/3xqJumv

Today we became aware of a recent antisemitic incident on the NYC subway. We condemn antisemitism in the strongest possible terms. Hate speech or actions of any kind, whether antisemitic or Islamophobic, are not tolerated by our community. Any such incidents are against our core values and university policies. We are fully cooperating with the NYPD investigation as well as conducting our own internal review. If any employee is confirmed to be involved in this incident, appropriate action will be taken. We are actively engaging with both our Jewish and Muslim communities to provide support during this difficult time.

Long before Juneteenth became a nationally recognized holiday, it held a special significance for Fanesse George and her family. When she was a child, Fanesse remembers eating fresh fruit and watching steel drummers perform on the street in Harlem. "There was this extra energy," recalls Fanesse, director of the Office of Staff Diversity, Inclusion and Employee Engagement at Weill Cornell Medicine, who grew up in the Bronx and attended church in Harlem. "After church, there was this vibrant scene that happened every June." Since 2020, following Fanesse's contributions to educating our community on the significance of Juneteenth, Weill Cornell Medicine has formally recognized it as a holiday. "It's a sense of pride and an honor for me to be part of an effort that brings Juneteenth to life for people at Weill Cornell Medicine," she says. Fanesse began her journey here in 2018 as a human resources onboarding coordinator and eventually moved into newly created DEI roles. When George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police officers in 2020, she organized a virtual town hall for our community to talk about how the horrific event affected them. "I was overwhelmed by the reception to it," she recalls. "People were crying. I will never forget that as we signed off (the Zoom), someone started singing, 'We Shall Overcome," and other people unmuted and started singing with her. We needed that community space." That pivotal moment led Fanesse to bring dozens of diversity, equity, and inclusion workshops to departments across the institution. "DEI is meant to support everyone in the workplace," she says. "To make sure everybody has a positive experience, regardless of their identity, not because of their identity." For Fanesse, Juneteenth is an opportunity to share experiences, learn from one another and build a better future for all. This month, Fanesse and her team took that message to the communities we serve and attended the Juneteenth Freedom Fest in Harlem, where she once walked as a child in awe of the festivities every June. "Juneteenth is about remembering the past and a reminder that even though we've made a lot of strides, the work continues."

We marked the start of Juneteenth festivities at Freedom Fest in Harlem last weekend! In addition to enjoying the music, crowds and food, our teams offered free resume reviews and showed Weill Cornell Medicine's unwavering commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and improving health in the communities we serve. ❤️ 🧡 💛

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Mohammad Arifuzzaman, who has been awarded a 2024 Tri-Institutional Breakout Award for Junior Investigators. “I’m honored by this recognition of my research and thankful for the recommendation and support from my supervisor and mentor, Dr. David Artis,” said Dr. Arifuzzaman of Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Arifuzzaman’s research focuses on how nutrition and gut microbiota affect immunity. Weill Cornell Medicine, The Rockefeller University and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center present the awards annually, recognizing exceptional investigators for their remarkable research achievements, impactful findings and high potential for success as independent investigators. The winners, at least one from each institution, receive a $25,000 unrestricted prize. https://bit.ly/4ckdxuP

Today we celebrate the fathers and father figures who lead as caregivers, mentors and role models. We are inspired by their dedication and encouragement, and we thank them for all they do!

An artificial intelligence-powered method for detecting tumor DNA in blood has shown unprecedented sensitivity in predicting cancer recurrence, according to a new study. The new technology can potentially improve cancer care by detecting cancer recurrence very early and improving the monitoring of tumor response to therapy. In the study, a team led by Dr. Dan Landau of Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital showed that they could train a machine learning model, a type of artificial intelligence platform, to detect circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) based on DNA sequencing data from patient blood tests, with very high sensitivity and accuracy. The team, which included researchers from the New York Genome Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, made successful demonstrations of the technology when tested with data from patients with lung cancer, melanoma, breast cancer, colorectal cancer and precancerous colorectal polyps. https://bit.ly/45pXCJ3

The discovery of an unexpected connection between two major immune pathways that control health, immunity and inflammation may explain how inflammatory bowel disease initiates. The immune system has many pathways to protect the body from infection, but sometimes an overactive immune response results in autoimmune diseases including IBD, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Interleukin-23 (IL-23) is one such immune factor that fights infections but is also implicated in many of these inflammatory diseases. However, it was unknown how IL-23 goes from being beneficial to a driver of chronic disease. A team led by Gregory Sonnenberg and Dr. Anees Ahmed of Weill Cornell Medicine found that IL-23 acts on group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s), a family of immune cells that are a first line of defense in mucosal tissues such as the intestines and lungs. In response, ILC3s increase activity of CTLA-4, a key regulatory factor that prevents the immune system from attacking the body and beneficial gut microbiota. The study suggests that this interaction balances the pro-inflammatory effects IL-23 to maintain gut health but is impaired in IBD. It also provides clues on how to harness this pathway to fight cancer and alleviate a serious side effect of cancer immunotherapy. https://bit.ly/3xrW5FQ

What's the secret to a successful and lasting partnership between scientists? For almost 30 years, biochemists Dr. Jochen Buck and Dr. Lonny Levin have relied on a potent formula of respect, trust, honesty – and humor. "He kind of knows what he is doing a little bit," jokes Dr. Levin. "Sometimes people are astonished at how harsh we are with each other and then a minute later we are laughing," says Dr. Buck. Dr. Levin's respect for Dr. Buck's expertise prompted him to seek his help unraveling the mysteries of an important cellular signaling protein called soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC). In response to certain stimuli, this protein produces a molecule that activates other proteins and plays a role in regulating functions in the body, such as eye pressure and sperm activity. "I wasn't good at protein work, and Jochen was," says Dr. Levin. He brought data notebooks to Dr. Buck and asked to isolate sAC, a challenge that had eluded biochemists. After two years, they merged labs to focus on studying sAC. Today, the team is immersed in a project to develop a first-of-its-kind male contraceptive, a pill that a man could potentially take 30 minutes before sex to prevent pregnancy. Preclinical studies have shown that sAC can be inactivated with a drug. As a result, preclinical models produce sperm that cannot propel themselves forward or fertilize an egg. Their study, published in 2023, sparked global media and social media attention. "That was unique in my career," Dr. Levin recalls. This year, they were selected for the #STATMadness competition and won the STAT Breakthrough East Summit competition. Despite the growing buzz, they remain methodical and persistent in developing a compound suitable for clinical trials. "We have the best people in the field now involved in this project, and we have to do it right," says Dr. Buck. Still, they welcome people's sudden curiosity about their work. A seat next to Dr. Levin is now coveted at family gatherings. "A relative said, 'Put me next to Lonny at the wedding. I have questions,'" he says. "It was flattering and surprising that people asked to sit next to the science nerd."