Recent MSK Discoveries & Advances

Memorial Sloan Kettering researchers are relentlessly exploring every aspect of cancer — from basic investigations of cells and molecules to clinical trials of new treatments and population-wide studies of the disease. While our core mission is to translate this knowledge into new strategies to control cancer, many of our investigators are also making scientific progress against other diseases and conditions.

Below are some examples of discoveries and advances that recently were made in our laboratories and clinics, and featured in our news stories.

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385 News Items found
An organoid of a developing brain
In the Lab
Stem Cell Research Identifies Potential Drugs for Treating Zika Infection

Researchers from MSK and Weill Cornell have found that two compounds appear to fight off infection with the Zika virus.
A scientist looks at illustrations of chromosomes.
In the Lab
When Loss Is a Gain: New Tumor Suppressor Gene Identified in Follicular Lymphoma

The reason certain patients with follicular lymphoma do worse than others may come down to a missing gene.
Images from three different mice showing the effects of antibiotics and microbiome replacement
In the Lab
Bacteria versus Bacteria: Two Studies Uncover Species of Microbes That Protect against Infections in People with Cancer

Research recently published by MSK scientists suggests that the best way to fight dangerous bacteria may be with other bacteria.
Developmental biologist Anna-Katerina (Kat) Hadjantonakis
Science Byte
It Takes Two: A Pair of Proteins Coordinate to Direct Development of Embryonic Cells

MSK researchers shed light on the signals that determine the fate of embryonic cells.
MSK medical oncologist Luis Diaz, Jr.
In the Clinic
The Science Behind the FDA’s Approval of an Immunotherapy for Mismatch Repair–Deficient Cancers

A new paper from MSK physician-scientist Luis Diaz presents the evidence on which the FDA approved the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab for cancers with a specific genetic abnormality.
Lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels with adjacent blood vessels
Finding
Definitive Study Shows That People with Melanoma Do Not Need Immediate Lymph Node Removal

The results of a large, international randomized trial herald a change in medical practice for the treatment of melanoma.
American Society of Clinical Oncology logo
In the News
#ASCO17: Post-Conference Roundup of Themes and Trends

Read up on the progress being made in several key areas of cancer research, including immunotherapy, targeted therapy, precision surgery, and epigenetics.
Head shot of doctor with glasses, white shirt, and blue tie in his lab.
In the Clinic
Drug Reduces Recurrence Risk in Subset of Women with Breast Cancer

A drug was shown to improve outcomes in women with HER2-positive early breast cancer when added to standard therapy.
Ethan Basch
In the Clinic
Online Symptom-Monitoring Tool Improves Survival for Those Undergoing Chemotherapy for Metastatic Cancer

A study presented at the 2017 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology showed that an online tool to monitor patients’ symptoms improved overall survival.
Medical oncologist Mark Robson
In the Clinic
Phase III Trial of Targeted Drug Shows Promise in Treating Metastatic Breast Cancer

Investigators found that olaparib extended progression-free survival by an average of three months in women with advanced breast cancer.