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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374 News Items found
In the Clinic
Illustration of intestinal tract with magnifying glass held over it revealing various microbes.
Intestinal Bacteria May Affect Risk of Cancer Returning after Bone Marrow Transplantation

Learn how a patient’s intestinal bacteria may influence the risk of cancers such as leukemia or lymphoma returning after bone marrow transplantation.
In the Lab
Wearable device on woman’s arm with labels indicating beams going into nanotubes and coming back out for analysis.
Detective Work: How Implantable Nanosensors Could Monitor Cancer Activity

Learn how tiny sensors made of nanotubes could serve as implantable devices that offer a noninvasive way to monitor cancer and its treatments.
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Molecular biologist John Petrini of the Sloan Kettering Institute.
Understanding the DNA-Damage “First Responders”: John Petrini at Work

Scientists know that cancer can result from mistakes in DNA repair. But understanding what controls the repair process itself has been a hard nut to crack.
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Andrea Cercek, a medical oncologist in MSK’s Gastrointestinal Service, speaking to a patient.
MSK Expert Weighs In on New Study Showing Rising Rates of Colorectal Cancer in Young People

Learn more from Andrea Cercek about a new study showing that colorectal cancer rates are increasing in younger people.
In the Lab
CAR T cells attacking cancer
CRISPR Genome-Editing Tool Takes Cancer Immunotherapy to the Next Level

What do you get when you combine two of the hottest areas of biotechnology? A new paper from MSK researchers explains.
In the Lab
Histology images of stem cells and AML cells
Step by Step: Stem Cell Approach Provides New Models for Studying How Acute Myeloid Leukemia Progresses

A new laboratory tool will allow researchers to study the progression from normal cells to myelodysplastic syndromes to an aggressive type of leukemia.
In the Lab
Pancreatic beta cells
Connecting the Dots: Stem Cells Provide Valuable Tool for Linking Genes and Disease

Researchers are using pluripotent stem cells to create models of diabetes and pancreatic cancer.
In the Lab
Lymphedema can produce uncomfortable swelling in the arms or legs in the months and years following cancer treatment.
Could a Topical Cream Prevent Lymphedema? Study in Mice Suggests Yes

By blocking a source of inflammation in the skin, it may be possible to prevent or treat lymphedema, a common and debilitating cancer complication.
In the Lab
Pathology slide showing DCIS and invasive cancer
Forensic Techniques Enable Study of Individual Breast Cancer Cells from MSK’s Archives

Analysis of long-preserved single cells on pathology slides aims to provide new clues about the genes that make breast cancer more aggressive.
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Barry Taylor
With MSK Leading the Way, Precision Medicine Links Lab Research to Patient Care

Therapies that target genetic alterations in tumors are showing promise for many cancer patients, but challenges in developing these new treatments remain.