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Discover CALS

See how our current work and research is bringing new thinking and new solutions to some of today's biggest challenges.

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Pioneering Life Science Breakthroughs

Moonshot thinking

From biomolecules, genes, and evolution to human behavior, development and communication, species composition, biodiversity conservation and the biosphere.

To thrive in this solutions century, we must decode the complex, interlocking systems that underpin life. We’ll investigate the fundamentals of molecular and cellular biology that sustain human, animal and plant health and examine the dynamics of our interdependent ecosystems—with an eye on unlocking new technologies and approaches to solve global problems.

Research Spotlight

Marcus Smolka

Marcus uncovered a novel pathway that explains how cancer cells become resistant to chemotherapies, which in turn offers a potential solution for preventing chemo-resistance.

Learn more about Marcus Smolka and his work.

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Opportunities to support

Faculty, program support & research

CALS globally recognized faculty are the cornerstone of our reputation as a premier institution of scientific learning. Support CALS faculty and graduate students working on a multitude of issues around life science breakthroughs.

Student support & affordability

Scholarships enable Cornell to recruit and enroll the most promising scholars and garner a diverse student population. CALS supports students to ensure their success through programs such as peer mentoring, E3, CALS navigator, and experiential learning opportunities.

Flexible impact

Establishing a named Moonshot fund or supporting the established Pioneering Life Science Breakthroughs Moonshot Fund offers CALS leadership the greatest flexibility to take advantage of innovative and emerging opportunities, and will be used to bolster CALS' strengths in support of initiatives focused on pioneering life science breakthroughs.

Show your support

Make your gift to a moonshot
Graduate students study in the Department of Communication
Graduate students Byungdoo Kim and Swati Pandita study in the Department of Communication. Credit: Justin James Muir

The impact of giving

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News

Rubber tree agroforestry supports birds, biodiversity in the Colombian Amazon

A doctoral candidate and Semlitz Sustainability Fellow and his Colombian partners seek to protect birds and biodiversity in the Amazon via sustainable rubber tree agroforestry.

  • Cornell Atkinson
  • Ashley School of Global Development and the Environment
  • Natural Resources and the Environment Section
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News

There may be 3 times as many insect species than previously thought

A new estimate of insect species globally finds that there may be 8 to 14 million more species than people thought, with few of them discovered.

  • Entomology
  • Biodiversity