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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.

Two researchers work in a lab: one holds equipment, while the other observes. A red banner on the right reads: To do the greatest good: A campaign for Cornell University."

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

gene editing

News

New technique holds promise for improved gene editing

A new engineered gene editing system addresses some of the limitations of current gene editing tools with the hope of improving their use for research, for better crops or to treat diseases.

  • Microbiology
a man holds a vial of liquid and talks with another man in a white lab coat in a barn

News

Solving the mystery of the cow microbiome
Cows depend on microbes to live. Thousands of different species inhabit the rumen, the largest section of a cow’s four-section stomach. They ferment the grass that cow eats and extract nutrients, providing metabolites essential for the cow to...
  • PRO-DAIRY
  • Animal Science
  • Microbial biology