Biology

Genomics reveals a complex human history in Africa

An international team of researchers led by Penn geneticists sequenced the genomes of 180 indigenous Africans. The results shed light on the origin of modern humans, African population history, and local adaptation.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Rewiring blood cells to give rise to precursors of sperm

School of Veterinary Medicine researchers teamed with scientists at the University of Texas at San Antonio to transform blood cells to regain a flexible fate, growing into a precursor of sperm cells.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Harnessing an innate protection against Ebola

School of Veterinary Medicine researchers have identified a cellular pathway that keeps Ebola virus from exiting human cells, with implications for developing new antivirals.

Katherine Unger Baillie

How species partnerships evolve

Biologists from the School of Arts & Sciences explored how symbiotic relationships between species evolve to become specific or general, cooperative, or antagonistic.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Eight Penn professors elected 2022 AAAS Fellows

Researchers from the School of Arts & Sciences, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Perelman School of Medicine, and School of Veterinary Medicine join a class of scientists, engineers, and innovators spanning 24 scientific disciplines.

Michele W. Berger



In the News


Good Housekeeping

When is the best time to take L-theanine—morning or night?

According to Colleen Tewksbury of the School of Nursing, research suggests that L-theanine may help support stress management, sleep, and potentially weight management.

FULL STORY →



Stat

Is the flu shot market a slam dunk for mRNA vaccines? Experts aren’t so sure

Scott Hensley of the Perelman School of Medicine is working on a flu vaccine to provide protection against 20 subtypes of flu that may pose a pandemic threat in the future.

FULL STORY →



NPR

Thanks, Neanderthals: How our ancient relatives could help find new antibiotics

A study by César de la Fuente of the Perelman School of Medicine and colleagues used AI to recreate molecules from ancient humans that could be potential candidates for antimicrobial treatments.

FULL STORY →



NPR

Long COVID brain fog may originate in a surprising place, say scientists

A study by Christoph Thaiss and Maayan Levy of the Perelman School of Medicine and colleagues finds that long COVID’s neurological symptoms, like brain fog, memory loss, and fatigue, may stem from serotonin reduction.

FULL STORY →



Time

Long COVID research is in its ‘most hopeful’ phase yet

A study by Christoph Thaiss and Maayan Levy of the Perelman School of Medicine and colleagues suggests that serotonin could be a target for long COVID treatment.

FULL STORY →



ScienceAlert

A crucial pattern behind long COVID may have been identified

A study by Christoph Thaiss and Maayan Levy of the Perelman School of Medicine and colleagues suggests that several current hypotheses for the pathophysiology of long COVID are linked by a single pathway that is connected by serotonin reduction.

FULL STORY →