4.20
Michele W. Berger
Senior Science News Officer
mwberger@upenn.edu
Medicine
Gene therapy shows promise in initial trial for patients with childhood blindness
Penn Medicine researchers delivered working copies of the gene GUCY2D to the eyes of patients with severe vision impairments.
Study suggests those who had COVID-19 may only need one vaccine dose
Study suggests those who had COVID-19 may only need one vaccine dose
People who have recovered from COVID-19 had a robust antibody response after the first mRNA vaccine dose, therefore only a single dose may be needed to produce a sufficient antibody response, according to new research from the Penn Institute of Immunology.
Medication access for opioid use disorder lower among those in criminal justice system
Medication access for opioid use disorder lower among those in criminal justice system
Penn Medicine research finds Medicaid expansion helps increase access to medications for opioid use disorder, but limitations exist to broadening access.
Penn Medicine awarded nearly $7 million to study influenza viruses
Penn Medicine awarded nearly $7 million to study influenza viruses
Penn Medicine is one of five institutions in the U.S. chosen by the National Institutes of Health as a Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Response to improve pandemic preparedness.
Immune-stimulating drug before surgery shows promise in early-stage pancreatic cancer
Immune-stimulating drug before surgery shows promise in early-stage pancreatic cancer
Giving early-stage pancreatic cancer patients a CD40 immune-stimulating drug helped jumpstart a T cell attack to the notoriously stubborn tumor microenvironment before surgery and other treatments.
Racial bias in mortality prediction scores
Racial bias in mortality prediction scores
In mass casualty situations like the COVID-19 pandemic, mortality prediction models alone could divert scarce critical care resources away from Black patients.
Helping salons safely reopen in West Philadelphia
Helping salons safely reopen in West Philadelphia
A Penn Medicine program called SHARP, or Safe Haircuts As We Reopen Philadelphia, helped refine plans for hair salons and barbershops to safely reopen.
An approach to COVID-19 vaccination equity for Black neighborhoods
An approach to COVID-19 vaccination equity for Black neighborhoods
A new paper centers racial equity and address the structural barriers that have prevented Black and other underrepresented minority communities from being vaccinated against COVID-19 at equitable rates.
In Peru, a race to vaccinate dogs as two epidemics collide
In Peru, a race to vaccinate dogs as two epidemics collide
A team of workers in Peru, led by Penn Medicine’s Ricardo Castillo-Neyra, led a two-month rabies vaccination campaign.
How young athletes can safely return to sports after COVID-19
How young athletes can safely return to sports after COVID-19
Sports medicine experts at Penn worked with school districts to develop a protocol for student athletes to safely return to competitive sports, and the strenuous exercise levels associated with those activities.
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In the News
U.S. News & World Report
Some blood pressure meds raise heart risks in people with HIV
Jordana Cohen of the Perelman School of Medicine co-authored a study that found beta-blocker blood pressure drugs may increase the risk of heart problems in people with HIV. “Ideally, a patient’s primary care and infectious disease team should work together for the best possible outcomes,” she said.
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The New York Times
Your ‘maskne’ might not be acne at all
Carrie Kovarik of the Perelman School of Medicine said some people are mistaking perioral dermatitis caused by the humid space behind a face mask for acne. “Depending on what kind of mask you’re wearing, you could really have a lot of moisture sitting there on your face,” she said.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Penn Medicine and PHMC take over at Mercy hospital in West Philly
The University of Pennsylvania Health System is now running the emergency department at the former Mercy Hospital in West Philadelphia.
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Wired
Even mild brain injuries raise the risk of dementia
Andrea Schneider of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about her new study, which found that head injuries, including mild ones, are linked to an increased risk of dementia, particularly among women and white people. “There’s a great deal more work that is needed to be done to look at reasons why we may have observed these differences,” she said.
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Newsweek
7 women scientists who defied the odds and changed science forever
Ashley Wallace of the School of Engineering and Applied Science spoke about Kizzmekia Corbett, a viral immunologist who co-developed Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. "The pandemic exposed layers of racial disparities in medical treatment and clinical research, resulting in conversations surrounding the effects of how COVID-19 disproportionately infects and kills people of color," said Wallace. "Dr. Corbett is not only advancing science but she is also using her voice and platform to contribute to these conversations."
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USA Today
A universal flu vaccine? Study suggests protection against multiple strains, perhaps for years, may be possible
Drew Weissman of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about developing a universal flu vaccine. “Maybe it's a vaccine we start giving our kids so we prevent influenza in the future,” he said. “In the meantime, we'll test it in adults and see if adults who have seen influenza many times make a protective immune response.”
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