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Medicine
To increase acceptance of an RSV vaccine, explain the FDA’s vaccine approval process
A new report by Penn’s Annenberg Public Policy Center shows a need for more public visibility of the FDA’s rigorous review process to sway public opinion about the safety of vaccines and maternal health during pregnancy.
How machine learning could aid compatibility in kidney transplantation
Through the PURM internship program, undergraduate students are further researching an algorithm developed to group kidney donor-recipient pairs into low-risk and high-risk groups for graft survival.
To reduce medical errors, connect doctors with other doctors
A new study from Annenberg’s Damon Centola uncovers how information-sharing networks can improve medical care.
‘In vivo’ RNA-based gene editing model for blood disorders developed
Researchers from Penn Medicine and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia show that gene editing tools can be delivered via lipid nanoparticles, which would reduce cost and increase access to cutting-edge gene therapies.
Could psychedelics simultaneously treat chronic pain and depression?
This summer, Ahmad Hammo, a rising third-year student in the School of Engineering and Applied Science, is conducting a pilot study to explore psilocybin’s potential as a therapy for chronic pain and the depression that often accompanies it.
Behavioral economics strategies can help patients quit smoking after a cancer diagnosis
Researchers from Penn Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia find ‘nudges’ from electronic health records could improve the implementation of tobacco use treatment.
Deeply Rooted Collaborative awards more than $59K in ‘Community Green Grants’
The joint initiative from Penn Medicine and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has awarded 21 grants to fund initiatives to fight food insecurity, community garden cleanup, education programming, and more.
AI-guided brain stimulation aids memory in traumatic brain injury
A collaborative study shows that targeted electrical stimulation in the brains of epilepsy patients with traumatic brain injury improved memory recall by 19%.
Katalin Susztak hunts for a cure for kidney disease
Throughout her career, the professor of internal medicine, nephrology, and genetics has had a profound impact on the way kidney disease is identified, prevented, and managed.
Antibody treatment prevents graft versus host disease in advanced preclinical tests
Penn Medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Boston Children’s Hospital research finds single antibody treatment blocked donor T-cell attack and increased survival rates in preclinical models.
In the News
Sugar-coated gold nanoparticles could replace some antibiotics
According to a Penn Medicine study, a new therapy involving laser light and sugar-coated gold nanoparticles can reduce tooth decay and infected wounds without needing antibiotics.
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Alzheimer’s may be caused by a build-up of fat in brain cells
A study by Michael Haney of the Perelman School of Medicine suggests that the root cause of Alzheimer’s is a build-up of fat droplets in brain cells.
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Philadelphia hospital program adds psychologists to bridge mental health services for trauma survivors
A new psychology team at the Penn Trauma Violence Recovery Program has provided about 46 survivors with short- and long- term therapy, featuring remarks from Elinore Kaufman and Lily Brown of the Perelman School of Medicine.
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Social factors may ‘disproportionately’ affect transplant process
A 2023 study led by researchers at Penn found that 44% of patients evaluated for liver transplants were not placed on organ wait lists, with nearly 17% rejected because of psychosocial or financial reasons. Marina Serper and Tamara Cozzi of Penn Medicine discuss the evaluation process for transplants.
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Dal study of football players sheds light on how concussions affect the brain
A collaborative study by Penn found that 60% of cases with blood-brain-barrier dysfunction had healed three months later.
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Best CPAP alternatives
Richard Schwab of the Perelman School of Medicine says that obstructive sleep apnea causes breathing to pause during sleep when something like the tongue or relaxed throat muscles blocks the airway.
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