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Perelman School of Medicine
CAR T cell therapy leads to lasting remissions
In an update to a global clinical trial stretching from Philadelphia to four continents, the chimeric antigen receptor CAR T cell therapy Kymriah® led to long-lasting remissions in patients with non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
Penn Medicine surgeons perform world’s first robotic breast reconstruction
A team of surgeons from the Perelman School of Medicine are the first in the world to use a surgical robot to assist with a bilateral free flap breast reconstruction, allowing for a minimally invasive procedure that enhances recovery and eliminates narcotics.
Workplace pumping made easier
Listening to employee feedback, Penn Medicine added hospital-grade pumps and doubled its lactation spaces, taking strides to help women meet their breastfeeding goals.
Why we have hair here, but not there
A new study answers a fundamental question in human evolution about how and where hair grows on the body, and reveals the existence of a naturally-occurring inhibitor to hair growth.
Treating spinal pain with ‘engineered living tissue’ moves closer to reality
A multidisciplinary team at Penn successfully demonstrated the feasibility of an innovative new disc replacement made of living material.
World AIDS Day: What’s happening with the epidemic today
Professor of Medicine and Associate Chief of the Infectious Diseases Division Ian Frank explains progress made and challenges still faced in the world of HIV/AIDS research, prevention, and treatment.
FDA approves new targeted drug for leukemia
The drug is the first to target common mutations associated with relapse and short survival in acute myeloid leukemia.
A link between anti-malaria drugs and cancer treatments, explained
The Abramson Cancer Center study is the first to identify what drugs known as chloroquines are targeting when used for cancer treatment.
Modeling the most common form of vision loss in older adults
Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in people older than 50. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia and colleagues have developed a model system that mimics many features of the human condition, giving scientists a platform to gain a deeper understanding of risk factors and possible treatments.
The Power of Penn in London
In London, President Amy Gutmann presented the vision for the University’s $4.1 billion campaign, The Power of Penn.
In the News
Science
What now for human genome editing?
The Perelman School of Medicine’s James Wilson discussed possible venues for the scientific oversight of controversial research. The FDA could be a good option, he suggested, but the organization would have to change its confidentiality restrictions to supervise effectively.
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Reader’s Digest
The 10 most common types of cancer in the United States
Thomas Karasic of the Perelman School of Medicine weighed in on treatments for liver and pancreatic cancers.
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Today
Died of a broken heart? The science behind close couple deaths
David Casarett of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about the phenomenon of spouses dying shortly after one another. Casarett said social and cultural factors may play a role, as in cases when “the surviving spouses stop taking care of themselves. Sometimes they become depressed.”
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Black and Hispanic Americans have a harder time quitting cigarettes. Will this Penn study find a way to help?
Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine, led by Scott Halpern, are exploring better ways to support smoking cessation in black and Latino populations. “We’re confident that if we succeed in producing this evidence, health systems and payers will respond,” Halpern said.
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Smithsonian Magazine
What’s new, and what’s not, in the reported birth of the CRISPR babies
The Perelman School of Medicine’s Kiran Musunuru said that the birth of gene-edited babies does not constitute a scientific advancement because “there was nothing preventing previous researchers who edited human embryos from doing the same, except their own ethics and morals.”
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