Cancer Research

Carl June on the boundless potential of CAR T cell therapy

In a Q & A, June, the Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy, and Daniel Baker, a fourth-year doctoral student in Penn’s Cell and Molecular Biology department, discuss how the treatment can extend to treating diseases beyond cancer.

From Penn Medicine News

QR code for cancer cells

Researchers from Penn Engineering have created a new synthetic biology approach to uncover why some cells become resistant to anti-cancer therapies.

From Penn Engineering Today

The path from innovation to implementation

Penn’s infrastructure in both supporting clinical research and forging commercial partnerships smooths the way from idea to approval.

Karen L. Brooks for Penn Medicine Magazine



In the News


CNN

There’s still no standard test to detect pancreatic cancer early. Scientists are working to change that

A 2020 study from the Perelman School of Medicine found that a blood test to screen for certain biomarkers associated with pancreatic cancer was 92% accurate in its ability to detect disease.

FULL STORY →



Associated Press

A new strategy to attack aggressive brain cancer shrank tumors in two early tests

A clinical trial led by Stephen Bagley of the Perelman School of Medicine suggests that targeting two associated proteins with CAR T cell therapy could be a viable strategy for shrinking brain tumors.

FULL STORY →



Philadelphia Inquirer

Penn’s BRCA cancer vaccine trial aims to prevent the disease in healthy people

A trial led by Susan Domchek of the Perelman School of Medicine could use a preventive vaccine to protect people with a BRCA gene mutation from cancer.

FULL STORY →



Philadelphia Inquirer

UPenn scientists among those developing vaccines that arm the immune system to fight cancer

Penn Medicine researchers like Nobel laureate Drew Weissman are leading efforts to develop a vaccine that prevents cancer, with remarks from Susan Domchek of the Basser Center for BRCA and Robert H. Vonderheide of the Abramson Cancer Center.

FULL STORY →



Psychology Today

AI detects cancers and immunotherapy biomarker

Daiwei Zhang and Mingyao Li of the Perelman School of Medicine and colleagues have developed an AI tool called iStar that can automatically spot tumors and types of cancer that are difficult for clinicians to see or identify and can predict candidates for immunotherapy.

FULL STORY →



Philadelphia Inquirer

Penn started giving cancer patients free rides to appointments. It helped reduce no-shows and increase clinical trial enrollment

The Abramson Cancer Center is attempting to address one of the most common challenges cancer patients face: lack of transportation to critically important appointments. Robert Vonderheide and Carmen Guerra of the Perelman School of Medicine are quoted on the Ride Health initiative.

FULL STORY →