• David Boettiger is emeritus professor of microbiology in the Perelman School of Medicine. He was cited for distinguished contributions to tumor virology and to integrin-mediated cell adhesion, particularly for the identification of adhesion signaling and its regulation by mechanical forces.
• Nancy Bonini, professor of biology in the School of Arts and Sciences and an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, was selected for distinguished contributions in the fields of basic and translational neuroscience, particularly as applied to understanding neurodegenerative disorders.
• Nigel Fraser, professor of microbiology in Perelman, was selected as a Fellow for outstanding discoveries about the mechanisms of herpes virus biology, particularly in the area of herpes simplex virus latency and reactivation.
• David Weiner, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine in Perelman, was cited for pioneering and enabling discoveries in the area of DNA vaccines and promoting this nascent field of research.
This year 539 members have been awarded this honor by AAAS because of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. New Fellows will be honored on Feb. 18 at the AAAS Fellows Forum during the 2012 AAAS Annual Meeting in Vancouver, B.C.
Novel plant-based approach to a better, cheaper GLP-1 delivery system
Research led by Penn Dental’s Henry Daniell investigates the use of a lettuce-based, plant-encapsulated delivery platform as a new oral delivery of two GLP-1 drugs previously approved by the FDA in injectable form.
No brain, no gain: Neuronal activity enhances benefits of exercise
Research led by Penn neuroscientist J. Nicholas Betley and collaborators finds that hypothalamic neurons are essential for translating physical exertion into endurance, potentially opening the door to exercise-mimicking therapies.
In honor of Valentine's Day, and as a way of fostering community in her Shakespeare in Love course, Becky Friedman took her students to the University Club for lunch one class period. They talked about the movie "Shakespeare in Love," as part of a broader conversation on how Shakespeare's works are adapted.
In Becky Friedman’s English course Shakespeare in Love, undergraduate students analyze language, genre, and adaptation in the Bard’s plays through the lens of love.
Beating the heat: Designing cooling for bodies in motion
Dorit Aviv, director of Weitzman’s Thermal Architecture Lab, studies how humans, technology, and design intersect, paving the way for the development of novel approaches to cooling people efficiently.
