Penn researchers Shelley Berger and Esra Sahingur explain senescence, the process of cellular aging, and discuss the complexities of developing anti-aging therapies that target these cells.
Sniffing out cancer: Trained dogs can detect hemangiosarcoma by scent
Penn Vet’s Cynthia M. Otto and Clara Wilson and colleagues show that trained dogs can identify the odor of hemangiosarcoma, a devastating canine cancer, offering the hope of a better screening tool and more effective treatments.
The Polyhedral Structures Laboratory is housed at the Pennovation Center and brings together designers, engineers, and computer scientists to reimagine the built world. Using graphic statics, a method where forces are mapped as lines, they design forms that balance compression and tension. These result in structures that use far fewer materials while remaining strong and efficient.
(Image: Eric Sucar)
20 breakthroughs of 2025
From ancient tombs and tiny robots to personalized gene editing and AI weather models, Penn’s 2025 research portfolio showed how curiosity—paired with collaboration—moves knowledge into impact and stretches across disciplines and continents.
Jennifer J. Prah of the School of Social Policy & Practice discusses recommended reforms to address abuse that continues after women leave their abusive partners.
(Image: Eric Sucar (left) and Carson Easterly (right))
How might AI shape the future of work?
Computer scientist Konrad Kording and economist Ioana Marinescu have developed an interactive model that incorporates assumptions from both their fields to predict how AI will affect wages, jobs, and the overall economy.
Histopathology tissue sections of the normal colon (left) showing highly organized cell-cell junctions (red) and proliferative zones (green) in colonic crypts. In contrast, a colon adenocarcinoma (right) is highly disorganized, with inconsistent cell junctions that can ultimately contribute to metastatic dissemination.
(Image: Maggie Robertson)
Identifying genes that keep cancer from spreading
Using a novel approach, Penn Vet’s Chris Lengner and M. Andrés Blanco and colleagues have identified two genes that suppress colorectal cancer metastasis.
Image: mathisworks/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images
A road map to reduce firearm harms by 2040
Three Penn faculty members are among more than 40 experts to author a report addressing the persistent challenge of gun violence and proposing solutions stemming from a JAMA Summit convened last spring.
A collaborative team led by Theodore D. Satterthwaite, Golia Shafiei, and Michael P. Milham has developed a large-scale, open data resource for mapping brain development and its associations with mental health.
(Image: fmajor via Getty Images)
Mapping the links between brain development and mental health
A new large-scale, open data resource from the Perelman School of Medicine and collaborators helps researchers link brain development with mental health disorders.
