Katherine Unger Baillie

In some of Penn’s dining halls, the food is all-you-can-eat. It’s almost too easy for diners to have eyes bigger than their stomachs, piling on any dish that looks appealing, then tossing the leftovers away at the end of their meal.

At Penn, crossing disciplines is a celebrated endeavor. Indeed, President Amy Gutmann’s Penn Compact 2020 underscores the importance of integrating knowledge as a means toward achieving innovation and discovery.

Sleep is a critical period for memory consolidation, and most people don’t get enough. Research has shown that even brief periods of sleep deprivation can lead to deficits in memory formation.

George Hajishengallis, a professor of microbiology in the School of Dental Medicine, spends most of his professional energy on research that concerns the mouth; specifically, he studies a severe form of gum disease called periodontitis.

In multiple sclerosis, the immune system goes rogue, improperly attacking the body’s own central nervous system. Mobility problems and cognitive impairments may arise as the nerve cells become damaged.

In 1793, people walking around what is now known as Old City in downtown Philadelphia may have been subject to an unpleasant odor permeating the air. A shipment of coffee beans had been dumped on Water Street between Arch and Race streets, along the Delaware River, and left to rot.

In 1793, people walking around what is now known as Old City in downtown Philadelphia may have been subject to an unpleasant odor permeating the air. A shipment of coffee beans had been dumped on Water Street between Arch and Race streets, along the Delaware River, and left to rot.

As scientists probe the molecular underpinnings of why some people are prone to obesity and some to leanness, they are discovering that weight maintenance is more complicated than the old “calories in, calories out” adage.

WHO: James SerpellDirector, Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society, andMarie A. Moore Professor of Ethics & Animal Welfare

Many factors, both genetic and environmental, have been blamed for increasing the risk of a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Some, such as a family history of schizophrenia, are widely accepted. Others, such as infection with Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite transmitted by soil, undercooked meat and cat feces, are still viewed with skepticism.