Through
11/26
Perelman School of Medicine
Penn Bioethicists Call for End to "Pay-to-Play" Clinical Research
Charging people to participate in research studies is likely to undermine the fundamental ethical basis of clinical research, according to a new paper written by bioethicists, including lead author Ezekiel Emanuel, MD, PhD, chair of the department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy at the Perelman School of Medicine
Penn Study Questions Presence in Blood of Heart-Healthy Molecules from Fish Oil Supplements
The importance of a diet rich in fish oils – now a billion dollar food-supplement industry -- has been debated for over half a century. A few large clinical trials have supported the idea that fish oils confer therapeutic benefits to patients with cardiovascular disease. Researchers think that hearts and blood vessels may benefit in part from their anti-inflammatory properties.
Penn Medicine: Cell Aging Slowed by Putting Brakes on Noisy Transcription
Working with yeast and worms, researchers found that incorrect gene expression is a hallmark of aged cells and that reducing such “noise” extends lifespan in these organisms. The team published their findings this month in Genes & Development.
Sleepy Fruitflies Get Mellow: Sleep Deprivation Reduces Aggression, Mating Behavior in Flies, Penn Study Finds
Whether you're a human, a mouse, or even a fruitfly, losing sleep is a bad thing, leading to physiological effects and behavioral changes. One example that has been studied for many years is a link between sleep loss and aggression. But it can be difficult to distinguish sleep loss effects from stress responses, especially in rodent or human models.
Penn Scientists Find That Flow Means "Go" for Proper Lymph System Development
The lymphatic system provides a slow flow of fluid from our organs and tissues into the bloodstream. It returns fluid and proteins that leak from blood vessels, provides passage for immune and inflammatory cells from the tissues to the blood, and hosts key niches for immune cells. How this system develops hasn’t been well understood, but now researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have found from experiments in mice that the early flow of lymph fluid is a critical factor in the development of mature lymphatic vessels.
Penn Study Finds Link between Physician Training and Brand Name Prescribing
Physicians in training are twice as likely to order a costly brand-name statin (used to lower blood cholesterol levels) when supervised by senior physicians who prefer those medications in their own practice, according to a new study led by researchers at the
Hydraulic Fracturing Linked to Increases in Hospitalization Rates in the Marcellus Shale Region, According to Penn Study
Hospitalizations for heart conditions, neurological illness, and other conditions were higher among people who live near unconventional gas and oil drilling (hydraulic fracturing), according to new research from the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University published this week in PLOS ONE.
Vision-Restoring Gene Therapy Also Strengthens Visual Processing Pathways in Brain, According to Penn Study
Since 2007, clinical trials using gene therapy have resulted in often-dramatic sight restoration for dozens of children and adults who were otherwise doomed to blindness. Now, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), have found evidence that this sight restoration leads to strengthening of visual pathways in the brain, published this week in Science Translational Medicine.
Fruitfly Sperm Cells Reveal Intricate Coordination in Stem Cell Replication, Penn Study Finds
Stem cells are key for the continual renewal of tissues in our bodies. As such, manipulating stem cells also holds much promise for biomedicine if their regenerative capacity can be harnessed. However, understanding how stem cells govern normal tissue renewal is a field still in its infancy.
Elective Surgery Is Associated with Lower Risk of Death than Drugs for Ulcerative Colitis Treatment, Penn Study Finds
Patients over 50 with ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic disease of the colon, who undergo surgery to treat their condition live longer than those who are treated with medications, according to a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
In the News
CNN
Vaping immediately affects vascular health and oxygen levels, study shows, even without nicotine
Research published by Marianne Nabbout while a resident at the Perelman School of Medicine finds that vaping has an immediate effect on blood vessels even if an e-cigarette doesn’t contain nicotine.
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Fox 29 (Philadelphia)
Former patient gives thanks to PA hospital staff after surviving coma, COVID-19 battle
A former COVID patient who spent six months in a coma returned to thank the Penn Medicine team that contributed to his survival, including Megan Carr-Lettieri.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Is there a chemical link to memory loss? Penn researchers get $11M to study dementia causes
The National Institutes of Health have awarded $11 million to Aimin Chen of the Perelman School of Medicine to study the link between chemical exposures and dementia.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
COVID patient who survived coma reunites with Penn care team
A COVID patient who survived his coma recently reunited with the Penn Medicine care team that helped save his life, including Jennifer Olenik of the Perelman School of Medicine.
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Forbes
Insomnia may be more common than you think. Here’s what to know
According to Penn Medicine, about 1 in 4 Americans experiences difficulty with sleep each year.
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