Perelman School of Medicine

Penn Study: Preventing Chronic Diseases in People Living With HIV/AIDS

A new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine shows that interventions to promote healthy behaviors, including eating more fruits and vegetables, increasing physical activity, and participating in cancer screenings appear beneficial for African-American couples who are at high risk for chronic diseases, especially if one of the individuals is living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).

Joe Diorio

Five University of Pennsylvania Professors Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

PHILADELPHIA –- Five University of Pennsylvania faculty members have been named Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.  They are among 212 new Fellows and 16 Foreign Honorary Members recognized as some of the world’s most accomplished leaders from academia, business, public affairs, the humanities and the arts. The new AAAS Fellows at Penn are:

Jacquie Posey

A New Way to Make Reprogrammed Stem Cells

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have devised a totally new and far more efficient way of generating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), immature cells that are able to develop into several different types of cells or tissues in the body.

Karen Kreeger

Penn Study Sheds Light on End of Life Management of Implanted Defibrillators

Each year, more than 100,000 patients in the U.S. undergo implantation of a new implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) for heart rhythm abnormalities. This number constitutes a 20-fold increase over the last 15 years. Current medical guidelines advocate discussion of end of life care of these medical devices, including deactivation, but many patients may not understand their options.

Jessica Mikulski

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation as Good as Surgery for High Risk, Operable Patients

Just released data from a clinical trial shows continued promise for a new minimally invasive treatment option for patients with severe aortic stenosis.  New research presented at the 2011 American College of Cardiology (ACC) Scientific Sessions from the first arm, Cohort A, of the Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valves (PARTNER) Trial shows that transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Jessica Mikulski

Penn Study: Cardiovascular Patients’ Perspectives On Guilt As A Motivational Tool

Current research supports the notion that lifestyle choices influence cardiovascular health, but to what extent specific emotions play is undefined. Now, new research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has revealed the role that guilt may play as a motivational tool for cardiovascular patients.

Jessica Mikulski



In the News


Fox 29 (Philadelphia)

Cannabis reclassification could be game-changer for U.S. drug policy

Michael Cirigliano of the Perelman School of Medicine says that marijuana deserves to be removed from the same category as LSD, heroin, and fentanyl.

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The Washington Post

Americans are sleeping more than ever. See how you compare

Mathias Basner of the Perelman School of Medicine says that work and traveling are the major sleep killers, with the majority of traveling being commuting to and from work.

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Newsweek

Man does DNA test, not prepared for what comes back ‘unusually high’

César de la Fuente of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and Perelman School of Medicine says that Neanderthal DNA provides insights into human evolution, population dynamics, and genetic adaptations, including correlations with traits such as immunity and susceptibility to diseases.

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Philadelphia Inquirer

Cardiac arrest recoveries are great stories, but they’re rare. We can fix that

In an opinion essay, Raina Merchant of the Perelman School of Medicine says that low survival rates for cardiac arrest can be improved by increasing rates of CPR.

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Women’s Health

How does fat leave the body? Experts explain the weight loss process

Colleen Tewksbury of the School of Nursing and Perelman School of Medicine says that waist circumference is a more accessible and potentially more helpful measure for fat loss than stepping on a scale.

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