Perelman School of Medicine

PHILADELPHIA – Black cardiac arrest victims are more likely to die when they’re treated in hospitals that care for a large black population than when they’re brought to hospitals with a greater proportion of white patients, according to new research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease that damages the retina and can destroy central vision, affects approximately 1.6 million Americans. For the past five years, there has been active debate over treatment options for AMD patients because ophthalmologists have not had accurate data regarding the true efficacy of the most commonly used medication.

Several genes have been linked to ALS, with one of the most recent called FUS.

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).

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine are delving into the details of the complex structure at the ends of chromosomes.

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:

Squamous cell cancers of the oral cavity and esophagus are common throughout the world, with over 650,000 cases of oral cancer each year and esophageal cancer representing the sixth most common cause of cancer death in men.

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.

Two reports by addiction researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the National Institute on Drug Abuse show a drastic shift in prescribing patterns impacting the magnitude of opioid substance abuse in America.

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.