Perelman School of Medicine

Gloved hands taking a sample of blood plasma from a test tube with a syringe.

‘Electronic nose’ accurately sniffs out hard-to-detect cancers

An odor-based test that sniffs out vapors emanating from blood samples was able to distinguish between benign and pancreatic and ovarian cancer cells with up to 95% accuracy.

Fluorescent microscopic image of a brain cell stained in blue and yellow

How HIV infection shrinks the brain’s white matter

Researchers from Penn and CHOP detail the mechanism by which HIV infection blocks the maturation process of brain cells that produce myelin, a fatty substance that insulates neurons.

Microscopic view of lung epithelial cells.

Researchers discover drug that blocks multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants

The drug diABZI—which activates the body’s innate immune response—was highly effective in preventing severe COVID-19 in mice that were infected with SARS-CoV-2 and likely other coronaviruses.

Cartoon of medical professionals standing one-on-one with individuals of various races, ages, family structure.

Honing cultural humility skills can improve health care as a whole

At Penn Medicine, medical personnel are adopting cultural humility as an ongoing process of developing a set of skills to approach any individual from any culture at any time.

Low on antibodies, blood cancer patients can fight off COVID-19 with T cells

T cells can step up to do the job when antibodies are depleted, suggests a new Penn Medicine study of blood cancer patients with COVID-19.

hep c lab paperwork and sample vials next to a computer keyboard.

Hepatitis C screening doubles when tests ordered ahead of time

By sending eligible patients a screening order along with the usual reminder, Penn Medicine researchers show they could double hepatitis C screening rates.

A young person wearing a mask and polka dot t-shirt leaning against a faux wooden wall.

A mental health checkup for children and adolescents, a year into COVID

As a whole, this group experienced a significant short-term psychological toll. Though the long-term consequences aren’t yet known, particularly given how the year disproportionately exacerbated adverse childhood experiences, Penn experts remain cautiously optimistic.

Neuro-oncologist joins Penn’s mission to fight brain cancer

Richard Phillips, a Presidential Assistant Professor of Neurology and member of the Penn Epigenetics Institute, hopes to bring glioma research out of the “basement.”

a person wearing a mask with a QR code on their phone scanning their ticket in an airport

The potential role of vaccine certificates in the next phase of the pandemic

Public health law expert Eric Feldman and medical ethicist Emily Largent discuss the legal and ethical implications of companies and organizations requiring proof of vaccination to reengage with different sectors of the economy.

Medical worker in a face mask holds a clipboard for an African American person to sign.

Abramson Cancer Center doubles the percentage of Black participants in clinical trials

Afive-year community outreach and engagement effort more than doubled the percentage of participants, improving access and treatment for a group with historically low representation in cancer research.

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