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School of Veterinary Medicine
Gustavo Aguirre of Penn Vet Awarded Proctor Medal for Blindness Research
By Patrick Ammerman
Penn-led Study Resolves Long-disputed Theory About Stem Cell Populations
Adult stem cells represent a sort of blank clay from which a myriad of different cell and tissue types are molded and as such are of critical importance to health, ageing and disease. In tissues that turn over rapidly, such as the intestines, the self-renewing nature of stem cells and their susceptibility to cancer-causing mutations has led researchers to postulate that
Penn Vet Research Suggests a Way to Identify Animals at Risk of Blood Clots
Patients who are critically ill, be they dog, cat or human, have a tendency toward blood clotting disorders. When the formation of a clot takes too long, it puts them at risk of uncontrolled bleeding. But the other extreme is also dangerous; if blood clots too readily and a clot travels to the lungs, brain or heart, it can lead to organ failure or even death.
Fossil Dog Represents a New Species, Penn Paleontology Grad Student Finds
A doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania has identified a new species of fossil dog. The specimen, found in Maryland, would have roamed the coast of eastern North America approximately 12 million years ago, at a time when massive sharks like megalodon swam in the oceans.
Placental RNA May Help Protect Embryo from Viruses, Penn Study Finds
The human placenta is an organ unlike any other. During the course of nine months it is formed by the embryo, sustains life and then is shed.
Three Penn Students Named HHMI Medical Research Fellows
Three graduate students from the University of Pennsylvania have been selected as Medical Research Fellows by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Penn Study Points to Path for Antibiotic-free Treatment for Atopic Dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis, or AD, a chronic inflammatory skin condition and the most common form of eczema, is estimated to afflict as much as 10 percent of the population in the United States, and it is much more common now than it was 50 years ago. Veterinary clinical estimates also show that approximately 10 percent of dogs have atopic dermatitis.
Penn Vet’s William Beltran Honored for Translational Research to Treat Blindness
The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology has recognized the University of Pennsylvania’s William Beltran with the ARVO Foundation’s 2016
Penn Vet Study Identifies Mechanism Explaining Female Bias in Autoimmunity
Possessing two X chromosomes is a double-edged sword, immunologically speaking. Females are better at fighting off infection than males, but they are also more susceptible to many autoimmune conditions, such as lupus.
Before Retinal Cells Die, They Regenerate, Penn Vet Blindness Study Finds
Until relatively recently, the dogma in neuroscience was that neurons, including the eye’s photoreceptor cells, rods and cones, do not regenerate. This is the reason that nerve damage is thought to be so grave. More recent studies have poked holes in this belief by showing that, in some vertebrate species, neurons can be stimulated to divide.
In the News
The Washington Post
Dogs may be able to communicate by pressing buttons, research suggests
Postdoc Amritha Mallikarjun of the School of Veterinary Medicine says that dogs use buttons as a trained behavior to try and get the things they want.
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Popular Science
Dogs really are communicating via button boards, new research suggests
Postdoc Amritha Mallikarjun of the School of Veterinary Medicine says that dogs are using button boards to communicate non-randomly and with intent, although they don’t necessarily have formal language ability.
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
Saving Philly’s bats, one DIY condo at a time
The Wildlife Futures Program at the School of Veterinary Medicine has facilitated the design and construction of wooden bat boxes to be installed in campus parks, with remarks from Julie Ellis. The project is the brainchild of Penn undergraduate Nick Tanner.
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Voice of America
Can honeybees and dogs detect cancer earlier than technology?
Cynthia Otto of the School of Veterinary Medicine and colleagues at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center are training dogs to recognize certain cancer odors.
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The Scientist
Dogs engage in scent-sational science to sniff out staphylococcus bacteria
Meghan Ramos and Cynthia Otto of the School of Veterinary Medicine and colleagues are training dogs to detect infections that accumulate on orthopedic implants after surgery.
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