Bioengineering | Penn Today

Pre-eclampsia could be treated with mRNA technology

Michael Mitchell and Ph.D. student Kelsey Swingle of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and colleagues are using mRNA molecules to treat pre-eclampsia, a common pregnancy complication.

Real vs. fake Christmas trees: The great debate, explained

Lorena Grundy of the School of Engineering and Applied Science says that the debate between real and fake Christmas trees isn’t as black and white as it’s being portrayed.

Microscopic rendering of mRNA inside a lipid nanoparticle.

Refining lipid nanoparticles for better mRNA therapies

A new method developed by Penn engineers for designing ionizable lipids is expected to have broad implications for mRNA-based vaccines and therapeutics.

RFK Jr.’s 10 wildest medical theories

Kenneth R. Foster of the School of Engineering and Applied Science says studies haven’t provided clear evidence that exposure to levels of radio frequency energy below accepted limits, such as Wi-Fi, disrupts the blood-brain barrier.

Penn fourth-year Om Gandhi is a 2025 Rhodes Scholar

Penn fourth-year Om Gandhi, from Barrington, Illinois, has been awarded a 2025 Rhodes Scholarship, which funds tuition and a living stipend for graduate study at the University of Oxford in England. He is among 32 American Rhodes Scholars, and an expected 100 worldwide.

Developing kidneys from scratch

Bioengineering professor Alex Hughes tackles the burden of chronic kidney disease by creating kidney tissue from scratch, which could reduce the need for both dialysis and transplantation.

Microscopic view of a string of amino acids.

New class of encrypted peptides offer hope in fight against antibiotic resistance

New research by César de la Fuente finds that nearly 90% of peptides discovered exhibit significant antimicrobial properties, particularly through the disruption of bacterial membranes.

Rendering of Liposomes delivering cargo molecules such as mRNA.

Siloxane-enhanced nanoparticles chart a new path in precision mRNA medicine

By adjusting the chemical structure of lipid nanoparticles Penn Engineers have discovered how to target specific organs, a major breakthrough in precision medicine.

Penn’s Gilliam Fellows bridge inclusion and innovation

Two Ph.D. students are among 50 graduate students selected to receive this year’s Howard Hughes Medical Institute Gilliam Fellowship, which advances equity and inclusion in science through a mentorship skills development course.

Liquid crystals in motion mimic biological systems

Researchers in the lab of Chinedum Osuji have discovered that under the right conditions, liquid crystals form structures reminiscent of biological systems that can transport material from one place to another, much like complex biological systems.

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