9.30
Katherine Unger Baillie
Senior Science News Officer
kbaillie@upenn.edu
Biology
Penn researchers uncover epigenetic drivers for Alzheimer’s disease
Penn researchers uncover epigenetic drivers for Alzheimer’s disease
The identification of this epigenetic process highlights potential drug treatment strategies for early-stage disease treatment.
Solution to a decades-old mitochondria mystery could lead to new disease treatments
Solution to a decades-old mitochondria mystery could lead to new disease treatments
Perelman School of Medicine scientists identified a key protein involved in fueling the cells’ power plants.
Middle-aged individuals may be in a perpetual state of H3N2 flu susceptibility
Middle-aged individuals may be in a perpetual state of H3N2 flu susceptibility
Individuals’ immunological imprint from early childhood infection likely lessens the virus’ severity, but does not prevent infection.
Major advancement in islet cell transplantation for treating Type-1 diabetes
Major advancement in islet cell transplantation for treating Type-1 diabetes
Penn researchers invent a method for keeping donor insulin-producing cells alive long-term under the skin of patients.
Engineers develop laser-controlled, cell-sized robots
Engineers develop laser-controlled, cell-sized robots
Researchers at Penn Engineering are creating microscopic robots with semiconductor processing that can be controlled, and made to walk, as small as biological cells.
The perfect balancing act of inflammation rests on a single molecule
The perfect balancing act of inflammation rests on a single molecule
A new Penn study reveals a molecular mechanism that helps the body mount balanced responses to deadly infections.
‘Self-eating’ stem cell process may be the key to new regenerative therapies
‘Self-eating’ stem cell process may be the key to new regenerative therapies
A Penn study uncovers new roles of chaperone-mediated autophagy in how stem cells repair or regenerate damaged organs.
Advancing knowledge on archaea
Advancing knowledge on archaea
An open-source data platform for researchers studying archaea is paving the way for new insights and educational opportunities.
300-million-year-old fish resembles a sturgeon but took a different evolutionary path
300-million-year-old fish resembles a sturgeon but took a different evolutionary path
Tanyrhinichthys mcallisteri recasts the notion of what it means to be a “primitive” vertebrate, according to paleontologists Lauren Sallan and Jack Stack.
Additional challenges in bringing research online
Additional challenges in bringing research online
As research on campus slowly restarts, those whose work requires field surveys, large-scale collaborations, or travel face additional challenges in bringing their research back online.
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In the News
Philadelphia Inquirer
How to conduct an engaging lab experiment in the time of COVID: Brew beer
Biology instructors at Penn assembled and mailed hundreds of lab kits to students to aid virtual learning. “It’s important to get students off of their computers and using some of the tools and techniques that are used by scientists,” said Linda Robinson of the School of Arts & Sciences.
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ABC Australia
Are very long-lived trees immortal and what can they teach humans?
Brenda Casper of the School of Arts & Sciences said it’s hard to measure age-related deterioration in trees that are older than 1,000 years. “It’s not just internal physiology per se but it’s the interaction of the tree with its environment,” she said.
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NPR
Are there zombie viruses—like the 1918 flu—thawing in the permafrost?
Michael Zimmerman of the School of Arts & Sciences said the possibility of reviving long frozen pathogens is “extremely unlikely.”
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National Geographic
Horses and dogs share a surprisingly common language of play
Sue McDonnell of the School of Veterinary Medicine commented on new research that finds shared play language between dogs and horses. “It’s a wonderful study, and takes the questions surrounding play behavior to a new level,” she said.
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The Wall Street Journal
Coronavirus vs. flu: Which virus is deadlier?
Neil Fishman of the Perelman School of Medicine weighed in on the novel coronavirus and how it differs from the flu. “I think what we’re seeing with Covid-19 is what influenza would look like without a vaccine,” he said.
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PBS
Study finds kittens bond with their human caregivers like babies do
Carlo Siracusa of the School of Veterinary Medicine advised readers to keep in mind that while babies and kittens are similar, they’re not analogous; scientific findings about one may not hold true for the other. “We should be open-minded about the idea that there are other variables [at play],” he said.
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