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Obscuring the truth can promote cooperation
Businesspeople shaking hands holding up masks to their faces

Obscuring the truth can promote cooperation

People are more likely to cooperate if they think others are cooperating, too. New research by biologists in the School of Arts & Sciences shows that overstating the true level of cooperation in a society can increase cooperative behavior overall.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Protein’s ‘silent code’ affects how cells move
six panels showing cells in green with protein involved in cell movement labeled in red

Protein’s ‘silent code’ affects how cells move

A School of Veterinary Medicine-led study shows how, despite having nearly identical amino acid sequences, two forms of the protein actin differ in function due their distinct nucleotide sequences.

Katherine Unger Baillie

’Social’ mitochondria, whispering between cells, influence health
Quanta Magazine

’Social’ mitochondria, whispering between cells, influence health

James Eberwine of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about how mitochondria interact, communicate, and mutate. “If we understand how the mitochondria are acting together, and we learn how to manipulate it,” he said, “we’re going to gain so much more insight into biology.”

With remarkable similarities to MS, a disease in dogs opens new avenues for study
Microscopic image of cells labeled blue, green, and pink

A naturally occurring canine disease called granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis replicates many features of multiple sclerosis, including the involvement of B cells (in red) and T cells (green) in the tissues that line the central nervous system. (Image: Penn Vet)

With remarkable similarities to MS, a disease in dogs opens new avenues for study

Researchers at the School of Veterinary Medicine led by Jorge Iván Alvarez and Molly Church found that the canine disease granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis shares many of the same pathological and immunological features as MS.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Ballerina Emily Davis is ‘on her toes’
Ballerina Emily Davis completed her Penn degree while dancing with the Pennsylvania Ballet.

May graduate Emily Davis earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the College of Liberal and Professional Studies while working full-time as a ballerina with the Pennsylvania Ballet and volunteering to conduct research at CHOP and community service with Philadelphia nonprofits. (Image: Arian Molina Soca)

Ballerina Emily Davis is ‘on her toes’

May graduate Emily Davis earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the College of Liberal and Professional Studies while working full-time as a ballerina with the Pennsylvania Ballet and volunteering to conduct research at CHOP and community service with Philadelphia nonprofits.
Designing public institutions that foster cooperation
wooden blocks with a person icon shown connected by a web

Designing public institutions that foster cooperation

People are more likely to cooperate with those they see as “good.” Using a mathematical model, School of Arts & Sciences researchers found it’s possible to design systems that assess and broadcast participants’ reputations, leading to high levels of cooperation and adherence.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Pinpointing how cancer cells turn aggressive
Concentric circles with different colors inside representing cancer cell lineages

Pinpointing how cancer cells turn aggressive

Penn scientists have developed a new method for tracing the lineage and gene expression patterns of metastatic cancer at the single-cell level.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Climate change-resistant corals could provide lifeline to battered reefs
Scuba diver looks at coral growing on mats underwater

Penn biologist Katie Barott and colleagues found that corals maintain their ability to resist bleaching even when transplanted to a new reef. (Image: S. Matsuda)

Climate change-resistant corals could provide lifeline to battered reefs

Corals that withstood a severe bleaching event and were transplanted to a different reef maintained their resilient qualities, according to a new study led by Katie Barott of the School of Arts & Sciences.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Black in Marine Science is building a community
Camille Gaynus in scuba gear in the water with mountains in the background

A dive trip in Indonesia cemented Camille Gaynus’s desire to pursue a career in marine biology. Her hope is that Black in Marine Science helps normalize the idea of Black people pursuing their interest in the field. (Image: Courtesy of Camille Gaynus)

Black in Marine Science is building a community

Postdoc Camille Gaynus of the School of Arts & Sciences and colleagues formed a nonprofit dedicated to lifting up Black voices in marine science and inspiring a new generation to follow their curiosity about the ocean.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Blocking viruses’ exit strategy
A fluorescent microscopic image of a cell labeled in orange with virus particles emerging from it labeled green.

Blocking viruses’ exit strategy

Tests of a new antiviral that aims to prevent the deadly Marburg virus from spreading in the body show promise, according to a study led by School of Veterinary Medicine researchers.

Katherine Unger Baillie