Biology | Penn Today

Learn from the experts with the Penn Science and Lightbulb Cafes

The lecture series, hosted by the School of Arts and Sciences, offers a casual setting in which researchers can present their work and engage with the attendees during a Q&A period, giving a glimpse into the research at Penn.

New center will study the complex genomics within individual cells

Junhyong Kim and James Eberwine are leading a multi-disciplinary team in developing cutting-edge technologies that can assess the genetic material inside individual compartments of single cells. The new Center for Sub-Cellular Genomics aims to revolutionize therapies for diseases such as bipolar disorder, autism, and Alzheimer’s disease.

This tiny fish can recognize itself in a mirror. Is it self-aware?

PIK Professor Michael Platt commented on an animal sentience study. While he found the research “fascinating and well-executed,” he pointed out that the study doesn’t necessarily confirm that animals have a human-like sense of self.

Radio: Incredible dignity in the face of a terrible tragedy

Lauren Sallan of the School of Arts and Sciences discussed “mass extinction events,” defined as “an event that wipes out biodiversity at orders of magnitude far above what we call ‘background extinction’—wiping out, say, 60 percent of species or species that wouldn't be expected to die off.”

Cancer cells send out ‘drones’ to battle the immune system from afar

Checkpoint inhibitor therapies have made metastatic melanoma and other cancers a survivable condition, but only for some patients. Researchers uncovered a novel mechanism by which tumors suppress the immune system, raising the possibility that a straightforward blood test could predict which patients could respond to immunotherapy.

How Dad’s genes can prepare Mom for parenthood

The Perelman School of Medicine’s Marisa Bartolomei commented on a genetic study’s innovative design and novel findings.

Worker ants: You could have been queens

The Perelman School’s Roberto Bonasio discussed the difficulties of studying insulin signaling in ants. The relevant genes, said Bonasio, are involved in numerous bodily functions, making it tough to isolate their role in differentiating queens from workers.

Understanding the social dynamics that cause cooperation to thrive, or fail

Many examples of cooperation exist in nature, but it’s far from a universal characteristic of human or animal groups. Using a mathematical model, Erol Akçay showed that less randomly connected social networks make cooperation more likely, but those dynamics may ultimately lead to cooperation’s collapse.

Frigid polar oceans, not coral reefs, are hot spots for formations of fish species

Tropical waters contain a dazzling diversity of fish species compared to colder ocean areas. Yet a new study paradoxically indicates that the colder waters are home to the highest species formation rates.

Boosting testosterone makes men prefer higher-status products

A study out of the Wharton School found that a single dose of testosterone increased men's preference for luxury, high-status items, mimicking animal behavior.

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