Coronavirus Research

Image: iStock/Rasi Bhadramani

Viral persistence and serotonin reduction can cause long COVID symptoms

A new Penn Medicine study finds components of the SARS-CoV-2 virus remain in the gut of some long COVID patients, causing persistent inflammation, vagus nerve dysfunction, and neurological symptoms.

Study of serotonin levels offers hope for long COVID treatment

A study by Christoph Thaiss and Maayan Levy of the Perelman School of Medicine and colleagues finds that long COVID is associated with lower levels of circulating serotonin, which could be relevant for its neurological, cognitive, and memory symptoms.

New research links symptoms of long COVID to serotonin levels—and more

A study by Christoph Thaiss and Maayan Levy of the Perelman School of Medicine and colleagues shows that long COVID can deplete peripheral serotonin levels, offering a baseline for treatment with serotonin supplementation.

Beyond COVID vaccines: What else could mRNA technology do for our health?

Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman of the Perelman School of Medicine are lauded for receiving the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries in mRNA biology.

Three vials of vaccines: RSV, COVID, and flu.

Public knowledge varies greatly on flu and COVID-19

The latest Annenberg Public Health and Knowledge Survey finds the answers to eight survey questions—four for the flu and four for COVID—have the strongest ability to independently predict individual vaccine willingness.

kariko and weissman at nobel press conference

A wrong number, a cryptic message, and a big Nobel win

Nobel Prize winners Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman share their thoughts on their newly minted honor at a University press conference.

Karikó and Weissman win Nobel Prize in medicine for work that enabled mRNA vaccines against COVID-19

Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman of the Perelman School of Medicine have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for identifying a chemical tweak to messenger RNA that laid the foundation for COVID-19 vaccines.

Who should get a COVID vaccine this year?

Paul Offit of the Perelman School of Medicine believes that the COVID boosters should be recommended annually only for high-risk groups.

COVID boosters can’t outpace new mutations. Here’s why they still work

Paul Offit of the Perelman School of Medicine explains why it doesn’t matter which variant to target when it comes to vaccine-booster development.

A low-cost, eco-friendly COVID test

César de la Fuente and a team of Penn engineers work on creative ways to create faster and cheaper testing for COVID-19. Their latest innovation incorporates speed and cost-effectiveness with eco-friendly materials.

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