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Genetics
What’s That? Black squirrels
Penn Today spoke to Sarah Tomke in the School of Veterinary Medicine’s Wildlife Futures Program about the black squirrels regularly seen on College Green. They are black because of a genetic mutation in the melanin receptor protein, which regulates pigment.
New tool puts reproductive risk for BRCA carriers into perspective
A team at Penn Medicine has created a resource to help inform reproductive counseling for cancer gene mutation carriers.
An integral T cell pathway helps regulate female gene expression
Penn Vet researchers have revealed a connection between NF-κB signaling pathways and X chromosome inactivation, which has implications for understanding sex-based immune responses during infection.
Understanding diabetes and oral health
Two undergraduates, supported by PURM, worked on research projects this summer with the Graves Lab to contribute to the knowledge of diabetes’ impact on oral wound healing and periodontal disease.
Uncovering new antibiotics inside the human gut
Researchers from Penn Engineering, led by César de la Fuente, have leveraged AI to discover dozens of potential new antibiotics in the human gut microbiome.
Rare disease’s DNA-damaging mutation could have consequences for more common conditions
In their pursuit to discover the mechanism behind how the deadly rare disease RVCL does its damage, Penn Medicine researchers found some clues to the DNA damage theory of aging.
How deadly parasites choose to be male
Penn Vet researchers reveal the gene expression across the life cycle of Cryptosporidium and identify the determinant of maleness.
Scientists discover a key quality-control mechanism in DNA replication
New research from Penn Medicine advances the understanding of DNA replication and could have relevance for neurologic diseases and other conditions.
A novel technique to form human artificial chromosomes
Penn researchers say the new technique for making human artificial chromosomes from single, long constructs of designer DNA will allow for more efficient laboratory research.
Mega-analysis identifies gene variants associated with glaucoma in people of African ancestry
A Penn Medicine analysis aims to fill knowledge gaps and help guide clinical decisions for a group particularly vulnerable to developing glaucoma.
In the News
Cancer breakthrough as ‘speckles’ may reveal best treatment
A paper co-authored by PIK Professor Shelley Berger finds that patterns of “speckles” in the heart of tumor cells could help predict how patients with a common form of kidney cancer will respond to treatment options.
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For kids with rare genetic disorders, customized CRISPR treatments offer hope
Scientists at Penn are trying to develop a template for groups of rare conditions that are similar enough to be affected by a single, easily adaptable gene-editing treatment.
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A Philly biotech got $60M from a TED initiative for AI in medicine
David Fajgenbaum of the Perelman School of Medicine helped found Every Cure, a biotechnology nonprofit that employs AI to help match existing treatments to new diseases.
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Study of gender-affirming care reveals immune system sex differences
Montserrat Anguera of the Perelman School of Medicine and the School of Veterinary Medicine comments on the work to comprehensively examine the impact of gender-affirming care on the immune system.
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A disease that makes children age rapidly gets closer to a cure
Kiran Musunuru of the Perelman School of Medicine says there’s no guarantee that gene editing which worked well in mice will also work with human patients.
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She’s fighting to stop the brain disease that killed her mother before it gets her
Kiran Musunuru of the Perelman School of Medicine comments on shutting off genetic signals in the brain to hold off diseases.
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