Medicine | Penn Today

A laughing gas mask hovering over a patient’s perspective.

Laughing gas: An old drug’s new trick to fight depression

Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine have uncovered how nitrous oxide, an anesthetic used worldwide since the 19th century, could help lift mood fast in people with depression that resists other treatments.

1 min. read

Aerial view of Penn Medicine Doylestown’s campus.

Doylestown Health joins University of Pennsylvania Health System

The Bucks County system’s integration into UPHS will expand access to advanced health care for patients and families in the suburbs of Philadelphia.

1 min. read

Meniscus injuries may soon be treated by customizable hydrogel

Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine found a new 3D-printed customizable hydrogel performed well in preclinical trials with several different types of meniscal tears, offering a potential mend for common joint injuries.

1 min. read

Measles: An explainer

Judy O’Donnell, the associate chief medical officer for Healthcare Epidemiology for the University of Pennsylvania Health System, and the chief of Infectious Diseases at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, explains what people need to know about measles.

Drug reduces mysterious particle involved in heart attack risk

Daniel Rader of the Perelman School of Medicine says that lowering levels of the Lp(a) particle represents a huge new frontier in cardiovascular medicine.

New technology is poised to bring gene therapy to common chronic diseases

New research from Penn Medicine reveals a safe delivery system of DNA-loaded lipid nanoparticles directly to cells, which could transform treatment for common chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

2 min. read

Headshots of five Penn professors elected 2024 AAAS Fellows.

Five from Penn elected 2024 AAAS Fellows

Professors from the School of Arts & Sciences, Perelman School of Medicine, and School of Engineering and Applied Science are among 471 scientists, engineers, and innovators being recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

4 min. read

Allyson Mackey, Melissa Kelly, Ping Wang, and Vanessa Chan speaking to audience.

Modeling careers in STEM

At Penn’s annual Women in STEM Symposium, Vanessa Chan, Allyson Mackey, Ping Wang, and Melissa Kelly shared lessons from their experiences.

3 min. read

2025 CAREER Award recipient: Jina Ko

Ko, a professor in bioengineering in Penn Engineering and in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine, is awarded the 2025 National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award for her expertise across bioengineering, molecular biology, and chemistry in developing transformative technologies for molecular diagnostics of diseases, especially with respect to how brain-related conditions are diagnosed and treated.

Immunotherapy may boost KRAS-targeted therapy in pancreatic cancer

A preclinical study from the Perelman School of Medicine and Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center that combines RAS inhibition and immunotherapy shows promise for future clinical trials in pancreatic cancer treatment strategies.

1 min. read

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Laughing gas: An old drug’s new trick to fight depression

Doylestown Health joins University of Pennsylvania Health System

Meniscus injuries may soon be treated by customizable hydrogel

Measles: An explainer

Drug reduces mysterious particle involved in heart attack risk

New technology is poised to bring gene therapy to common chronic diseases

Five from Penn elected 2024 AAAS Fellows

Modeling careers in STEM

2025 CAREER Award recipient: Jina Ko

Immunotherapy may boost KRAS-targeted therapy in pancreatic cancer