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Psychology

Who, What, Why: Katelyn Candido on improving surgical procedures and keeping health care human-first
Katelyn Candido standing next to a wall, smiling and facing forward with arms crossed, wearing a white coat and blue scrubs in the Perelman School of Medicine

Katelyn Candido, a second-year medical student at PSOM and aspiring neurosurgeon, researches a novel tool’s utility for improving surgical precision. Informed by experiences as a first-generation Hispanic student, Candido also deeply values the human-centered side of medicine, helping drive equitable care in Philadelphia and beyond.

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Who, What, Why: Katelyn Candido on improving surgical procedures and keeping health care human-first

Second-year medical student Katelyn Candido shares insight into her research project on a promising tool for improving surgical precision and efficiency, and why she aims to drive equitable patient care through a career in neurosurgery.

3 min. read

How can people boost resilience? Karen Reivich shares some key insights
Karen Reivich smiling and hand gesturing while teaching a resilience workshop.

Karen Reivich, director of training programs at Penn’s Positive Psychology Center, facilitating a resilience workshop.

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How can people boost resilience? Karen Reivich shares some key insights

In a four-part series offered by Penn HR this spring, Karen Reivich of Penn’s Positive Psychology Center will guide staff, faculty, and postdocs toward building resilience.

3 min. read

How children consider objects provides a peek into their behavior

How children consider objects provides a peek into their behavior

Young children gravitate toward objects with anthropomorphic features, an inclination that is not as strong in children with early signs of antisocial behavior, according to research from the lab of associate professor of psychology Rebecca Waller.

2 min. read

Stefan Hatch: Tackling housing insecurity
Stefan Hatch stands in the McNeil Building.

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Stefan Hatch: Tackling housing insecurity

Fourth-year Stefan Hatch is researching one of Philadelphia’s most pressing challenges: housing insecurity. The double major combines urban studies and psychology to explore solutions.

2 min. read

Gene therapy ‘switch’ may offer non-addictive pain relief
Scan of human amygdala.

Image: nopparit via Getty Images

Gene therapy ‘switch’ may offer non-addictive pain relief

In a preclinical study, Penn Medicine researchers have uncovered a new gene therapy that targets only pain signals while leaving the rest of the brain untouched.

Eric Horvath

2 min. read

20 breakthroughs of 2025
Masoud Akbarzadeh holding up one of the fabricated materials.

The Polyhedral Structures Laboratory is housed at the Pennovation Center and brings together designers, engineers, and computer scientists to reimagine the built world. Using graphic statics, a method where forces are mapped as lines, they design forms that balance compression and tension. These result in structures that use far fewer materials while remaining strong and efficient.

(Image: Eric Sucar)

20 breakthroughs of 2025

From ancient tombs and tiny robots to personalized gene editing and AI weather models, Penn’s 2025 research portfolio showed how curiosity—paired with collaboration—moves knowledge into impact and stretches across disciplines and continents.

5 min. read