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Health & Medicine

Learning I had Lynch syndrome ‘saved my life’
Dennis Massimo and his sister Lauren Massimo.

Dennis Massimo and his sister Lauren Massimo in 2026.

(Image: Courtesy of Penn Medicine News)

Learning I had Lynch syndrome ‘saved my life’

Dennis Massimo was only 42 and symptom-free when he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, thanks to a research study he signed up for with the Penn Medicine BioBank nearly a decade earlier.

2 min. read

SP2 launches social work affiliate program with HUP and CHOP

SP2 launches social work affiliate program with HUP and CHOP

The first-of-its-kind social work affiliate program will advance workforce development and further elevate the role of social workers in improving health outcomes and systems of care.

Stress tested, testing stress: Novel organoid models how the adrenal gland develops
Michinori Mayama (left) is showing a culture dish to Kotaro Sasaki (right) in a lab.

Michinori Mayama (left) and Kotaro Sasaki (right). 

(Image: Courtesy of Kotaro Sasaki)

Stress tested, testing stress: Novel organoid models how the adrenal gland develops

Researchers led by Penn Vet’s Kotaro Sasaki and Michinori Mayama have developed an organoid system that faithfully mimics how the human adrenal gland develops and forms complex tissue structures, providing a powerful tool to study adrenal biology and laying the groundwork for regenerative therapies targeting adrenal diseases.

3 min. read

Mikhaidia Miller: First-gen perspectives on nursing, health equity, and what’s next
Mikhaidia Miller wearing a striped sweater and standing with arms crossed, smiling and facing sideways, in the Penn First Plus office.

A first-generation student graduating from the School of Nursing, fourth-year Mikhaidia Miller has benefited from Penn First Plus mentorship, programming, and resources throughout her time at Penn. She aims to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist and help improve health equity for all patients.

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Mikhaidia Miller: First-gen perspectives on nursing, health equity, and what’s next

The fourth-year reflects on what underpins her desire to pursue a nursing career and how Penn First Plus has supported her as a first-generation student.

3 min. read

Targeting tumor supporting cells: Advancing CAR T success in pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer cells.

Image: Nemes Laszlo/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

Targeting tumor supporting cells: Advancing CAR T success in pancreatic cancer

Research led by Penn Vet’s Ellen Puré has used lipid nanoparticles to generate CAR T cells directed at a type of tumor support cells—cancer-associated fibroblasts—melting away the protective barrier around pancreatic tumor cells and paving the way for a potentially safer, more accessible, and cost-effective method to treat solid tumors.

3 min. read

The big reveal: Penn Medicine’s Match Day 2026
Two Penn Med students and two others under a 2026 balloon at Penn’s 2026 Match Day.

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The big reveal: Penn Medicine’s Match Day 2026

The Perelman School of Medicine’s graduating class of 2026 celebrated Match Day on March 20, revealing the location of their residencies with a celebration among faculty, friends, and family.

1 min. read