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Health Sciences
Philly water straight from the tap
Philly water straight from the tap
A collaborative city-wide campaign that included ImpactED and the Water Center at Penn helped spread the word that Philadelphia tap water is safe and healthy to drink.
Lab-grown brain organoids, rapidly deployed, can fight glioblastomas
Lab-grown brain organoids, rapidly deployed, can fight glioblastomas
Glioblastoma organoids grown from patients’ own glioblastoma tissue can be used to investigate personalized treatment approaches in time-sensitive cases.
Lending a hand at the Farm Show
Lending a hand at the Farm Show
At the Pennsylvania Farm Show, the School of Veterinary Medicine showcased its role in sustaining one of the state’s largest industries.
Losing tongue fat improves sleep apnea
Losing tongue fat improves sleep apnea
A Penn Medicine study suggests the tongue could be a new target for treating the common sleep disorder.
Penn Medicine named official health system of the Philadelphia Flyers
Penn Medicine named official health system of the Philadelphia Flyers
The partnership brings two iconic Philadelphia brands together to collaborate on community-driven initiatives.
An entire course of radiation treatment in under one second
An entire course of radiation treatment in under one second
Findings related to FLASH radiotherapy—using protons rather than electrons—prove feasible in the future for cancer therapy.
Penn Medicine birth marks a milestone in uterus transplant clinical trial
Penn Medicine birth marks a milestone in uterus transplant clinical trial
The birth is Penn’s first as part of its uterus transplant clinical trial, and second in the United States following a deceased donor transplant.
When automotive assembly plants close, deaths from opioid overdoses rise
When automotive assembly plants close, deaths from opioid overdoses rise
A Penn study links eroding economic opportunity to opioid deaths, and builds on previous research that links declining participation in the labor force to increased opioid use in the U.S.
Surprise to some parents, adolescent brains ARE wired for self-control
Surprise to some parents, adolescent brains ARE wired for self-control
A Penn study shows developing brain networks support cognition in youth, from decision-making and self-control to complex thought.
Proton therapy lowers risk of side effects in cancer patients
Proton therapy lowers risk of side effects in cancer patients
Proton therapy leads to a significantly lower risk of side effects severe enough to lead to unplanned hospitalizations for cancer patients when compared with traditional radiation. Cure rates between the two groups are almost identical.
In the News
The New York Times
Can melatonin vapes safely help people sleep?
Julio Chirinos of the Perelman School of Medicine wrote an editorial to accompany a new study about the effects of marathon running on the heart. “Exercise is great for the entire body, including the arteries,” he said.
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Rolling Stone
Can melatonin vapes safely help people sleep?
Philip Gehrman of the Perelman School of Medicine commented on the use of melatonin to aid sleep. “There have been quite a few randomized trials showing that melatonin is no better than placebo to help people sleep,” he said.
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“Academic Minute” (WAMC, Northeast Public Radio)
Jonathan Moreno on bioethics and the transformation of health care in America
PIK Professor Jonathan Moreno discussed the book “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven but Nobody Wants to Die: Bioethics and the Transformation of Health Care in America,” which he co-authored with President Amy Gutmann.
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The New York Times
The F.D.A. is in trouble. Here’s how to fix it
Steven Joffe of the Perelman School of Medicine spoke about the tensions between groups that want medical products to be proven effective before the F.D.A. approves them for public use and groups that believe patients can make their own decisions once the products pass basic safety testing. “The F.D.A. has been moving in the latter direction under great political and public pressure,” he said.
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The New York Times
These patients are hard to treat
Mary Naylor of the School of Nursing spoke about her work leading an effort to reduce hospitalizations among Medicare patients using “hot spotting,” a model that allocates extra resources to “super-utilizers,” people who need more health care services than the average individual.
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