In partnership with the state, a comprehensive focus on wildlife health
The Pennsylvania Wildlife Futures Program, a collaboration between the School of Veterinary Medicine and the Pennsylvania Game Commission, will leverage Penn Vet’s expertise to address wildlife health problems.
Activating the immune system of mosquitoes prevents the parasite that causes canine heartworm from developing, according to new research from Penn Vet. The same approach also thwarted the parasite responsible for lymphatic filariasis, a disease that affects humans. (Image: Povelones laboratory)
A roadblock for disease-causing parasites
Activating a mosquito’s immune system can prevent it from transmitting the parasites that cause canine heartworm and human lymphatic filariasis, according to new research from the School of Veterinary Medicine.
Do DIY DNA kits revive a harmful perceived link between genetics and race?
Research from sociologist Wendy Roth reveals that on average, these tests don’t reinforce the idea of essentialism, but how much participants know about genetics going in matters.
An artist’s illustration of nanoparticles transporting mRNA into a T cell (blue), allowing the latter to express surface receptors that recognize cancer cells (red). (Image: Ryan Allen, Second Bay Studios)
Penn nanoparticles are less toxic to T cells engineered for cancer immunotherapy
By using messenger RNA across the T cell’s membrane via a nanoparticle instead of a DNA-rewriting virus on extracted T cells, CAR T treatments could have fewer side effects.
As part of a partnership including Penn’s ImpactED and Water Center, trained neighborhood ambassadors shared the benefits of drinking tap water in their local communities, both at formal events and in informal interactions. (Image: Tiffany Ledesma for PWD)
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.
Born in November 2019, Benjamin Gobrecht’s arrival was a “perfect miracle” for his parents, Jennifer and Drew, and a medical milestone for researchers at Penn Medicine. He was the first baby born as part of Penn’s 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.
In an experiment by the School of Veterinary Medicine’s Ronald Harty and Bruce Freedman, virus-like particles of Ebola (in green and yellow), which mimic the process by which the authentic Ebola virus spreads, exit a cell along filaments of actin (in red), a structural protein. Harty and Freedman are designing compounds to block this process, increasing the likelihood an infected individual could recover. (Image: Gordon Ruthel/School of Veterinary Medicine)
These overlooked global diseases take a turn under the microscope
Faculty at the School of Veterinary Medicine target neglected tropical diseases with advanced science, cross-disciplinary collaborations, and work in the lab and the field.
Computer-generated antibiotics and biosensor Band-Aids
For Penn synthetic biologist César de la Fuente and his team, these concepts aren’t some far-off ideal. They’re projects already in progress, and they have huge real-world implications should they succeed.
