PHILADELPHIA — Several fatal brain disorders, including Parkinson's disease, are connected by the misfolding of specific proteins into disordered clumps and stable, insoluble fibrils called amyloid. Amyloid fibrils are hard to break up due to their stable, ordered structure. For example, a-synuclein forms amyloid fibrils that accumulate in Lewy Bodies in Parkinson's disease.

Karen Kreeger ・November 15, 2012

PHILADELPHIA — The cancer-causing form of the gene Myc alters the metabolism of mitochondria, the cell’s powerhouse, making it dependent on the amino acid glutamine for survival. In fact, 40 percent of all “hard-to-treat” cancers have a mutation in the Myc gene.

Karen Kreeger ・November 14, 2012

PHILADELPHIA — The University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine has received a $1.5 million grant for student scholarships from the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Katherine Unger Baillie, Beth Adams ・November 14, 2012

PHILADELPHIA — Fat cells store excess energy and signal these levels to the brain.

Karen Kreeger ・November 12, 2012

PHILADELPHIA — When a virus such as influenza invades our bodies, interferon proteins are among the first immune molecules produced to fight off the attack. Interferon can also play a role in suppressing tumor growth and the effects of autoimmune diseases, and doctors may use an artificial form of interferon to treat patients with certain cancers or multiple sclerosis.

Katherine Unger Baillie ・November 9, 2012

PHILADELPHIA — As researchers work on reconfiguring cells to take on new regenerative properties, a new review from Penn Medicine plastic surgeons sheds additional light on the potential power of adipose-derived stem cells - or adult stem cells harvested from fatty tissue - in reconstructive and regenerative medicine.

Kim Menard ・November 8, 2012

LOS ANGELES — Lance Becker, MD, a professor of Emergency Medicine and director of the Center for Resuscitation Science at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, will receive the American Heart Association’s 2012 Award for Lifetime Achieve

Holly Auer ・November 5, 2012

PHILADELPHIA — An international effort led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has resulted in positive phase 3 clinical trial results for a new medicine to treat patients suffering from a rare and deadly cholesterol disorder.

Jessica Mikulski ・November 2, 2012

As a student at Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti Catholic High School, Stephanie Kelly decided on a career in nursing.  For her, it was not simply a desire to change the world through the science; it was much more personal.

Jill DiSanto ・November 2, 2012

NEW YORK -- The Penn Club of New York has named Dr. Claire M. Fagin as the 2012 honoree for the Guggenheim Honor Cup. This prestigious award will be presented at a dinner to be held on November 29, 2012, at the Penn Club of New York in midtown Manhattan.

Regina Jaslow ・November 1, 2012