12.1
Health Sciences
Penn team creates first bile duct-on-a-chip
Penn team creates first bile duct-on-a-chip
The miniature, fabricated organ, replicating the structure and cellular makeup of the tissue, may lead to better understanding of the organ system and the differences between child and adult bile ducts.
As a nursing innovator, Therese Richmond thinks beyond hospital walls
As a nursing innovator, Therese Richmond thinks beyond hospital walls
During a four-decade career, Penn Nursing’s associate dean for research and innovation has tackled topics like gun violence by accounting for her patients’ environment in their long-term recovery.
Opioid prescriptions filled after eye surgery doubled over a decade
Opioid prescriptions filled after eye surgery doubled over a decade
A Penn study suggests efforts in the past decade to reduce the invasiveness and recovery time for these procedures have not reduced opioid use.
Comprehensive dental care for a vulnerable population
Comprehensive dental care for a vulnerable population
In a new clinic at the School of Dental Medicine, refugees who survived torture are having all of their dental needs met by students and faculty.
The dangers of vaping
The dangers of vaping
Vaping has been marketed as a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes, but recent deaths and acute respiratory illnesses have belied that claim. Pulmonologist and smoking cessation expert Frank Leone of the Perelman School of Medicine explains the e-cigarette phenomenon and why it’s dangerous.
A new herpes vaccine leaves no trace of infection or disease
A new herpes vaccine leaves no trace of infection or disease
A novel vaccine developed at Penn Medicine protected almost all animal subjects exposed to the virus.
Two studies highlight proton therapy for pediatric brain cancer
Two studies highlight proton therapy for pediatric brain cancer
A pair of new studies done at Penn and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia add to the growing body of research showing the potential benefits of proton therapy.
Fruit flies’ microbiomes shape their evolution
Fruit flies’ microbiomes shape their evolution
In just five generations, an altered microbiome can lead to genome-wide evolution in fruit flies, according to new research led by Paul Schmidt and postdoc Seth Rudman of the School of Arts and Sciences.
Pairing science with ethics to save lives
Pairing science with ethics to save lives
Penn President Amy Gutmann and Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor Jonathan Moreno discussed their new book “Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven But Nobody Wants to Die” at a Free Library of Philadelphia book talk Monday.
Reproductive science by experts, for teens
Reproductive science by experts, for teens
High school girls who take part in the Penn Academy for Reproductive Science get a hands-on lab course with top epigenetic and reproductive health experts.
In the News
WHYY (Philadelphia)
Dental school grads find it hard to beat back student debt
Dean Mark Wolff of the School of Dental Medicine said dental school tuition has increased because dentistry, in general, has gotten more expensive. “You used to get the X-rays in your mouth taken with film, put inside your mouth. Today, we put sensors inside the mouth, capture it directly into the computer,” he said. “Film used to cost a few dollars a pack. That sensor is a $7,000 sensor.”
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U.S. News & World Report
Antarctic study shows isolation, monotony may change the human brain
Alexander Stahn of the Perelman School of Medicine led a study that found a volume decrease in the hippocampi of explorers who spent 14 months at a research station in Antarctica. “It was an average of about 7%, which is really big in terms of brain changes,” he said.
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
Why mandated nurse-to-patient ratios have become one of the most controversial ideas in health care
Linda Aiken of the School of Nursing said that mandated nurse-to-patient ratios result in fewer complications, infections, and injuries, as well as lower mortality rates.
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The Washington Post
Do NAD-boosting supplements fight aging? Not according to current research
Joseph Baur of the Perelman School of Medicine said that while supplements claiming to increase NAD levels and improve longevity are unlikely to do harm, they’re ineffective when it comes to actually extending human life. “There have been several short-term clinical trials that have been mostly disappointing,” he said.
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Men’s Health
Wait, is it safe to take cold medicine when you’re breastfeeding?
Anna Graseck of the Perelman School of Medicine said, “Over-the-counter cold medicines are generally safe for breast feeding moms,” but warned that anything containing the decongestants pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine can impact the milk supply.
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