Navigating cytokine storms An immune response can be helpful, harmful, or somewhere in between, in COVID-19 and many other medical conditions. Q&A Navigating cytokine storms Pairing their expertise, Nilam Mangalmurti of the Perelman School of Medicine and Christopher Hunter of the School of Veterinary Medicine have been working to understand the protective and harmful aspects of the immune response, including in COVID-19.
Glowing dye may aid in eliminating cancer David Holt of the School of Veterinary Medicine and colleagues have been using an innovative imaging technique to seek out cancer in dogs undergoing surgery. (Image: John Donges) Glowing dye may aid in eliminating cancer In dogs with mammary tumors, researchers from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Perelman School of Medicine used a substance that glows under near-infrared light to illuminate cancer.
Additional challenges in bringing research online The Devlin lab are working on creating an extremely cold environment (nearly -460 degrees Fahrenheit) so that the new Simons Observatory can detect cosmic microwave background (CMB), the residual radiation left behind by the Big Bang. Work done at the High Bay is essential for keeping the project from falling further behind after shutdown delays. nocred Additional challenges in bringing research online As research on campus slowly restarts, those whose work requires field surveys, large-scale collaborations, or travel face additional challenges in bringing their research back online.
Can contact tracing stop the spread of COVID-19? Can contact tracing stop the spread of COVID-19? Penn experts discuss how contact tracing works, the differences between traditional “analog” and new “digital” approaches, and how these two strategies could shape what everyday life looks like in the next phase of the pandemic.
Parasites and the microbiome Researchers Meagan Rubel and Eric Mbunwe process fecal samples in a hunter-gatherer village at dusk. (Image: Courtesy of the Tishkoff laboratory) Parasites and the microbiome In a study of ethnically diverse people from Cameroon, the presence of a parasite infection was closely linked to the make-up of the gastrointestinal microbiome, according to a research team led by Penn scientists.
Blocking tumor signals can hinder cancer’s spread Studying the molecular players that foster cancer’s spread, a team of basic science researchers from Penn have identified a way to halt it. By inhibiting an enzyme, they successfully reduced the spread of lung metastases in a mouse model of melanoma, also significantly prolonging survival. (Image: Courtesy of Serge Fuchs) Blocking tumor signals can hinder cancer’s spread A cross-campus team led by Serge Fuchs of the School of Veterinary Medicine used an inhibitor of an enzyme called p38α kinase to suppress the spread of melanoma to the lungs in a mouse model.
The joys and trials of defending a dissertation virtually Aja Carter (seen here in May 2018) recently earned her doctorate from the Department of Earth and Environmental Science in the School of Arts & Sciences. In the lab of Peter Dodson, she studied how the structure of the vertebrae in the spinal column changed over time and how that affected the way animals move. As most aspects of university life moved online because of COVID-19, so did her thesis defense and that of so many others. The joys and trials of defending a dissertation virtually When most aspects of university life moved online because of COVID-19, so, too, did the thesis defense for Ph.D. candidates. Despite some challenges, the shift had unexpected benefits.
Stimulating immune cleanup crew offers affordable possibility for treating rare genetic disorder Stimulating immune cleanup crew offers affordable possibility for treating rare genetic disorder Compounds that mimicked the process known as efferocytosis alleviated signs of leukocyte adhesion deficiency type-1 in an animal model, according to work led by the School of Dental Medicine’s George Hajishengallis
Life, death, and the Amazonian litter layer Asmall farm in the Andean-Amazonian foothills. Image: Kristina Lyons. Life, death, and the Amazonian litter layer Kristina Lyons’ new book explores the Colombian world of litter layers, seeds, and soils; Amazonian farmers, narcos, and the War on Drugs
Cavity-causing bacteria assemble an army of protective microbes on human teeth Cavity-causing bacteria assemble an army of protective microbes on human teeth Examining bacteria growing on toddlers’ teeth, a team from the School of Dental Medicine and Georgia Tech found that the microbes’ spatial organization is crucial to how they cause tooth decay.