4.23
Science & Technology
With a second patient free from HIV, what’s next?
Scientists have succeeded in sending an HIV patient into long-term remission, only the second time such a feat has been documented. Pablo Tebas and Bridgette Brawner discuss what this means for HIV research and for people living with the virus.
Bridge to Ph.D. program provides a way forward for greater access in STEM fields
The pilot program in the Department of Mathematics enables students from underrepresented groups to become the next generation of enterprising mathematicians.
Charles Kane and Eugene Mele receive the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award
The Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria have recognized the Penn physicists for their discovery of topological insulators.
The link between sleep, genes, and mental health
Whether you’re a night owl or a morning lark could affect your risk of developing a psychiatric disorder.
Championing scientifically driven energy policy
In the lab, chemist Amy Chu is aiming to make the chemical reaction that converts carbon dioxide into methanol more sustainable. Her work reflects her philosophy that scientists should have a stronger role in both public policy and education.
Cells use sugars to communicate at the molecular level
A recent study reveals the chemistry behind cellular communication using a new method that holds promise for future applications ranging from materials science to nanomedicine.
Engineers can detect ultra rare proteins using a cellphone camera
An innovative strobing system allows individual markers to be differentiated from their neighbors, allowing an accurate count, even in the ultra-low concentrations associated with hard-to-diagnose conditions.
An old-school green deal
A major public lands package passed the U.S. Senate Feb. 12 with massive bipartisan support and is expected to pass the House later this month. Cary Coglianese shares insights into the bill’s contents—which entail the largest expansion of wilderness area in a decade.
The ‘off’ button that lets plants make flowers
Flowers aren’t just pretty to look at; without them, plants couldn’t reproduce. Investigating the critical process of flower formation in plants, School of Arts and Sciences biologist Doris Wagner and colleagues discovered how a key gene is shut off in order for blooms to form. “Identity is not just what you are; it’s what you aren’t,” she says.
How technology is making education more accessible
Text-to-speech technology, smart pens, and smart glasses are just some of the assistive technologies that the Office of Student Disabilities Services employ on campus to meet all students’ needs in their learning environments.
In the News
The Wall Street Journal
How the U.S. surrendered to China on scientific research
In an op-ed, PIK Professor Ezekiel Emanuel and Amy Gadsden and Scott Moore, all of Penn Global, said America’s “lead in science and technology fields has been significantly eroded.” The authors say the U.S. needs to “meet [China’s] strength with strength” by investing in innovation.
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The New York Times
‘Partly alive’: Scientists revive cells in brains from dead pigs
PIK Professor Jonathan Moreno weighed in on an experiment that revived tissue in the brains of dead pigs. “If ever there was an issue that merited big public deliberation on the ethics of science and medicine, this is one.”
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Associated Press
Senior’s weakness for scams may be warning sign of dementia
Jason Karlawish of the Perelman School of Medicine said a recent study on aging and scam awareness doesn’t prove a link between susceptibility and cognitive decline in seniors. However, Karlawish says, the results “should be a call to action to health care systems, the financial services industry and their regulators.”
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Science
This physicist is trying to make sense of the brain’s tangled networks
Danielle Bassett of the School of Engineering and Applied Science was profiled.
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Wired.com
Tracking readers’ eye movements can help computers learn
Dan Roth of the School of Engineering and Applied Science said it’s “clear to everyone” that signals within brain activity exist and may eventually improve machine learning.
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BBC
Do mosquitoes feel the effects of alcohol
Tanya Dapkey of the School of Arts and Sciences said it’s unlikely that mosquitoes feed on inebriated humans to get drunk themselves. However, she said, the fact that “alcohol makes us more attractive to them is an interesting question to me.”
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Philadelphia Magazine
Can the new Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics unlock the science of beauty?
Anjan Chatterjee of the Perelman School of Medicine was profiled for his work founding Penn’s Center for Neuroaesthetics, which aims to “understand the neural systems that underlie aesthetic experiences and choices,” exploring beauty, art, design, and architecture.
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Defense News
U.S. military changing ‘killing machine’ robo-tank program after controversy
Michael Horowitz of the School of Arts and Sciences said the controversy over the U.S. army’s plans for a new Advance Targeting and Lethality Automated System “demonstrates that there are continuing technological and ethical issues surrounding the integration of autonomy into weapon systems.”
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Philadelphia Citizen
Second (science) city no more
Kevin Mahoney of the Perelman School of Medicine and the Health System said Philadelphia is “creating new history” with its efforts to catch up to other major cities known for innovation. Penn is leading the way with investments designed to create jobs, fund research, and keep talent local.
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Science News
Physics explains how pollen gets its stunning diversity of shapes
The School of Arts and Sciences’ Alison Sweeney explained how phase separation contributes to the unique shapes of pollen grains.
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