Health Sciences

A put-out cigarette standing on its end, next to half of another crumpled cigarette. In the background are two whole cigarettes.

Parental nicotine use and addiction risk for children

In research done using rats, Penn Nursing’s Heath Schmidt and colleagues found that males that engaged in voluntary nicotine use had offspring more likely to do so, too. Some offspring also developed impaired memory and anxiety-like behavior.

Michele W. Berger ・

Guobin Yang and the cover of the book called "The Wuhan Lockdown by Guobin Yang." The image shows a person fully covered in what appears like a hazmat suit next to a person in a hospital bed. They are outside.

Frontline voices from the pandemic’s early days

In his new book, “The Wuhan Lockdown,” Guobin Yang uses personal diaries from that city’s residents to recreate how it felt at the epicenter of what was then a scary and unknown new virus.

Michele W. Berger ・

Young child wearing a life vest in the pool with two adults behind them.

With summer’s return, a guide to avoiding drowning

Zaffer Qasim of the Perelman School of Medicine analyzed the mortality data of drowning victims in the United States to prescribe treatment measures. Among other recommendations, he encourages everyone to get training in basic life support.

From Penn Medicine News ・



In the News


Philadelphia Inquirer

Mayor Parker’s plan to ‘remove the presence of drug users’ from Kensington raises new questions

Shoshana Aronowitz of the School of Nursing and Ashish Thakrar of the Perelman School of Medicine comment on the lack of specificity in Philadelphia’s plan to remove drug users from Kensington and on the current state of drug treatment in the city.

FULL STORY →

Philadelphia Inquirer

How many patients would recommend their Philly-area hospital to family and friends? Check your local hospital

The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania has been named one of the most recommended acute-care facilities by patients in the Philadelphia area.

FULL STORY →

WHYY (Philadelphia)

Homeward bound: When a Penn Medicine nurse was diagnosed with uterine cancer, she turned to the service dogs she helped to train

A profile highlights Maria Wright of Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, from her volunteer work connecting people with service dogs to her cancer diagnosis and her own journey applying for a service dog.

FULL STORY →

Philadelphia Inquirer

UPenn medical school names first vice dean of AI

Mary Ritchie has been named the vice dean of artificial intelligence and computing at the Perelman School of Medicine. Mitchell Schnall has been named the first senior vice president for data and technology solutions at the University of Pennsylvania Health System.

FULL STORY →

The New York Times

Is apple cider vinegar really a cure-all?

Nitin K. Ahuja of the Perelman School of Medicine says there’s no supportive data that adding acid to the stomach will somehow help control acid reflux.

FULL STORY →