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Health Sciences
Nerve repair, with help from stem cells
School of Dental Medicine and Perelman School of Medicine researchers teamed up to create a novel approach to surgically repairing injured peripheral nerves that relies on the versatility of gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells.
Developing new technologies to solve the mysteries of the brain
The Perelman School of Medicine’s Flavia Vitale is using her background in biomedical and chemical engineering to develop cutting edge materials and devices that will help clinicians diagnose and treat brain disorders.
Building (and hiring) for the future at Penn Medicine’s new Pavilion
In the months leading up to the Pavilion debut, a massive recruitment effort is underway to hire more than 600 employees.
COVID-19 presents an understanding of nurses’ moral distress during crisis care
Researchers from the School of Nursing found that effective leadership and communication reduced moral distress for nurses providing patients with crisis care during the pandemic.
A new approach to determining post-acute care for older adults with dementia
Two new studies measure the outcomes of home health care versus a skilled nursing facility for patients with dementia after being discharged in hospitals, and find that the mental status at the time of discharge is more relevant than a dementia diagnosis.
Coding the emotions that anti-tobacco ads evoke
Sophomore Oulaya Louaddi and junior Gabriela Montes de Oca interned this summer with Annenberg’s Andy Tan, helping the research team design and test culturally appropriate anti-smoking campaigns for young women who identify as sexual minorities.
New program inspires underrepresented young women to cancer research
The Abramson Cancer Center’s Summer Health Experience, or SHE, program introduces young women to careers in cancer research. Statistics show that Black and Latinx women are severely underrepresented in the health sciences.
Restoring ‘chaperone’ protein may prevent plaque buildup in Alzheimer’s
Penn Medicine researchers show how restoring levels of the protein DAXX and a large group of similar proteins prevents the misfolding of the rogue proteins known to drive Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.
In-person requirements decreased WIC participation during the pandemic
Prior to the pandemic, only about half of all eligible families received WIC benefits. In a recent study in JAMA, Penn Medicine researchers examined one way in which these burdens may have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Penn mRNA researchers Drew Weissman and Katalin Karikó awarded the 2021 Albany Prize
For their landmark research that set a foundation for the mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, Drew Weissman and Katalin Karikó have been selected to receive the prize after decades of work.
In the News
How to die in good health
PIK Professor Ezekiel Emanuel says that incessantly preparing for old age mistakes a long life for a worthwhile one.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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