Health Sciences

Five Penn faculty named 2021 Sloan Research Fellows

The fellowship recognizes extraordinary U.S. and Canadian researchers whose creativity, innovation, and research accomplishments make them stand out as the next generation of scientific leaders.

Erica K. Brockmeier

Engaging faith communities to reduce vaccination disparities

In partnership with Mercy Philadelphia and community faith leaders, Penn Medicine held a vaccine clinic at the Church of Christian Compassion that reached 500 people in West Philadelphia. At least two more such events are planned.

Katherine Unger Baillie

Addressing breastfeeding disparities for African American mothers

Despite an abundance of data on the importance of breastfeeding and human milk for babies and their mothers, a disparity exists for African American mothers and infants, where breastfeeding is initiated only about 69% of the time.

From Penn Nursing News

When the message matters, use science to craft it

An interdisciplinary initiative called the Message Effects Lab aims to understand, tap into, and develop communication around what motivates specific behaviors for specific populations. Its first projects center around COVID-19 testing and vaccines.

Michele W. Berger



In the News


The Washington Post

Americans are sleeping more than ever. See how you compare

Mathias Basner of the Perelman School of Medicine says that work and traveling are the major sleep killers, with the majority of traveling being commuting to and from work.

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Today

Should you try oil pulling to boost your oral health? Dentists explain benefits and side effects

Dean Mark Wolff of the School of Dental Medicine says there aren’t enough robust, large-scale clinical studies or trials demonstrating the supposed benefits of oil pulling.

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Fox 29 (Philadelphia)

Cannabis reclassification could be game-changer for U.S. drug policy

Michael Cirigliano of the Perelman School of Medicine says that marijuana deserves to be removed from the same category as LSD, heroin, and fentanyl.

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Philadelphia Inquirer

These two Philly-area nurses are on a mission to get nursing recognized as a STEM field

Marion Leary of the School of Nursing is co-leading a national coalition seeking to convince federal agencies to recognize the field of nursing as a STEM profession.

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San Francisco Chronicle

Fentanyl overdoses hit a surprising group of San Franciscans: the city’s dogs

Cynthia Otto of the School of Veterinary Medicine says that fentanyl can be absorbed across the mucous membranes in canine noses, causing dogs to face a life-threatening overdose.

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