BRCA, the DNA-repair protein family, interacts with a multipart, molecular complex that is also responsible for regulating the immune system. When certain players in this pathway go awry, autoimmune disorders, like lupus, can arise. Researchers have now deciphered the structure of the complex and have found new molecular targets for fighting autoimmunity.
A new study led by Penn Medicine researchers, which published today in Scientific Reports, found that people have implicit negative biases against people with disfigured faces, without knowingly harboring such biases.
James Wilson, MD, PhD, director of Penn’s Gene Therapy Program and Orphan Disease Center, and a professor of Medicine and Pediatrics in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, recalls being struck by the devastating toll of rare diseases as a young physician in the 1980s. He set out on a path to correct the genes that cause these conditions, including spinal muscle atrophy (SMA), the most common inherited fatal disease in infants. Today, Wilson and his team are celebrating a major milestone in the field: approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of a gene therapy known as Zolgensma for SMA. The therapy is based on a delivery vehicle that his team discovered and developed over the past decade as part of a wide-ranging portfolio of research to advance gene therapy.
In a study that highlights racial disparities in the everyday impact of eczema, new research shows Hispanic and black children are more likely than white children to miss school due to the chronic skin disease.
Cancer patients getting proton therapy instead of traditional photon radiation are at a significantly lower risk of experiencing side-effects from their radiation therapy, while cure rates are almost identical between the two groups.
A specialized pain management program for patients who underwent robotic surgery for urologic cancers resulted in just eight percent going home with narcotics after discharge, compared to 100 percent who would have received them without this enhanced recovery protocol.
SR9009 is a compound that can lead to a wide range of health benefits in animals, including reduced risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Until now, researchers have attributed the effects to SR9009’s role in altering the body’s circadian clock. However, in a first-of-its-kind study from Penn Medicine, published today in PNAS, researchers found that SR9009 can effect cell growth and metabolic function without the involvement of REV-ERBs.
“Penn AI” is now accessible to anyone from high school students to biomedical researchers, on any computer or laptop
Penn study shows users who score high on a depression and anxiety survey often post photos that are less aesthetically appealing, less vivid in color or display little depth of field.
One year after Philadelphia passed its beverage tax, sales of sugary and artificially sweetened beverages dropped by 38 percent percent in chain food retailers, according to Penn Medicine researchers who conducted one of the largest studies examining the impacts of a beverage tax. The results, published this week in JAMA, translate to almost one billion fewer ounces of sugary or artificially sweetened beverages – about 83 million cans of soda – purchased in the Philadelphia area. The findings provide more evidence to suggest beverage taxes can help reduce consumption of sugary drinks, which are linked to the rise in obesity and its related non-communicable diseases, such as type II diabetes.
Decision fatigue and doctors falling behind schedule may lead to lower cancer screening rates, Penn study finds
The general public largely views the use of cognitive enhancers such as Adderall as an acceptable practice when used by adults in the workplace, suggests a new study from Penn Medicine neurologists, which published this week in AJOB Neuroscience.
Researchers have identified a previously unknown viral family, which turns out to be the second-most common DNA virus in human lung and mouth specimens, where it is associated with severe critical illness and gum disease.
Researchers found more than 100 new genes that could lead to the development of cleft lip and palate. The team discovered that genetic variants near these genes are in regions of the genome called “enhancers,” which regulate expression of genes to maintain proper cell identity.
In a study published today in the journal PLOS Biology, researchers at Penn Medicine identify the mechanisms behind tumor growth following circadian disturbances and show cancer treatment may be more effective at specific times of day.
E. John Wherry, PhD, the chair of Pharmacology at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, will lead the Penn team in the collaboration to study the impact of an immunotherapy called PD-1 blockade on viral immunity in humans. This grant renewal is part of the NIH’s Cooperative Centers for Human Immunology consortium
Whether a wound—such as a diabetic foot ulcer—heals or progresses to a worse outcome, including infection or even amputation, may depend on the microbiome within that wound.
Using CRISPR gene editing, a research team has thwarted a lethal lung disease, in an animal model, in which a harmful mutation causes death within hours after birth. This proof-of-concept study showed that in utero editing could be a promising new approach for treating lung diseases before birth.
Our guts are home to a cast of billions: bacteria, viruses, and fungi all congregate and collectively make up our microbiome. This vast gastrointestinal tribe shapes the onset, incidence, and treatment of a startling number of diseases including inflammatory bowel disease and cancer. In the past 20 years since the field took off, much has been discovered about how this unseen ecosystem interacts with all aspects of human life, and the rate of discoveries shows no signs of slowing.
Largest study to date uncovers the reality of young doctors’ lives in the hospital.
A new app can predict the likelihood that a patient will develop an incisional hernia following abdominal surgery, using big data to potentially help address a problem effects one out of every eight of these surgical patients.
A large genomic study of nearly 275,000 people led by Penn Medicine researchers revealed new insights into genetic drivers of heavy drinking and alcohol use disorder (AUD), the uncontrollable pattern of alcohol use commonly referred to as alcoholism. In the largest-ever genome-wide association study (GWAS) of both traits in the same population, a team of researchers found 18 genetic variants of significance associated with either heavy alcohol consumption, AUD, or both.
Switching pancreatic cancer patients to the PARP inhibitor rucaparib as maintenance therapy may represent new treatment paradigm for pancreatic cancer patients with BRCA mutations
An inhibitor drug that targets a specific mutation in relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) helps patients live almost twice as long as those who receive chemotherapy.
A new combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer caused tumors to shrink in the majority of evaluable patients
Penn Medicine study shows technology tied to patient records pushing doctors toward a new therapy was more effective than just peer education.
Researchers have shown, in mice, that one type of stem cell that makes adult neurons is the source of this lifetime stock of new cells in the hippocampus. These findings may help neuroscientists figure out how to maintain youthful conditions for learning and memory, and repair and regenerate parts of the brain after injury and aging.
Roughly a quarter of patients overdue for colorectal cancer screening mailed completed screening kits back within two months, whether or not they were given a financial incentive to do so.
A new study, published this month in Lancet HIV by Penn Medicine researchers, shows that a naltrexone implant placed under the skin was more effective at helping HIV-positive patients with an opioid addiction reduce relapse and have better HIV-related outcomes compared to the oral drug.
Seven types of bacteria and certain immune factors in a woman’s vagina and cervix may be responsible for increasing the risk of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) or protect against it, according to a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Results of the study provide groundbreaking information that the authors suggest could help physicians better predict preterm birth, especially for African-American women early in pregnancy.
Kevin B. Mahoney will become the next CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS). Mahoney will assume his post on July 1, 2019, succeeding Ralph W. Muller, who has served as the health system’s CEO since 2003.
The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has been ranked #3 among the nation’s medical schools, marking 22 consecutive years the school garnered honors among the top 10 research-oriented medical schools.
Penn Medicine has announced the opening of a new Spine Center at Pennsylvania Hospital—providing patient visits, surgical and nonsurgical treatments, pain management, and imaging under one roof.
Two large national studies show that patient safety was unaffected and residents showed no signs of chronic sleep loss regardless of shift length.
When cancer spreads to another organ, it most commonly moves to the liver, and now researchers at the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania say they know why.
Between 2004 and 2017, dog-walking-related fractures in people 65-or-older more than doubled
Gun-related homicide rates in states with strict gun laws increase when neighboring states have less restrictive laws as a result of gun trafficking across state lines, suggests a new study from Penn Medicine. A review of gun tracing data also revealed that 65 percent of the guns recovered in the most restrictive states originated from other states.
Laws that require landlords to disclose bed bug infestations help combat the spread of the insects and protect the health of potential tenants. According to a new study, these laws also lead to cost savings, on average, for landlords within five years. Researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania published their findings today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Recent research suggests heart attacks are becoming more common among women of younger ages. For decades, little was understood about SCAD -- the leading cause of pregnancy-associated heart attacks.
When it comes to lifestyle changes that can help people avoid cancer, it turns out the heart has a lot to say on the matter.
A single dose of a PD-1 inhibitor before surgery for melanoma can put patients in remission.
Nine patients at Penn Medicine have been cured of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV) following lifesaving heart transplants from deceased donors who were infected with the disease, according to a study published in the American Journal of Transplantation.
Patients were found to often be willing to share their Google search histories with medical researchers, revealing that many do searches on their health concerns long before deciding to go to the hospital.
Patients taking diuretics are often at risk for low potassium levels, which can put patients at an increased risk of death from cardiac arrhythmias or other causes. But researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that taking prescription potassium supplements can reduce these patients’ risk by nearly 10 percent as daily outdoor temperatures increase—a time when patients may be at highest risk due to loss of potassium while sweating. These findings are detailed in a study published today in BMJ Open.
A new animal study describes how cells that become alveoli, the tiny compartments in which gas exchange occurs in the lung, begin their specialized roles very early in prenatal life. Investigating the fetal signaling pathways active in this biological event may offer future opportunities to treat lung damage caused by prematurity and other lung injuries.
Collectively, assessing a snapshot of a person’s unique state of immune health is called immune profiling, which can entail identifying immune-cell-associated genes and proteins, as well as the cell types themselves.
A Penn Medicine research team found that the word “told” was tied to almost 20 percent of poor reviews
Offering compensation can be an important tactic to attract potential participants for enrollment in research studies, but it might come at a cost. A new study conducted by researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that up to 23 percent of respondents lied about their eligibility to participate in a survey when offered payment, even small amounts.
The word “millennial” isn’t exactly a compliment these days. The problem is, all the criticisms out there – “they’re too picky!” or “they’re entitled!” or “they spend all their money on lattes and avocado toast!” – have left it mostly with a negative connotation and rarely a positive one. Any praise for those born between 1981 and 1996 seems to be quickly drowned out by the headlines, memes, and social media posts reinforcing the same old stereotypes of an entire generation. But, in all fairness, millennials are also known to be altruistic, ambitious, and passionate about social injustices, more so than previous generations, many have argued. A USA Today article even described them as the most civic-minded generation in over half a century.
An international team of collaborators found that the CD4 surface protein, which is used by HIV and SIV as the receptor to enter immune cells, is highly variable among wild chimpanzees.
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