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Health Sciences
Palliative care study demonstrates scalable strategy to support hospitalized patients
The largest-ever study of palliative care shows “default orders” in electronic medical records nearly triples palliative care consultation rates for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia, or kidney failure.
Protein partners identified as potential key for fetal bone development
A pair of proteins, YAP and TAZ, could contribute to the development of healthy, strong bones by directing early cell movement and blood vessel generation.
COVID-19 vaccine is strongly effective for children and adolescents during delta and omicron
A health record analysis shows that the risk of infection and severe illness is significantly lower for those who are vaccinated, and cardiac conditions do not increase.
Trauma surgeon works to confront firearm injury at its source
Elinore Kaufman, LDI senior fellow and assistant professor of surgery in the Perelman School of Medicine, focuses on helping patients and communities with firearm violence.
Books, babies, and bonding: How a passion for literacy benefits the hospital’s smallest patients
Whitney Zachritz, an intensive care nursery clinical practice leader at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, spends part of her week in the 38-bed neonatal intensive care unit curating books for parents to read to their newborns.
Out-of-pocket cost increase could put HIV prevention medications out of reach
A Penn Medicine study finds that even modest increases in out-of-pocket costs for HIV prevention drugs could double the rate at which prescriptions go unfilled.
New AI tool brings precision pathology for cancer into quicker, sharper focus
Researchers at Penn Medicine have developed an artificial intelligence tool to quickly analyze gene activities in medical images and provide single-cell insight into diseases in tissues and tissue microenvironments.
How Penn Medicine is changing the world with mRNA
Vaccines are just the beginning of the potential for messenger RNA, the Nobel Prize-winning technology.
New treatment reverses Alzheimer’s disease signs
According to a preclinical study from Penn Medicine researchers, a molecular compound mimics the effect of natural chaperones that are depleted in the aging brain.
Microrobots: An emerging biomedical trend
In a Q&A with Penn Today, Hyun (Michel) Koo of the School of Dental Medicine and Edward Steager of the School of Engineering and Applied Science discuss the emerging trend of microrobots in healthcare.
In the News
What’s going on with tranq?
Jeanmarie Perron of the Perelman School of Medicine says that the appearance and progression of skin ulcers and tissue loss on xylazine users is different than with other intravenous drugs.
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It’s time to end the Medicare-Medicaid merry-go-round
In an opinion essay, Rachel M. Werner of the Leonard Davis Institute, Wharton School, and Perelman School of Medicine says that Medicare and Medicaid fail to integrate coverage and coordinate care across their two plans.
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Inside Penn’s transfer center
Penn Medicine’s transfer command center gets patients from affiliated hospitals and hospitals outside Philadelphia to specialized care that can save lives, with comments from CEO Kevin Mahoney.
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The quest for treatments to keep weight off after Ozempic
Researchers at Penn are conducting a co-authored study of the brains, fat and muscle cells, and eating patterns of people trying to maintain new body sizes.
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Operating rooms are major sources of greenhouse gasses. Penn is eliminating a form of anesthesia that hangs in the air for more than a decade after use
Penn Medicine is phasing out the anesthesia desflurane at four of its six hospitals to eliminate harmful greenhouse gases, with remarks from Greg Evans.
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