Blog List - Penn Medicine

Proudly Parasitic: Penn Scientist Highlights the Positives in “Research Parasites”

March 31, 2017

It may sound like an insult, but “research parasite” is a label that Casey Greene, PhD, wears with pride—and so do many other scientists like him. Greene is helping to reclaim that seemingly ugly title by granting an annual set of awards for two scientists, one junior and one established, for research that finds novel insights from reusing and analyzing other people’s data.

Research

When it Comes to Colon Cancer Screenings, Trust Your Gut

March 29, 2017

Colon cancer is considered one of the most preventable but deadly illnesses; it’s the second leading cause of cancer death among men and women in the United States. Screening tests like colonoscopies can prevent cancer or detect it at an early stage, when treatment can be highly effective. Even with these well-known facts, few people get the recommended screening.

Cancer

Half a world away, he feels his parents' presence on Match Day

March 28, 2017

Jason Han, a medical student at Penn, recently wrote about how his experience as an immigrant inspired his path to a medical career.

Match Day

New Proton Center Research Room Will Have an Impact Near and Far

March 27, 2017

The new Albert Chadwick Research Room inside the Roberts Proton Therapy Center is no ordinary laboratory space. In fact, there’s nothing else quite like it anywhere else in the United States, and whether it’s treating patients with cancer or helping NASA with its plans to send astronauts to Mars, the discoveries that could propel scientists forward will happen right here.

Cancer Radiology Research

A Lot of Hard Work and a Little Luck O’ the Irish Pay Off for PSOM’s Class of 2017

March 24, 2017

On Friday, March 17, while most people were celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, soon-to-be graduating students in the Perelman School of Medicine were hoping that in addition to a little “luck o’ the Irish, ” their years of hard work would pay off as their residency placements were revealed during Penn’s annual Match Day ceremony.

Match Day Education

Solving the Riddle of Preterm Birth

March 22, 2017

Nearly 15 million babies in the world are born prematurely every year, and recent data show the number is on the rise, but the exact cause of premature birth remains one of Mother Nature’s best kept secrets. Doctors simply can’t explain why an otherwise healthy woman might go into labor early, making it difficult to treat—but perhaps there is a key.

OBGYN Neonatology and Newborn Services Patient Care Womens Health

Mind Your Brain: Closing the Gap for Brain Injury Survivors

March 20, 2017

In 1989, Trisha Meili was viciously attacked, leaving her with a severe traumatic brain injury. Doctors didn’t think she’d survive. But Meili did more than survive: She thrived. What kept her going is part of the message she’ll share with attendees at this week’s annual Mind Your Brain @ Penn Medicine conference, all of whom are brain injury survivors, families, and caretakers.

Brain and Behavior Trauma Neurology

Could the Next Doctor You See Be a Robot?

March 17, 2017

Understanding how to work with new artificial intelligence may be the key to innovation and growth in medicine in the years ahead. Here at Penn Medicine and other academic medical centers, robotic surgery is already used in performing low-risk outpatient surgeries—but how did we get here, and what technology is ahead for care providers?

Radiology

Match Day 2017: A Childhood in the Alaskan Wilderness Comes Full Circle

March 16, 2017

Each year, soon-to-be graduating medical students count down to the third Friday in March, also known as “Match Day,” when they find out where they will continue their medical training. Fourth-year PSOM student Joe Mintz shares how his passion for science intersects with his love of the outdoors as he prepares for a career in anesthesiology.