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Genetics
A better understanding into how genes make us prone to allergies
Slight alterations in the ETS1 protein level can lead to allergic inflammation.
Three things to know about BRCA mutations in men
Kara Maxwell, director of the Men & BRCA Program at the Basser Center, is bridging the knowledge gap about how BRCA mutations affect men.
Improved gene editing method could power future cell and gene therapies
A new technique based on special cell-penetrating peptides promises advantages over current methods for editing the genomes of primary cells, such as patients’ T cells.
Four from Penn awarded Helen Keller Prize for Vision Research
Faculty from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Perelman School of Medicine were honored at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting in New Orleans.
Biological test detects Parkinson’s disease before symptoms present
Penn Medicine research shows this test can detect a build-up of abnormal protein deposits linked to Parkinson’s disease in cerebrospinal fluid.
Decolonializing science and technology
Kim Tallbear, professor of Native studies at the University of Alberta, delivered the Provost’s lecture on diversity on decolonializing science and technology.
Genomics reveals a complex human history in Africa
An international team of researchers led by Penn geneticists sequenced the genomes of 180 indigenous Africans. The results shed light on the origin of modern humans, African population history, and local adaptation.
Who, What, Why: Sociologist Wendy Roth on genetic ancestry tests and race perception
With funding from the National Institutes of Health, Roth plans to explore how people view others who change their racial identity based on results from at-home DNA kits.
Solving medical mysteries with genetics: The Penn Neurogenetics Therapy Center
The Penn Neurogenetics Therapy Center works to achieve a genetic diagnosis for as many patients as possible, and establish clinical trials using novel gene and molecular therapies.
Proactive genetic testing for hereditary cancer risk can help improve outcomes
Neonatal intensive care nurse Kimyatta Frazier found solace in a relationship with a genetic counselor at Penn Medicine who would be instrumental in helping her feel more in control of any future cancer diagnoses.
In the News
FDA approves two sickle cell therapies, including first CRISPR medicine
Kiran Musunuru of the Perelman School of Medicine says that gene editing will be the biggest story of the century.
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More than 260,000 Penn Medicine patients have agreed to share their DNA for research, and the discoveries are just getting started
More than 260,000 people have signed up to participate in Penn Medicine BioBank, co-directed by Marilyn Ritchie and Dan Rader, which cross-references DNA with electronic health records to discover genetic variants of medical conditions.
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Jim Wilson has two new promising gene therapy studies, but says investment in the cutting-edge field has ‘gotten worse’
Jim Wilson of the Perelman School of Medicine has published two new studies supporting the promise of cutting-edge gene therapy, finding evidence that the genetic treatments can be beneficial for years without raising the risk of cancer.
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Famed 5,300-year-old Alps Iceman was a balding middle-aged man with dark skin and eyes
Iain Mathieson of the Perelman School of Medicine says that the Iceman genome was one of the first ancient human genomes ever published.
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Philly gene therapy companies tap into city’s workforce training program for lab techs
Penn Medicine is noted for spearheading gene therapy for cancer treatment, being the first in the nation to use a gene editing tool to combat cancer in 2019.
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These eight diseases are so rare that drug firms haven’t tried treating them with gene therapy. A $97 million program aims to help
Gene therapy for a rare form of blindness will be tested at Penn Medicine while gene therapy for a condition that causes skeletal deformities and seizures will be tested at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
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