The Vaccine Trenches
Key breakthroughs leading to the powerful mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 were forged at Penn. That triumph was almost 50 years in the making, longer on obstacles than celebration, and the COVID-19 vaccines may only be the beginning of its impact on 21st-century medicine.
Webside Manner
Virtual healthcare by smartphone or computer helps physicians consult with and diagnose patients much more quickly, while offering them convenience and flexibility. The potential to save lives and improve efficiencies is tremendous. But can uncertain regulations and reimbursements, equity and access disparities, and shaky internet connections be surmounted?
Shot of Confidence
The roots of vaccine hesitancy among Blacks.
New Era Dawning
Orphan Disease Center looks to a new era of advances.
The Humanist Is In
In a new book, Jason Karlawish GM’99, codirector of the Penn Memory Center, unravels the tapestry of Alzheimer’s science and history, and outlines the medical, social, and ethical challenges that lie ahead.
Welcome to Year Zero
New doctor, new disease, new parent.
Impatient Hope
“Anything was possible, because no one knew.”
Hero on the Beach
David Langer C’85 M’90 GM’98 helped save a stranger’s life.
Journey to the Nobel
Gregg L. Semenza M’82 Gr’84 is a Nobel Prize winner.
Rush on the Mind
A focus on mental illness was a constant throughout the multi-faceted career of Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, prolific writer, longtime Penn faculty member, and the most prominent—and controversial—physician of his day.
End Stage
“I will soon be with my son. I am fine.”
Phantom Concussions
Here’s what may have afflicted US diplomats in Cuba.
The Legend of Frances Houston
James Widerman C’66 shares a touching memory of how biomedical librarian Frances Houston helped his father, Arnold H. Widerman C’33 M’37, obtain books for his classes.
Hope for Katherine Belle
How one family’s journey through the realm of rare disease led them to the newest frontier of precision genetic medicine.
FDA Approves First Gene Therapy for Cancer
FDA approval for Penn-developed gene therapy for cancer.
Science and Error
A history of unripe findings and unintended consequences.