Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System

Congratulations to Nobel Prize Laureates Katalin Karikó, PhD, and Drew Weissman, MD, PhD! Penn Medicine scientists Dr. Karikó and Dr. Weissman have been awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their development of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. The Nobel Prize is awarded to those whose contributions “have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind.” Rarely has the work of an honoree had such an immediate relevance to so many. We are so proud of these scientists and their groundbreaking discoveries, which have not only met the challenge of a global pandemic, but will have a profound impact on the treatment and prevention of many other diseases in the decades to come. Together, Dr. Karikó and Dr. Weissman have been recognized with multiple national and international commendations, including the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, the Breakthrough Prize, the Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research, the VinFuture Grand Prize, and the Tang Prize in Biopharmaceutical Science. Learn more: http://spr.ly/6040uJxMq

Damaged organs, like livers, may not need to be replaced via transplants and could instead be fixed thanks to mRNA. That’s the goal of Drew Weissman, MD, PhD, the Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research. “What we’re proposing to do with mRNA is use it to deliver proteins that have the capacity to repair those damaged liver cells,” said Weissman. His colleagues say, one day, this approach could be expanded to other organs. http://spr.ly/6040mRwRA

We're excited to renew our collaboration with the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) to advance cancer immunotherapy research at Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center. “Being part of PICI has opened new doors for teamwork across institutions that has already proved to be very fruitful in moving immunotherapy forward as a pillar of cancer treatment,” said Carl June, MD, the Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy and director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Center at Penn. Learn how this continued alliance will help support discovery science and the advancement of new therapies: http://spr.ly/6046m8WpG

"We did this study because we knew this was an important problem that patients cared deeply about,” said radiation oncologist Justin Bekelman, MD. The RadComp trial he leads reached a milestone of completing patient enrollment earlier this spring. RadComp is designed to help breast cancer patients know whether traditional vs. proton therapy leads to different long-term side effects after treatment. Bekelman and his colleagues worked closely with breast cancer patient advocates to design a study that would address patients’ concerns while making it easier for patients to participate in the research. http://spr.ly/6042li03E

Behavioral Specialist Iresha Picot, M. Ed, LBS, is using a Penn Medicine Green Grant to bring joy, community and movement to Philadelphia women. Black Girl Joy Bike Rides meets twice monthly, providing free Indego passes for those without bikes of their own. “It’s so joyful. I feel so happy that I’m able to create a welcoming space for women to show up," said Picot. "They’re there doing something good with themselves. But we’re also doing something that’s an act of community care. You never have to do anything by yourself." Read the full story from The Philadelphia Inquirer: http://spr.ly/6049lyT0X

From growing up in a family of 10 to becoming CEO of Penn Medicine, Kevin Mahoney has experienced firsthand how small acts can make a big impact. In a recent episode of the Penn Listening Lab, Mahoney reflects on personal and professional moments that have shaped his outlook and approach to leadership. "The enormity of the issues facing the healthcare system writ large in America are just overwhelming," he said. "Could we fix one part of it? One small thing today and then another small thing, and then hopefully the cumulative effect of those small details will add up to a wave." Listen here: http://spr.ly/6046YfJwG

This year could see major breakthroughs in brain cancer treatment. Carl June, MD, the Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy, spoke about the potential of using CAR T therapy to treat #glioblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer that carries a median survival time of 15-18 months. “I think about five years down the line, we’re going to have FDA-approved CARs for glioblastoma,” he said. Read the full interview: http://spr.ly/6047Ysrq9

We've been spending time out in the community this summer offering cancer screenings and other preventive care right in local neighborhoods. Our mobile mammography team spent nearly two weeks in the parking lot of Upper Darby's Fresh Grocer administering 339 mammograms, an all-time high for this effort since its inception in 2021. Staff also volunteered their time at the Community of Compassion Health Fair, performing countless eye and throat exams, PSA blood draws, vascular and liver ultrasounds, and more. Thanks to all the volunteers working to improve #healthequity and keep our communities healthy this summer!

A neuroscientist by training, Dr. Roy Hamilton studies how brains learn and understand. He takes these lessons to heart on a broader scale as Penn Medicine’s new vice dean of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity. "There can sometimes be a mindset that diversity is something extra and separate from excellence. But that is empirically false. Evidence shows that when you bring in diverse talent and create an inclusive environment, people systematically perform better," Hamilton said. "The long-term goal is to advance excellence through diversity and inclusion, and to have a self-reifying system in which inclusive excellence is recognized, valued, and fully supported." Learn more about Dr. Hamilton's background and how he plans to shape his new role: http://spr.ly/6040YwKn8

Researchers at Penn Medicine are pioneering a new type of radiation therapy that could force textbooks to be rewritten. FLASH is an experimental method delivering proton therapy radiation in just a few doses lasting mere seconds each. Its success would result in a paradigm shift for radiation therapy. “The traditional idea [in radiation oncology] is that by fractionating radiation, we can kill tumor cells while sparing healthy tissue. FLASH turns this idea on its head,” said Constantinos Koumenis, PhD. “Our research suggests that by delivering an entire dose of radiation in a few ultra-fast treatments, we may be able to kill the tumor while sparing healthy tissue." Learn more: http://spr.ly/6045YTJXN