Science & Research News

Could we breed cows that emit less methane?

In a new study, researchers from the School of Veterinary Medicine identified attributes of low-methane-emitting dairy cows that could be used as targets for selective breeding.

What fossils tell us about the dining habits of dinosaurs

More than a century of research is vividly shared in ‘An Illustrated Guide to Dinosaur Feeding Biology’ by Ali Nabavizadeh of the School of Veterinary Medicine and David B. Weishampel of Johns Hopkins University.

Cross-disciplinary collaboration for a healthier planet

The Environmental Innovations Initiative announces a third round of funded research communities to catalyze interdisciplinary research at Penn, investigating issues from regenerative agriculture to project-based learning for global climate justice.

From outbreaks to breakthroughs: Tackling infectious and zoonotic diseases

Three years into what feels like a never-ending pandemic, science news has become more than an afterthought to many; it’s a ring buoy for those drowning in a sea of misleading information. The ongoing COVID-19 situation points to the increasingly difficult position science journalists face as they work to disseminate accurate and timely information to the public.

The immune system does battle in the intestines to keep bacteria in check

New research from Penn Vet demonstrates that Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, a relative of the bacterial pathogen that causes plague, triggers the body’s immune system to form lesions in the intestines called granulomas.

Rewiring blood cells to give rise to precursors of sperm

School of Veterinary Medicine researchers teamed with scientists at the University of Texas at San Antonio to transform blood cells to regain a flexible fate, growing into a precursor of sperm cells.

Trained dogs can sniff out a deadly deer disease

Charlie, Jari, and Kiwi are pet dogs with a superpower: Their sensitive noses can distinguish between a healthy deer and one sick with chronic wasting disease (CWD), all from a whiff of the deer’s poop.

Harnessing an innate protection against Ebola

In their evolutionary battle for survival, viruses have developed strategies to spark and perpetuate infection. Once inside a host cell, the Ebola virus, for example, hijacks molecular pathways to replicate itself and eventually make its way back out of the cell into the bloodstream, where it can spread further.

Dr. William Beltran named One of Eight Penn professors elected 2022 AAAS Fellows

How sex differences may influence lung injury

Comparing lung cells from male and female mice, Penn Vet scientists found gene expression differences that may explain why older males are at a higher risk than females for worse outcomes from COVID-19 and similar diseases.

A target for improving recovery from lung injury

After a bout of severe respiratory disease, some patients never fully recover. New research from Penn Vet identifies a factor responsible for inappropriate tissue regrowth after infection, pointing to a possible therapeutic target.

People and places at Penn: Research

From Charles Addams Fine Arts Hall to the Schuylkill River, four researchers share their science and their spaces, including Penn Vet's Roderick Gagne, assistant professor of wildlife disease ecology.

Penn Vet’s Dr. Nicola “Nicky” Mason Appears on 60 Minutes

The interview highlighted Dr. Mason’s role in leading clinical trials that evaluated a novel Listeria-based vaccine to treat pet dogs with osteosarcoma, a common canine bone cancer.

Recreating the adrenal gland in a petri dish

A Penn Vet–led team coaxed stem cells to take on the characteristics and functions of a human adrenal gland, progress that could lead to new therapies for adrenal insufficiencies and a deeper understanding of the genetics of such disorders.

A FLASH of radiation may lead to new cancer care for people and pets alike

Led by the Perelman School of Medicine’s Keith Cengel and the School of Veterinary Medicine’s Brian Flesner, a new study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of treating oral cancer in dogs with a palliative radiation in just two clinic visits.

Dr. William Beltran Named Corinne R. and Henry Bower Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine

Andrew M. Hoffman, DVM, DVSc, DACVIM, Gilbert S. Kahn Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Vet) has named William Beltran, DVM, MSc, PhD, DECVO, an internationally recognized veterinary ophthalmologist, the Corinne R. and Henry Bower Professor of Ophthalmology.

NIH-funded canine immunotherapy data center charts a path toward transformative therapies

With support recently for five more years, Nicola Mason of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Qi Long of the Perelman School of Medicine hope their work leads to new insights in cancer care for people as well as pets.

University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine Launches New Center for Stewardship Agriculture and Food Security

Drawing on multi-disciplinary expertise, the Center seeks to improve animal agriculture while mitigating climate and ecological impacts.

Making ‘true’ equine IVF a reproducible success

A new method developed by Katrin Hinrichs and colleagues in the School of Veterinary Medicine resulted in the birth of three healthy foals. The technique opens the door to new insights in the basic biology of horse reproduction.

T cells that ‘nibble’ tumors unwittingly help cancer evade the immune response

Penn Vet have uncovered a detailed mechanism by which tumors can skirt both the immune system and cancer therapies that leverage its power.