Woman brushes teeth while looking in mirror.

Your mouth could hold the secrets to a longer and healthier life

As scientists link oral bacteria to heart disease and cognitive decline, a push is under way to treat the mouth as a source of bodywide inflammation. For example, immunologist John D. Lambris, PhD, the Dr. Ralph and Sallie Weaver Professor of Research Medicine in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and George Hajishengallis, DDS, PhD, of Penn Dental, led research that resulted in the development of an experimental drug applied into gum tissue, aimed at calming the immune response.

Washington state throws a lifeline to those needing long-term care

A first-in-the-nation program in Washington state that provides long-term care benefits has just started to pay out claims. Norma Coe, PhD, an associate professor of Medical Ethics & Health Policy, explained the benefits that such a program can provide those in it, and how a state or federal program can potentially affect the private insurance market.

New research for high-risk, localized prostate cancer

Neha Vapiwala, MD, the Eli Glatstein Professor in Radiation Oncology, discussed the results of the Phase 3 PROTEUS study, which found that adding an oral androgen receptor inhibitor to androgen deprivation therapy for six months before and six months after surgery improved certain outcomes for patients with high-risk localized or locally advanced prostate cancer.

Penn Medicine news and views
A chirimacha insect on a white surface.
An immune system for a city

A decentralized approach modeled on the immune system detected more disease-carrying insects than conventional surveillance in Peru.

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