A wearable new technology moves brain monitoring from the lab to the real world Postdoc Arjun Ramakrishnan (left) and Penn Integrates Knowledge professor Michael Platt created a wearable EEG akin to a Fitbit for the brain, with a set of silicon and silver nanowire sensors embedded into a head covering like the headband seen here. The new technology led to the formation of a company called Cogwear, LLC. A wearable new technology moves brain monitoring from the lab to the real world The portable EEG created by PIK Professor Michael Platt and postdoc Arjun Ramakrishnan has potential applications from health care to sports performance.
Five insights into how the brain works Martha J. Farah, the Annenberg Professor of Natural Sciences, is director of the Center for Neuroscience & Society at Penn. (Pre-pandemic image: Courtesy Martha Farah) Five insights into how the brain works As the Center for Neuroscience & Society celebrates 10 years, founding director Martha Farah reflects on the array of research from its faculty, on subjects from brain games to aggression.
What is a ‘mass shooting’ and how do we talk about gun violence? Richard Berk, professor of criminology and statistics. (Image: Eric Sucar) What is a ‘mass shooting’ and how do we talk about gun violence? In a Q&A, criminologist Richard Berk discusses why definitions matter and what role social media and mental illness play in this context.
An early start at research Rising senior Donnisa Edmonds (right) practices placing electrodes on her colleague to measure physiological responses. As part of her research with the EDEN lab, she tracks the physical responses of children as they perform a series of tasks. An early start at research As part of the Jumpstart for Juniors program through the Center for Undergraduate Research and Fellowships, rising seniors can spend the summer working with faculty on unique and fascinating projects.
Keeping parasites from sticking to mosquito guts could block disease transmission Mosquitoes infected with the parasite Crithidia fasciculata may offer a valuable model for studying other parasite diseases, according to a study led by Penn Vet’s Michael Povelones and Penn State Brandywine’s Megan Povelones. Here, a microscopic image shows the hindgut of Aedes aegypti mosquito infected with Crithidia expressing green fluorescent protein. (Image: Michael Povelones) Keeping parasites from sticking to mosquito guts could block disease transmission Researchers at the School of Veterinary Medicine show how a new model for studying the way parasites known as kinetoplastids adhere to mosquitoes’ insides could illuminate strategies for curbing diseases.
Unraveling the brain’s reward circuits The investigation explored the "reward neurons" in the brain. (Image: Amber Alhadeff) Unraveling the brain’s reward circuits Food, alcohol, and certain drugs all act to reduce the activity of hunger neurons and to release reward signals in the brain, but alcohol and drugs rely on a different pathway than does food.
Meaningful science, with students at the helm Jenni Punt (center), a professor of immunology at Penn Vet, is leading the One Health@Penn research community. (Image: Eric Sucar) Meaningful science, with students at the helm With CANINE, a collaboration between the School of Veterinary Medicine and the School of Arts and Sciences’ Biology Department, undergraduates are breaking new ground in immunology.
Through a marriage of bioengineering breakthroughs, ‘the best of both worlds’ Andrei Georgescu with a mockup of an organ-on-a-chip. (Photo: Kevin Monko) Through a marriage of bioengineering breakthroughs, ‘the best of both worlds’ Dan Huh, Sunghee Estelle Park, and Andrei Georgescu on the promise of combining two cutting-edge organ engineering techniques to create new breakthroughs in understanding the human body.
From the bench to bedside, boardroom, and beyond Penn Life Sciences & Management seniors from the Trident Therapeutics team present their final capstone project to a room of more than 100 of the “who's who” of biotechnology. (Photo: Brooke Sietinsons) From the bench to bedside, boardroom, and beyond Penn’s Life Sciences & Management program empowers the next generation of biotechnology leaders with an education in both business and the natural sciences.
Pokémon activates a unique part of the brain, offering insights into its structure Pokémon activates a unique part of the brain, offering insights into its structure In a study of adults who played the game extensively as children, Penn and Stanford researchers discovered that a particular area of the visual cortex lights up when players view characters from the original version.