Penn Partners in New National Science Foundation AI Institute for Human-AI Cooperation News / July 30, 2026 From the teenage soccer player recovering from knee surgery to the grandparent relearning how to walk after a stroke, physical therapy plays a vital role in restoring mobility and helping people live independently—especially later in life. But what if artificial intelligence could work side by side with clinicians and physical... Read More
A New Kind of Light Sail Brings Interstellar Travel One Step Closer News / July 30, 2026 What if spacecraft could travel to nearby stars not with rockets, but by riding beams of light? Penn Engineers have developed an ultralight, highly reflective "light sail" that overcomes major engineering hurdles, bringing laser-powered interstellar travel one step closer to reality. Read More
How AI Could Make Autism Screening More Accessible News / July 28, 2026 Researchers at Penn Engineering and the Kennedy Krieger Institute developed an AI system that measures motor imitation using ordinary video, bringing autism screening one step closer to real-world clinical use. The technology could make objective, accessible assessments available in more clinics, schools and homes. Read More
A One-Two Punch: Using Lipid Nanoparticles to Transform Oral Cancer Treatment News / July 27, 2026 Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common form of head and neck cancer, and the number of new cases is predicted to rise by 30% in the next decade. Despite decades of cancer research, treating OSCC remains a challenge. The five-year survival rate is approximately 50%, and standard... Read More
Buildings That Cool Like African Elephants News / July 22, 2026 Inspired by the cracked, water-trapping skin of elephants, Penn researchers have developed a low-cost cement tile that cools buildings by capturing and slowly evaporating water—turning a structural flaw into a climate solution. Read More
AI Platform Could Speed Peptide Drug Discovery News / July 21, 2026 PeptiVerse combines diverse datasets and machine learning models to predict key properties that help determine whether peptides are worth pursuing as drugs. Read More
The Impact of Microplastics and How to Limit Exposure News / July 15, 2026 Penn researchers explain how microplastics from everyday products enter ecosystems and the human body, highlight emerging health risks, and share practical steps to limit exposure. Read More
Virtual Patients, Real-World Training News / July 14, 2026 Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, New York University and Penn’s Linguistic Data Consortium have received a two-year, $4 million grant from the Wellcome Trust to develop a scalable, AI-powered platform for training mental health clinicians. Read More
Penn Engineers Develop AI Tool to Design Peptides That Turn Signals On or Off News / July 9, 2026 A new Penn-led AI framework could help accelerate peptide drug discovery by generating candidates predicted to have specified effects, such as activating or blocking receptors involved in metabolism, addiction and cancer. Read More
Unearthing New Cancer Treatments From Fungi News / July 8, 2026 Penn Engineers led by Xue ‘Sherry’ Gao have developed a gene-editing tool built specifically for fungi, unlocking a hidden library of molecules — including some with early anti-cancer promise — from one of biology’s most overlooked kingdoms. Researchers have spent decades — and billions of dollars — sequencing animal and... Read More
