Modupe Coker named Fellow of Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine
Coker, an associate professor in the Department of Basic and Translational Sciences at Penn Dental Medicine, is among 100 fellows from across the country selected for the 2025-2026 Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine® (ELAM) program. Hosted by Drexel University College of Medicine, ELAM is dedicated to preparing women for senior leadership roles in schools of medicine, dentistry, public health and pharmacy.
Researchers led by César de la Fuente of the Perelman School of Medicine have created new peptides that fight hard-to-treat “superbug” infections by punching holes in bacterial cells and stimulating immune cells to signal for more defenders.
(Image: Courtesy of Jianing Bai)
Delivering a one-two punch to superbugs to fight infections
Penn researchers create mirror-image molecules that both kill pathogens outright and rally the immune system—an advance aimed at the growing crisis of antimicrobial resistance.
Penn Dental Medicine renews MOU with Jagiellonian University Medical College
The renewed MOU, signed by Penn Dental Medicine’s Morton Amsterdam Dean, Dr. Mark Wolff, and Penn Dental professor Uri Hangorsky, will further strengthen the partnership, facilitating joint research projects, faculty exchanges, and student programs.
Microrobots navigate diverse oral environments to deliver therapies
Penn Engineers and clinicians at the Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry are developing shapeshifting microrobots capable of navigating the complex environments of the mouth to deliver targeted treatments.
New drug therapy with natural compound shows promise against periodontal diseases
A translational study from the lab of Penn Dental Medicine’s Esra Sahingur shows “senotherapy” drug combination is effective in managing gingivitis and periodontitis.
Kendra Domotor may have “zigzagged” her way to dentistry, but her journey helped her find her center in dentistry, helping her blend her love of science, teaching, and service.
Image: Kevin Monko; Courtesy of Penn Dental Medicine.
Commonly prescribed medications for high blood pressure have unexpected side effects
Henry Daniell of Penn Dental and collaborators found that ACE inhibitors dramatically reduced the activity of ACE2, a critical cardioprotective enzyme.
Dana Graves receives Alan J. Davis Award/SCADA Achievement Award
Graves, a professor of periodontics and vice dean for Research & Scholarship and interim chair of the Department of Periodontics at Penn’s School of Dental Medicine, is recognized for his leadership and commitment to the advancement of dentistry.
An antiviral chewing gum to reduce influenza and herpes simplex virus transmission
Researchers at Penn Dental Medicine and collaborators have used a clinical-grade antiviral chewing gum to substantially reduce viral loads of two herpes simplex viruses and two influenza A strains in experimental models.