Host: Lee Freedman, MD Guest: Jean Bennett, MD, PhD Host Dr. Lee Freedman and Dr. Jean Bennett, the FM Kirby Professor of Epistemology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, explore how the study of molecular genetics of inherited retinal degenerations can help develop treatments for congenital eye disorders, as well as adult-onset diseases and possibly disorders that affect the body outside the eye ..read more

Host: Lee Freedman, MD The Philadelphia Chromosome provided the first evidence that genetic abnormalities were linked to cancer. This discovery at Penn Medicine more than 50 years ago ushered in the modern period of cytogenetics. Now, the Center for Personalized Diagnostics (CPD) builds on this legacy and is set to pave the way for a new era of genomic and therapeutic pathology. The Center is a joint initiative with the Abramson Cancer Center and integrates molecular genetics, pathology informatics and genomic pathology to empower physicians and patients to truly customize their treatment opti ..read more

Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP Guest: Janos L. Tanyi, MD, PhD Recently the FDA approved a “Glowing Tumor” imaging drug to help oncologists better identify ovarian cancer cells using an approach pioneered by surgeons at Penn Medicine. Joining Dr. Charles Turck to discuss this recent approval and fluorescence-guided, intraoperative imaging is Dr. Janos Tanyi, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania ..read more

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Patrick J. Connolly, MD Back and neck pain is extremely common, with 80-90% of people experiencing some pain within their lifetime. About 90% of cases resolve within six weeks, but for those patients whose pain persists, questions arise as to who should be referred next for further consultation. While patients often see a spine specialist at first, the care journey sometimes leads to a neurosurgeon or orthopaedic spine surgeon. Can this pathway from primary care to neurosurgery or orthopaedic surgery ever be expedited? Dr. Patrick Connolly, neurosurgeon at Penn M ..read more

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: Robert Vonderheide, MD For years, the foundations of cancer treatment, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy were utilized with the objective of weakening cancer. But over the past several years, immunotherapy – therapies that enlist and strengthen the power of a patient’s immune system to attack tumors - has emerged as a new tool for fighting cancer. In August 2017, one such treatment approach, called Chimeric Antigen Receptor or CAR T-cell Therapy, received FDA approval for the treatment of children and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL ..read more

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Taine Pechet, MD Dr. Taine Pechet, chief of surgery at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and associate professor of clinical surgery at Penn Medicine joins host Dr. Matt Birnholz to discuss his thoughts on who should be regularly screen for lung cancer and the various diagnostic techniques from his perspective as a thoracic surgeon. Dr. Pechet also discusses the surgical outcomes for these patient and his thoughts on what is on the horizon for the lung cancer field ..read more

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Major Kenneth Lee, IV, MD, PhD Though a relatively rare disease, pancreatic cancer remains at the forefront of clinical discussion due to its highly aggressive nature. Dr. Major Kenneth Lee, Assistant Professor of Surgery at Penn Medicine, estimates that pancreatic cancer will become the number 2 cause of cancer death by the year 2020. This projected rise in mortality is largely due to the need for better advancement in treatment options. Join host Dr. Jennifer Caudle and guest, Dr. Major Kenneth Lee, as they discuss major signs and symptoms associated with a p ..read more

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Michael Mullen, MD Every second counts for stroke patients. During a stroke, two-million brain cells die every minute, making the urgent administration of therapies and treatment vital to ensure a positive outcome. Host Dr. Jennifer Caudle is joined by Dr. Michael Mullen, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Penn Medicine. They discuss the clinical hallmarks and priority treatment consideration for stroke ..read more

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Robert H. Debbs, DO Joining Dr. Matt Birnholz to discuss counseling methods for patients who are trying to conceive is Dr. Robert Debbs, Director of the Pennsylvania Hospital Maternal Fetal Medicine Network in New Jersey and Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Penn Medicine. Dr. Debbs will discuss pre-conceptual counseling on a range of topics such as obesity, congenital heart disease, depression, and conceiving after a miscarriage ..read more

Host: Shira Johnson, MD For the first time, Penn Medicine surgeons were able to complete a bilateral hand transplant on a child. The surgical team successfully transplanted donor hands and forearms onto 8-year-old Zion Harvey who, several years earlier, had undergone amputation of his hands and feet and a kidney transplant following a serious infection. Host Dr. Shira Johnson sits down with Dr. Scott Levin, who led the surgical team and is Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Penn Medicine. They discuss this remarkable, groundbreaking surgery ..read more