Add BrightSurf on Google Email

University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science


Penn engineers develop AI tool to design peptides that turn signals on or off

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Chinese University of Hong Kong created TD3B, an AI framework guiding peptide generation toward candidates predicted to have a desired effect. The tool predicts binding likelihood and determines activation or deactivation of associated cellular machinery.

FireANTs brings AI speed and geometric precision to medical imaging

FireANTs, an open-source algorithm, combines AI optimization and geometry to quickly match complex medical images. The new method can accomplish what took weeks in minutes, detecting subtle changes that signal disease or cognitive decline, making it practical for clinical practice.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalNature Communications·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJun 9, 2026

Testing AI against public health’s existing tools

A new study found that AI-powered chatbots can make vaccine-hesitant parents more likely to say they will immunize their children against HPV, but no more than standard written public health materials. Additionally, the effects of the chatbots did not last longer than those of government health materials.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalJAMA Network Open·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJun 8, 2026

Penn researchers use AI to surface unreported GLP-1 side effects in Reddit posts

Researchers identified patient-reported symptoms associated with GLP-1s, including menstrual changes, fatigue, and temperature-related complaints, that may not be fully captured in clinical trials or drug labeling. Nearly 4% of Reddit users reported reproductive symptoms, and fatigue was the second most common complaint.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalNature Health·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateApr 10, 2026

Topology helps build more robust photonic networks

Researchers have shown that topology can guide multiple, information-carrying light signals through chip-based photonic communication systems, making them more powerful and reliable. This breakthrough could enable the creation of networks of chips that communicate using light while taking advantage of topology's robustness.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 19, 2026

Engineered lipid nanoparticles reprogram immune metabolism for better mRNA vaccines

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania developed lipid nanoparticles that modify immune metabolism to strengthen mRNA vaccines and reduce common side effects. The new lipid boosts the metabolism of immune cells, providing energy for the body's defenses while dialing down inflammatory signals.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalNature Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 17, 2026

New robotic microfluidic platform brings ai to lipid nanoparticle design

Engineers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed LIBRIS, an automated microfluidic platform capable of generating lipid nanoparticle formulations at high speed and scale. This enables the creation of large, systematic datasets needed to train predictive AI models, accelerating the design of lipid nanoparticles for mRNA delivery.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalACS Nano·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 9, 2026

Physics of foam strangely resembles AI training

Engineers at the University of Pennsylvania have discovered that foams exhibit internal motion resembling deep learning in AI systems. The study suggests a common mathematical principle underlying both foams and AI training, with implications for designing adaptive materials and understanding biological structures.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 14, 2026

New video dataset to advance AI for health care

Researchers have launched a new multimodal medical dataset, Observer, capturing anonymized, real-time interactions between patients and clinicians. The dataset links video, audio, transcripts, and electronic health records to study subtleties like body language and environmental factors affecting care.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalJournal of the American Medical Informatics Association·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 16, 2025

Penn and UMich create world’s smallest programmable, autonomous robots

Researchers at Penn and UMich created microscopic swimming machines that can independently sense and respond to their surroundings, operate for months, and cost just a penny each. The robots are powered by light and can be programmed to move in complex patterns, sense local temperatures, and adjust their paths accordingly.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalScience Robotics·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 15, 2025

From soft to solid: How a coral stiffens its skeleton on demand

A soft coral's ability to stiffen its skeleton in response to danger has been studied by Penn Engineers, revealing a mechanism known as granular jamming. By compacting mineral particles and expelling water, the coral's tissues create a rigid structure that can withstand external forces.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 27, 2025

What stiffening lung tissue reveals about the earliest stages of fibrosis

Penn Engineering researchers used a technique called photochemical cross-linking to stiffen lung tissue, revealing changes in cell behavior that may drive fibrosis. The team observed transitional cells caught in an identity crisis, unable to perform either role well, which contributed to disease progression.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalNature Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 5, 2025

AI uncovers new antibiotics in ancient microbes

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania used AI to identify previously unknown compounds in Archaea that could fuel the development of next-generation antibiotics. The study, published in Nature Microbiology, found that 93% of the identified archaeasins demonstrated antimicrobial activity against drug-resistant bacteria.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalNature Microbiology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 12, 2025

Centuries after discovery, red blood cells still hold surprises

Researchers at University of Pennsylvania discover red blood cells contribute to clot contraction, shrinking and stabilizing blood clots. The finding opens door to new strategies for studying and treating clotting disorders, such as excessive bleeding or dangerous clots like those seen in strokes.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalBlood Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 6, 2025

AI vision, reinvented: The power of synthetic data

Researchers developed CoSyn, a new approach to train open-source models using AI-generated scientific figures and charts. The resulting dataset, CoSyn-400K, includes over 400,000 synthetic images and 2.7 million sets of corresponding instructions. CoSyn-trained models match or outperform proprietary peers in various benchmark tests.

Less pain, more gain: A new recipe for safer, stronger mRNA vaccines

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania designed a new recipe for mRNA vaccines by adding phenol groups, which reduce inflammation and improve vaccine effectiveness. The modified lipids improved vaccine performance in various diseases, including COVID-19, cancer, and genetic diseases, with enhanced efficacy and reduced side effects.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalNature Biomedical Engineering·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 18, 2025

What ever-growing incisors can teach us about genetic disease

Researchers use a combination of materials science and human genetics to map out the properties of enamel and dentin development in mouse incisors. Their methodology has the potential to provide new insights into identifying and treating rare craniofacial diseases and common dental cavities.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·TypeObservational study·DateJul 17, 2025

Penn engineers discover a new class of materials that passively harvest water from air

Researchers have developed a material that can collect moisture from the air and release it onto surfaces without external energy input. The material works through capillary condensation, where water vapor condenses inside tiny pores at lower humidity levels, creating a feedback loop of water harvesting.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalScience Advances·TypeObservational study·DateMay 21, 2025

Penn engineers first to train AI at lightspeed

Researchers have created a breakthrough photonic chip that can train nonlinear neural networks using light, accelerating AI training while reducing energy use. The chip uses a special semiconductor material to reshape how light behaves, enabling reconfigurable systems with wide mathematical function expression.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalNature Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 15, 2025

Scientists unlock frogs’ antibacterial secrets to combat superbugs

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science have discovered a new class of antibiotics derived from frog secretions, which show promise in targeting harmful bacteria without affecting human cells or beneficial gut bacteria. The synthetic peptides were developed using structure-guided design a...

Borrowing nature’s blueprint: How scientists replicated bone marrow

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science have developed a platform that emulates human marrow's native environment. The device, called a bone marrow-on-a-chip, generates functional human blood cells and models the immune system's response to infections, paving the way for advanced drug dev...

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalCell Stem Cell·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 30, 2025

Who to vaccinate first? Penn engineers answer a life-or-death question with network theory

Researchers created a framework to determine the best vaccination strategy for communities with individuals of different risk levels. The framework prioritizes vaccination efforts for high-risk groups, such as the elderly and immunocompromised, or high-contact groups, like essential workers, over baseline populations.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalPLOS One·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 22, 2025

A new era in genetic engineering

Researchers have developed a new genetic engineering tool, mvGPT, that can precisely edit genes, activate gene expression, and repress genes all at the same time. The technology has shown promise in treating genetic diseases such as Wilson's disease and type I diabetes by targeting multiple genetic conditions simultaneously.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 8, 2025

Revolutionizing data centers: Penn engineers’ breakthrough in photonic switching

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science have developed a novel photonic switch that can redirect signals in trillionths of a second with minimal power consumption. The new switch uses non-Hermitian physics and silicon material to achieve unprecedented speed and efficiency.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalNature Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 7, 2025

New quantum sensing technology reveals sub-atomic signals

Researchers have developed a new quantum sensing technology that can detect individual nuclei, revealing tiny differences in molecular structure and dynamics. This unprecedented sensitivity enables scientists to study the building blocks of nature at an entirely new scale, leading to breakthroughs in fields like drug development.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalNano Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 6, 2025

Nature’s instructions: How fungi make a key medicinal molecule

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science have discovered a previously unreported enzyme that catalyzes the creation of cyclopentachromone-containing compounds. This breakthrough could potentially lead to the development of new pharmaceuticals for treating cancer and inflammation.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 18, 2024

Peptide-guided nanoparticles deliver mRNA to neurons

Researchers have developed peptide-guided nanoparticles that can target specific cells in the brain, including neurons, marking a significant step toward potential mRNA treatments for neurological diseases. The innovation uses peptides to precisely deliver mRNA to endothelial cells lining blood vessels and neurons.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalNano Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 17, 2024