In The News

Local scientists assist major genetic breakthrough

The Atlantic Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Penn scientists were instrumental in the recent discovery of the gene that causes fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), a rare condition that causes the growth of a second skeleton. It's a fascinating and inspiring story.

The group’s members gave [Frederick Kaplan] more than their stories and DNA: they began raising money. Nick Bogard, whose son Jud had been diagnosed with the disease at age 3, organized a golf tournament in Massachusetts that raised $30,000. That money allowed Kaplan to host the first scientific conference about FOP, in 1991. Other families hosted barbecues, ice-fishing tournaments, swim-a-thons, bingo nights. In 2012 alone, Peeper’s organization raised $520,000 for research. That’s not much compared with, say, the $1 billion that the NIH distributes each year for diabetes research. But these funds were crucial for Kaplan, who sought to escape the rare-disease trap. IFOPA’s money—as well as gifts from other private donors and an endowment accompanying Kaplan’s professorship at Penn—made it possible for him to work single-mindedly on FOP for more than two decades.

Original source: The Atlantic
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New York Times lauds First Round Capital's Dorm Room Fund

The New York Times Tuesday, April 09, 2013

First Round Capital's Dorm Room Fund, an investment fund helmed by Philadelphia college students, earns praise in the New York Times. Starting this spring, the Fund is going nationwide -- starting in New York.

New York City’s Dorm Room Fund will follow the model established in Philadelphia, Mr. Barnes said. Student investors will seek out promising ventures among their peers and present the most exciting projects to the investment team. Though partners from First Round Capital will offer advice, students will lead the decision-making process. First Round does retain a veto right, Mr. Barnes said, but “we would not use it unless we were legally or ethically required to do so.”

For more on the Dorm Room Fund, check out this story in Flying Kite.

Original source: The New York Times
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Cira Centre's 'Pong' transformation garners national attention

MTV Tuesday, April 09, 2013

As part of Philly Tech Week, the north-facing wall of the Cira Centre will be transformed into a massive, functional version of the classic arcade game Pong. MTV has the scoop.

Dr. Frank Lee, a teaching professor in Drexel University's College of Engineering and co-founder of the Drexel Game Design Program, is the man behind the event. He'll be turning the building into his own personal game console thanks 1,514 LEDs lights that were installed on the building during its construction in 2005. He's also getting some help from Technically Philly (who founded Philly Tech Week), Brandywine Realty Trust, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Knight Foundation.

"This is something I’ve been envisioning for quite a while," Lee said. "Not only is this something that’s just fun for anyone who’s ever played a video game, but it’s also a uniquely interactive art installation. One of the main goals of this event is to inspire wonder and creativity in anyone who sees it, especially kids."

Original source: MTV
Read the complete story here, and stay tuned for more Philly Tech Week coverage from Flying Kite.

The New York Times analyzes school closings in Philly

The New York Times Tuesday, March 12, 2013

The School District recently decided to shutter 23 Philadelphia schools. It's a heartbreaking decision, and the New York Times spent some time parsing the reasoning and the reactions.

Around the country, districts including Chicago, Newark and Washington have been echoing that rationale, with officials citing budget gaps as they draw up lists of schools to close at the end of the school year. District officials also say they need to close underperforming schools so that students can move to schools where they have a better chance of succeeding.

But critics say that while the spreadsheets or test scores might say one thing, even lower-performing, underused schools can serve as refuges in communities that have little else.

"The school is one of the foundations of the community," said Rosemarie Hatcher, president of the Philadelphia Home and School Council, which represents local home and school associations. "It’s like a village. The schools know our kids and they look out for our kids."

Original source: The New York Times
Read the full story here.

UPenn researcher: Iran creating private internet

MIT Technology Review Monday, October 08, 2012

MIT's Technology Review reports on University of Pennsylvania-funded researcher Collin Anderson's findings that indicate Iran is building a private internet network.

Anderson gathered his evidence using two hosts based in Tehran. He has obviously had some significant help from inside Iran to carry out this work and acknowledges the help of a number of individuals he is unable name because of "self-censorship and intimidation" within Iran and beyond. That's clearly difficult and dangerous work that must be applauded.

Original source: MIT Technology Review

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Wharton study: Entrepreneurship yields happiness, even sans success

The Street Monday, October 01, 2012

A study by the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School indicates entrepreneurship and happiness go together like peanut butter and jelly, even if one's startup isn't crushing it, reports The Street.

In general, the study contradicted the old saying that money cannot buy happiness; the more money someone earned, the happier they tended to be. The older respondents also tended to be happier than the younger ones.

Original source: The Street

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UPenn helps engineer skeletal muscles to build robots that move like people

Design News Monday, September 24, 2012

University of Pennsylvania bioengineering professor Christopher Chen is working with a team from MIT on technology that will help build robots that move like people, reports Design News.

The team has genetically engineered muscle cells that flex in response to light. They plan to use these to create small, lightweight robots that are highly articulated, and that can move with the strength, flexibility, and fine motor movements of living creatures. The researchers are among the still small number of engineers in the emerging field of biorobotics.

Original source: Design News

Read the full story here.

First Round Capital's Dorm Room fund could expand beyond Philadelphia

Pando Daily Monday, September 24, 2012

Pando Daily likes the idea of the University of Pennsylvania as Stanford of the East, reporting on new UPenn neighbor First Round Capital's Dorm Room fund.

Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and Facebook were started on college campuses. The thinking goes that if students were smart enough to create these companies, then they are smart enough to identify peers with potential. First Round is taking applications for its batch of eight mini-VCs on the Penn and Drexel campuses. Once its initial investment team is picked, those members will choose their own replacements as they graduate.

They’ll be given $500,000 to invest in companies (around $15,000 each) over the course of the school year.

Original source: Pando Daily

Read the full story here.

First Round Capital makes big move from suburbs to University City

Business Insider Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Managing Partner Josh Kopelman writes in Business Insider about First Round Capital moving its headquarters from suburban West Conshohocken to University City in Philadelphia.

That’s why I’m done sitting on the sidelines. And so is First Round Capital. And I am super-excited to announce that First Round Capital is moving our headquarters from the suburbs of West Conshohocken into the city of Philadelphia. I’m trading my sterile suburban office park environment (and short commute) for proximity to Philadelphia’s entrepreneurs. We’ll be opening a 10,000 square foot facility in University City – right next to Penn’s campus. In addition to housing our Philadelphia team, the office will have space for startups – both for our portfolio companies (such as Uber’s Philly team, Curalate and Perceptual Networks) as well as other companies (like Technically Philly – who will be locating their offices there as well). It will have space to host educational and networking events. And it will have space for entrepreneurs to hang out and work.

Original source: Business Insider

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Embracing Philadelphia's 'front porch' at 30th St. Station

National Resource Defense Council blog Friday, August 10, 2012

The National Defense Resources Council likes what's happenin gin Philly, citing The Porch, a placemaking creation of the University City District, as a welcoming entryway to the city.

What a great idea. The space is adjacent to the country’s third busiest train station and within easy walking distance of over 16,000 jobs. UCD’s executive director, Matt Bergheiser, says that 1,800 pedestrians on average stroll along the sidewalk every hour on weekdays. With some nine acres of developable land now covered only by surface parking lots, the area also has the potential for further walkable development linking Center City, the station, and University City.

Original source: National Resources Defense Council blog

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UPenn inks research and licensing deal with drugmaker Novartis for new cancer treatment

The New York Times Monday, August 06, 2012

The University of Pennsylvania and drug company Novartis have joined forces to commercialize a new cancer-fighting approach that has proven promising in preliminary trials.

The alliance seeks to build on the recent results of an experimental treatment that trains a person’s immune system to kill cancer cells. Scientists at the university announced last year significant results in several patients with advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia who were treated using the new technique, including two who went into complete remission.

Original source: The New York Times

Read the full story here.

NY specialty coffee shop Joe expands to Philly with locations in Rittenhouse, UCity

The New York Times Tuesday, July 24, 2012

The specialty coffee shop Joe, which has nine locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, is opening locations on Rittenhouse Square (1845 Walnut) and on Drexel University's campus in University City, reports The New York Times.

Jonathan Rubinstein, who founded Joe with his sister, Gabrielle Rubinstein, said they were approached by the developer of the building on the square. “We jumped on a train and saw it, and within 15 minutes we knew we had to do it,” Mr. Rubinstein said, explaining that the 1,200-square-foot cafe, with an additional 400-square-foot outdoor terrace, will be twice as big as any of his New York stores.

Original source: The New York Times

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Wharton's admissions director: Our alumni are as engaged as ever

Papalguy Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Despite removing alumni from the MBA interview process, Wharton's admissions director Ankur Kumar says alumni are as critical to the marketing effort as ever and also addresses other important changes in an interview with MBA site Papalguy.

The new curriculum change is going to increase that flexibility in three specific ways. Firstly, it’s going to increase flexibility in terms of timing in when students can start their electives. Historically, students have spent their entire first year taking their core curriculum and they start taking electives in the second year. Now, due to a reduced or pared down core curriculum, students can actually start to take electives in their first year and start on their pursuits around different academic subjects and interests.

Original source: Papalguy

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Penn School of Medicine research isolates important gut bacteria

New Scientist Tuesday, June 19, 2012

A David Artis-led team at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine finds the immune system may be more sophisticated than originally thought in controlling important gut bacteria, reports New Scientist.

The discovery opens up new ways to treat diseases aggravated by bugs that escape from the gut, says Lora Hooper of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

"This work has uncovered some truly exciting new insights into the role of innate lymphoid cells in the gut, showing that they function like border collies that keep intestinal bacteria from escaping to other parts of the body," she says.

Original source: New Scientist

Read the full story here.

A more humane, effective urban prison courtesy of two UPenn students

Fast Company Tuesday, April 17, 2012

University of Pennsylvania architecture masters students Andreas Tjeldflaat and Greg Knobloch are re-thinking the urban prison, reports Fast Company.

499.SUMMIT would be composed of three violently geometric arches that’d rise, and overlap, in the heart of Jersey City. First, a word on why they selected Jersey City: In part, that was the assignment (for a course at Penn taught by HWKN’s Matthias Hollwich). But they also believe that a prime urban location could set the backdrop for a more humane prison experience. “Compared to the typically isolated sites chosen for prisons, this location would have several advantages: It would be close to family, friends, work opportunities, services and professionals needed and most of all; close to society, or rather, feeling as being a part of society,” Tjeldflaat tells Co.Design in an email. “This could make the transition back into society softer.”

Original source: Fast Company

Read the full story here.

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