Medical Breakthroughs from Penn Medicine

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.

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.

Host: John J. Russell, MD Guest: Drew Weissman, MD, PhD Guest: Katalin Karikó, PhD As mRNA technology continues to emerge and evolve, Penn Researchers Dr. Drew Weissman and Dr. Katalin Karikó join Dr. John Russell to take a deep dive into the future of mRNA technology.

Host: John J. Russell, MD Guest: Drew Weissman, MD, PhD Guest: Katalin Karikó, PhD As mRNA technology continues to emerge and evolve, Penn Researchers Dr. Drew Weissman and Dr. Katalin Karikó join Dr. John Russell to take a deep dive into the future of mRNA technology.

Host: John J. Russell, MD Guest: Joseph E. Bavaria, MD Featuring a wide range of disciplines and a new approach to comprehensive care, what do we need to know about the Aorta Center at Penn Medicine? Dr. John Russell is joined by Dr. Joseph E. Bavaria to dive into this aortic program and discuss a new approach to comprehensive care.

Host: John J. Russell, MD Guest: Joseph E. Bavaria, MD Featuring a wide range of disciplines and a new approach to comprehensive care, what do we need to know about the Aorta Center at Penn Medicine? Dr. John Russell is joined by Dr. Joseph E. Bavaria to dive into this aortic program and discuss a new approach to comprehensive care.

Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP Guest: Kathryn Gallagher, MS, RN, BSN Guest: Kate Newcomb-DeSanto, MSN, RN, MSW What does Penn Medicine's newly-opened patient room facility have to offer? Dr. Charles Turck is joined by Penn Medicine Clinical Advisors Kathy Gallagher and Kate Newcomb-DeSanto to discuss the new pavilion and how it's revolutionizing patient care.

Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP Guest: Kathryn Gallagher, MS, RN, BSN Guest: Kate Newcomb-DeSanto, MSN, RN, MSW What does Penn Medicine's newly-opened patient room facility have to offer? Dr. Charles Turck is joined by Penn Medicine Clinical Advisors Kathy Gallagher and Kate Newcomb-DeSanto to discuss the new pavilion and how it's revolutionizing patient care.

Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP Guest: Drew Weissman, MD, PhD Dr. Drew Weissman, Professor of Medicine at Penn Medicine joins Dr. Turck to discuss his new COVID-19 vaccine technology and how RNA and mRNA are being used to provoke an immune response in order to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP Guest: Drew Weissman, MD, PhD Dr. Drew Weissman, Professor of Medicine at Penn Medicine joins Dr. Turck to discuss his new COVID-19 vaccine technology and how RNA and mRNA are being used to provoke an immune response in order to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Host: Paul P. Doghramji, MD, FAAFP Guest: Amit Bar-Or, MD, FRCP, FAAN, FANA The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused us to reconsider how we treat our patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and even the role of immunosuppression in autoimmunity. How do we decide what the best course of action is, and what does limited research available tell us about making the right treatment decision? Those are the exact questions Dr. Paul Doghramji explores with Dr. Amit Bar-Or.

Host: Paul P. Doghramji, MD, FAAFP Guest: Amit Bar-Or, MD, FRCP, FAAN, FANA The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused us to reconsider how we treat our patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and even the role of immunosuppression in autoimmunity. How do we decide what the best course of action is, and what does limited research available tell us about making the right treatment decision? Those are the exact questions Dr. Paul Doghramji explores with Dr. Amit Bar-Or.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Kathleen E. O'Neill, MD, MTR Guest: Nawar Abdul Latif, MD, MPH, MSCE Patients with uterine factor infertility, or UFI, only had two options if they wanted to achieve parenthood: using a gestational carrier or adoption. Until now. Joining Dr. Jennifer Caudle to talk about the opportunities of uterine transplants and key information about the UNTIL trial are lead investigators Drs. Kathleen O’Neill and Nawar Latif from Penn Medicine.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Kathleen E. O'Neill, MD, MTR Guest: Nawar Abdul Latif, MD, MPH, MSCE Patients with uterine factor infertility, or UFI, only had two options if they wanted to achieve parenthood: using a gestational carrier or adoption. Until now. Joining Dr. Jennifer Caudle to talk about the opportunities of uterine transplants and key information about the UNTIL trial are lead investigators Drs. Kathleen O’Neill and Nawar Latif from Penn Medicine.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Amit Bar-Or, MD, FRCP, FAAN, FANA Joining Dr. Jennifer Caudle to discuss the latest research furthering our understanding and treatment of multiple sclerosis is Dr. Amit Bar-Or, Chief of the Multiple Sclerosis Division and Director for the Center of Neuroinflammation and Neurotherapeutics at Penn Medicine. Could these recent findings finally help us solve some of the unanswered questions of multiple sclerosis?

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Amit Bar-Or, MD, FRCP, FAAN, FANA Joining Dr. Jennifer Caudle to discuss the latest research furthering our understanding and treatment of multiple sclerosis is Dr. Amit Bar-Or, Chief of the Multiple Sclerosis Division and Director for the Center of Neuroinflammation and Neurotherapeutics at Penn Medicine. Could these recent findings finally help us solve some of the unanswered questions of multiple sclerosis?

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Anjali Owens, MD Without any targeted therapies available for inherited cardiomyopathy, how can we treat our patients coping with its debilitating symptoms? Here to share her diagnostic and management strategies along with key data from a recent study is Dr. Anjali Owens, Medical Director at the Center for Inherited Heart Disease at Penn Medicine.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Anjali Owens, MD Without any targeted therapies available for inherited cardiomyopathy, how can we treat our patients coping with its debilitating symptoms? Here to share his diagnostic and management strategies along with key data from a recent study is Dr. Anjali Owens, Medical Director at the Center for Inherited Heart Disease at Penn Medicine.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Ari Brooks, MD It’s not uncommon to encounter barriers when screening, diagnosing, and treating breast cancer, which is why clinical trials aim to combat those barriers. Here to share with us the designs and goals of some trials currently underway—and even those that are yet to come—is Dr. Ari Brooks, Director of the Integrated Breast Center and Chief of Endocrine and Oncologic Surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Ari Brooks, MD It’s not uncommon to encounter barriers when screening, diagnosing, and treating breast cancer, which is why clinical trials aim to combat those barriers. Here to share with us the designs and goals of some trials currently underway—and even those that are yet to come—is Dr. Ari Brooks, Director of the Integrated Breast Center and Chief of Endocrine and Oncologic Surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Timothy Lucas, MD, PhD With the amount of treatment options available for epilepsy, how can clinicians ensure that they’re matching patients with the most appropriate option? Dr. Timothy Lucas, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, discusses the decision-making process along with the benefits and challenges of using the new laser ablation method to treat drug-resistant epilepsy.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Timothy Lucas, MD, PhD With the amount of treatment options available for epilepsy, how can clinicians ensure that they’re matching patients with the most appropriate option? Dr. Timothy Lucas, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, discusses that decision-making process along with the benefits and challenges of using the new laser ablation method to treat drug-resistant epilepsy.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Emily F. Conant, MD While screening for breast cancer using digital mammography enables us to detect the cancer earlier when it’s more treatable, it also comes with the risk of false-positives, which cause unneeded fears, anxiety, and even costs to the healthcare system. Could digital breast tomosynthesis minimize that risk and improve cancer detection rates? Here to discuss this innovative breast imaging test with Dr. Jennifer Caudle is Dr. Emily Conant, Professor of Radiology and Division Chief of Breast Imaging at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Emily Conant, MD While screening for breast cancer using digital mammography enables us to detect the cancer earlier when it’s more treatable, it also comes with the risk of false-positives, which cause unneeded fears, anxiety, and even costs to the healthcare system. Could digital breast tomosynthesis minimize that risk and improve cancer detection rates? Here to discuss this innovative breast imaging test with Dr. Jennifer Caudle is Dr. Emily Conant, Professor of Radiology and Division Chief of Breast Imaging at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: William Levin, MD To explore the complementary approaches to care that are making an impact in the oncology field, Dr. William Levin joins Dr. Jennifer Caudle to discuss how integrative therapy can help reduce stress and anxiety in cancer patients and their caregivers.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: William Levin, MD To explore the complementary approaches to care that are making an impact in the oncology field, Dr. William Levin joins Dr. Jennifer Caudle to discuss how integrative therapy can help reduce stress and anxiety in cancer patients and their caregivers.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Sunil Singhal, MD, FACS Even though its full potential is still being explored, TumorGlow™ seems to be lighting the way for better patient outcomes since it’s been shown to improve localization, visualization, and margins during tumor resection surgery. And here to discuss this new illuminating technology that surgeons should be on the lookout for is Dr. Sunil Singhal.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Howard C. Herrmann, MD Twelve years after performing the first transcatheter aortic valve replacement, Penn Medicine continues to gain momentum in the transformation of cardiovascular transcatheter therapies. Dr. Howard Herrmann recounts the evolution in alternative technologies to improve patient safety and outcomes and the role these advancements have in shaping how we approach treatment.

Host: Matt Birnholz, MD Guest: Howard C. Herrmann, MD Twelve years after performing the first transcatheter aortic valve replacement, Penn Medicine continues to gain momentum in the transformation of cardiovascular transcatheter therapies. Dr. Howard Herrmann recounts the evolution in alternative technologies to improve patient safety and outcomes and the role these advancements have in shaping how we approach treatment.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Suhail K. Kanchwala, MD Improving his patients’ post-surgical experience was Dr. Suhail Kanchwala's goal when he sought to develop a new method for autologous breast reconstruction. The result of his search has brought a new technique to the field, along with an array of benefits for patients, including reduction of post-surgical pain and opioid use.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Suhail K. Kanchwala, MD Improving his patients’ post-surgical experience was Dr. Suhail Kanchwala's goal when he sought to develop a new method for autologous breast reconstruction. The result of his search has brought a new technique to the field, along with an array of benefits for patients, including reduction of post-surgical pain and opioid use.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Eduardo Rame, MD Following a successful ventricular assist device clinical trial, Dr. Jennifer Caudle is joined by Dr. Eduardo Rame, Cardiologist at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, to discuss how this innovative technology is improving survival rates and decreasing the risk of adverse effects, such as stroke, gastrointestinal bleeding, and infection, in heart failure patients.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Jean Bennett, MD, PhD Guest: Albert Maguire, MD Power couple Drs. Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire discuss how their new therapy for the RPE65 gene, which causes retinal blindness, was recently approved by the FDA to become the first gene therapy treatment for a genetic disease in the United States and the first worldwide treatment for inherited blindness. Not only do they delve into the mechanics of the corrected gene injection, but they also explain what this milestone means for patient eligibility and how their marriage has played a role in the success of their research partnership. Dr. Jean Bennett is the F.M. Kirby Professor of Ophthalmology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Albert Maguire is a Professor of Ophthalmology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Attending Physician in the Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Jean Bennett, MD, PhD Guest: Albert Maguire, MD Power couple Drs. Jean Bennett and Albert Maguire discuss how their new therapy for the RPE65 gene, which causes retinal blindness, was recently approved by the FDA to become the first gene therapy treatment for a genetic disease in the United States and the first worldwide treatment for inherited blindness. Not only do they delve into the mechanics of the corrected gene injection, but they also explain what this milestone means for patient eligibility and how their marriage has played a role in the success of their research partnership. Dr. Jean Bennett is the F.M. Kirby Professor of Ophthalmology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and Dr. Albert Maguire is a Professor of Ophthalmology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Attending Physician in the Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Host: Barnett Mennen, MD Guest: Comron Saifi, MD Spinal deformity places strain on the vertebrae and supporting muscles, tendons, ligaments, and tissues supporting the spinal column. The treatment and management of this condition becomes centrally important to maintain patient quality of life through functional mobility and activity levels. Host, Dr. Barry Mennen and Dr. Comron Saifi discuss the leading assessment and treatment options for spinal deformity. Dr. Saifi is an Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery in the Division of Spine Surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Host: Barnett Mennen, MD Guest: Comron Saifi, MD Spinal deformity places strain on the vertebrae and supporting muscles, tendons, ligaments, and tissues supporting the spinal column. The treatment and management of this condition becomes centrally important to maintain patient quality of life through functional mobility and activity levels. Host, Dr. Barry Mennen and Dr. Comron Saifi discuss the leading assessment and treatment options for spinal deformity. Dr. Saifi is an Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery in the Division of Spine Surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: Ronald DeMatteo, MD, FACS A Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) is a rare sarcoma that begins in the digestive tract or stomach, with an incident rate in the United States of approximately 4,000 to 6,000 cases per year. Since these tumors behave differently from other gastrointestinal cancers, they require a specialized treatment plan. Host Dr. Shira Johnson chats with Ronald DeMatteo, MD, FACS, Chair of the Department of Surgery and a surgical oncologist at Penn Medicine. They discuss the diagnosis, treatment and current clinical research of GIST. Dr. DeMatteo is a world-renowned surgical expert and researcher for the rare GIST. His research breakthroughs helped develop the new standard of care for GIST.

Host: Shira Johnson, MD Guest: Ronald DeMatteo, MD, FACS A Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) is a rare sarcoma that begins in the digestive tract or stomach, with an incident rate in the United States of approximately 4,000 to 6,000 cases per year. Since these tumors behave differently from other gastrointestinal cancers, they require a specialized treatment plan. Host Dr. Shira Johnson chats with Ronald DeMatteo, MD, FACS, Chair of the Department of Surgery and a surgical oncologist at Penn Medicine. They discuss the diagnosis, treatment and current clinical research of GIST. Dr. DeMatteo is a world-renowned surgical expert and researcher for the rare GIST. His research breakthroughs helped develop the new standard of care for GIST.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Gordon Baltuch, MD, PhD Essential Tremor is one of the most common movement disorder, affecting an estimated 3% of the population or approximately 10 million individuals in the United States. A new technology, Focused Ultrasound offers an alternative to traditional surgery that requires no incision or opening of the skull. Host Dr. Jennifer Caudle is joined by Dr. Gordon Baltuch a professor of Neurosurgery and director of the Penn Center for Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery, to talk about how Focused Ultrasound is an effective treatment for Essential Tremor.

Host: Jennifer Caudle, DO Guest: Gordon Baltuch, MD, PhD Essential Tremor is one of the most common movement disorder, affecting an estimated 3% of the population or approximately 10 million individuals in the United States. A new technology, Focused Ultrasound offers an alternative to traditional surgery that requires no incision or opening of the skull. Host Dr. Jennifer Caudle is joined by Dr. Gordon Baltuch a professor of Neurosurgery and director of the Penn Center for Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery, to talk about how Focused Ultrasound is an effective treatment for Essential Tremor.

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). Additionally, research is continuing to look at CAR-T therapy’s effectiveness for treating solid tumors as well. Host Dr. Shira Johnson sits down with Dr. Robert Vonderheide, Director of the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania and the John H. Glick, MD, Abramson Cancer Center Director’s Professor, to talk about the potential of CAR-T therapy alongside other emerging immunotherapies in fighting cancer.

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). Additionally, research is continuing to look at CAR-T therapy’s effectiveness for treating solid tumors as well. Host Dr. Shira Johnson sits down with Dr. Robert Vonderheide, Director of the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania and the John H. Glick, MD, Abramson Cancer Center Director’s Professor, to talk about the potential of CAR-T therapy alongside other emerging immunotherapies in fighting cancer.