Penn Bioengineering

10/28/2026

Could a hidden network within our bodies hold clues to how cancer spreads and diseases develop?

Rebecca G. Wells, Professor in Medicine with a secondary appointment in Bioengineering, is helping uncover the mysteries of the interstitium, an intricate network of fluid-filled spaces connecting tissues and organs throughout the body.

Alongside Neil Theise of New York University and fellow researchers, Wells is challenging long-held assumptions about human anatomy and opening new avenues for understanding how diseases move through the body.

Why does this matter? Understanding these pathways could one day help physicians detect diseases earlier, better understand cancer progression and develop more effective treatments.

Discover how this research is reshaping our understanding of the human body in a fascinating new feature from The Pennsylvania Gazette.

Read more: https://thepenngazette.com/within-our-bodies-a-third-waterway/

Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania | Penn Engineering

The discovery of a circulatory system called the interstitium that operates “in between” the lymphatic and cardiovascular systems has profound implications for the diagnosis and treatment of many conditions—and may forge new links between Western, Eastern, and other traditional medicines.

10/23/2026

What a wonderful evening of connection and community at !

The Department of Bioengineering was proud to host a reception at the BMES Annual Meeting in Orlando, bringing together researchers, students, faculty, alumni and colleagues from across the biomedical engineering community.

From reconnecting with familiar faces to making new connections, the evening was a celebration of the people and collaborations that make our field so exciting.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the evening such a success!

Penn Engineering

10/23/2026

What a night at !

We loved seeing so many familiar faces and meeting new friends at the Department of Bioengineering's reception during the BMES Annual Meeting in Orlando!

It was an incredible evening of conversation, networking and celebrating the biomedical engineering community.

A big thank-you to everyone who stopped by and helped make our reception such a memorable event. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

Penn Engineering

10/22/2026

A reminder to make room for for a little fresh air today.

10/21/2026

A reminder to make room for for a little fresh air today.

10/20/2026

From Penn Engineering to the Jeopardy! stage, Kayla Patel (Eng'25, GEng’25) is putting her knowledge to the test.

Patel earned her B.S.E. and M.S.E. in Bioengineering at Penn through the Accelerated Master’s program before completing an MSc in Applied Digital Health at the University of Oxford. On Wednesday, October 21, she’ll take on the iconic quiz show as a contestant.

Tune in tomorrow evening to cheer on this Penn Engineering alumna. Good luck, Kayla!

Photo credit: Sony Pictures Television.

University of Pennsylvania | Penn Bioengineering | Jeopardy!

10/19/2026

What if a CT scan could tell doctors more about your health than they were originally looking for?

Cameron Beeche, a Ph.D. candidate in Bioengineering, is the lead author of an exciting new study exploring how artificial intelligence could help uncover hidden health risks in routine medical scans.

The research team at Penn Medicine developed Percival, an AI model capable of identifying signs of conditions such as chronic kidney disease, irregular heartbeat and certain cancers, even when the scan was ordered for another reason.

The study also features senior author Walter Witschey, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Radiology and member of the Bioengineering Graduate Group, and co-author Charles Kahn, M.D., Professor of Radiology.

While still in preclinical testing, this research represents a promising step toward earlier detection and more personalized healthcare.

Read more about the research and the people behind it: https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/ai-model-can-uncover-unseen-health-issues-in-ct-scans

Penn Medicine | Penn Engineering

The AI model Percival can detect health issues and unearth potential risks through CT scans, even for issues the imaging wasn’t ordered for.

10/14/2026

Imagine being able to text your medical device and get an answer about your health in real time.

Brian Litt, MD, Professor of Neurology in Neurosurgery and Bioengineering, is helping make that possibility a reality through research that could redefine personalized health care.

Working with a team of Bioengineering Ph.D. students led by Zack Goldblum, Haoer Shi and Zhongchuan Xu, Litt is advancing an AI-powered platform that allows patients to communicate directly with their medical devices, ask questions about brain activity and receive personalized feedback.

Tested with patients undergoing epilepsy monitoring, this technology opens new possibilities for devices that don't just monitor health, but learn alongside patients to support more responsive care.

Discover the research featured by Penn Medicine: https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/ai-platform-allows-patients-to-text-with-their-medical-device

Penn Engineering

With a new AI platform, patients communicate with medical devices in real time, receive alerts, ask questions, and better manage their condition.

10/13/2026

What a wonderful two days celebrating our Rising Stars!

The Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania was thrilled to welcome 20 exceptional emerging scholars to campus for the 2026 Rising Stars in Health in Engineering Symposium!

From inspiring research presentations and engaging workshops to one-on-one faculty mentorship and new connections, the symposium brought together an incredible community of scholars and mentors to share ideas, experiences, and encouragement.

We are so grateful to our Rising Stars, faculty, speakers, mentors, and supporters for making this event such a memorable experience!

Here's to the connections made, lessons learned, and bright futures ahead!

09/28/2026

There’s a lot to celebrate in Bioengineering!

Over the past year, our community has continued to grow and make an impact through new faculty appointments, prestigious honors, outstanding student achievements and major interdisciplinary research initiatives.

Ravi Radhakrishnan, Professor and Herman P. Schwan Chair of Bioengineering, reflects on the accomplishments of the past year and the continued growth and momentum of our community.

Read “Bioengineering Builds on a Year of Growth and Achievement”: https://be.engineering.upenn.edu/bioengineering-builds-on-a-year-of-growth-and-achievement/

Penn Engineering

Bioengineering Builds on a Year of Growth and Achievement Awards, Students / September 28, 2026 Share: Author: Coley Coleman With the fall semester well underway, the Department of Bioengineering is building on another year of growth, momentum and accomplishment. From new faculty appointments and na...