UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

Tuesday February 12, 2019 Volume 65 Number 23 www.upenn.edu/almanac

Penn’s 2019 Commencement Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipients Commencement Speaker Bryan Stevenson, a public interest lawyer, author, founder and executive director of The Equal Justice Initiative, which in 2018 created the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice, will be Penn’s Commence- ment Speaker at the 2019 Commencement on Monday, May 20. He and seven other individuals will each receive an honorary degree from Penn. Penn’s Vice President and University Secretary Leslie Laird Kruhly announced the 2019 honorary degree recipients and the Commencement Speaker for the University of Pennsylvania. The Office of the University Secretary manages the honorary degree Bryan Stevenson Jon Bon Jovi Temple Grandin Richard Lugar selection process and University Commencement. The 263rd Commencement begins at 10:15 a.m. on May 20 and will be preceded by student and academic processions through campus. The ceremony will feature the conferral of degrees, the awarding of honorary degrees, greetings by University officials and remarks by the- Com mencement Speaker. It will be streamed live on the Penn website. For University of Pennsylva- nia Commencement information, including his- torical information about the ceremony, academ- ic regalia, prior speakers and honorary degree recipients, see www.upenn.edu/commencement See pages 4-5 of this issue for the biogra- Denis Mukwege Laurie Olin Neville Strumpf Jill Tarter phies of this year’s honorary degree recipients.

Expanding the Wharton People Lab with a $2 Million Gift from Robert Katz to Empower Individuals and Organizations for Long-Term Success The Wharton School of the University of help organizations recruit several important contributions to Penn since Pennsylvania is pleased to announce a $2 mil- the best talent but also to Mr. Katz graduated from Wharton in 1988. They lion gift from Robert Katz (W’88) and his wife help people grow in their have supported undergraduate financial aid for Elana Amsterdam to expand the People Lab, careers and fulfill their students in the Jerome Fisher Program in Man- a research and education ecosystem built by aspirations. People Lab’s agement & Technology; Professor Sigal Bars- Wharton People Analytics (WPA) to help peo- work will be invaluable ade’s research on emotional intelligence; and the ple identify and develop qualities vital to their not only to organizations Penn Fund. Mr. Katz serves on the Leadership long-term success. outside the University Advisory Board of the McNulty Leadership Pro- The People Lab uses a digital platform to de- but also to Wharton as gram. He is the chief executive officer of Vail velop and administer a broad collection of sci- we strive to personalize Resorts, a premiere mountain resort company entifically grounded assessments linked to per- the world-class education and leader in luxury lodging experiences. sonalized learning and experiential programs. our students receive.” Wharton People Lab is a core project of At the core of these assessments is research by Mr. Katz’s gift will Wharton People Analytics (WPA). With re- leading Wharton and Penn faculty on grit, gen- scale the People Lab’s Robert Katz search as its intellectual backbone, WPA part- erosity, humility and ambition, which provides capacity to advance the ners with organizations to educate the next gen- game-changing opportunities for students and science and practice of assessment and develop- eration of organizational leaders by conducting their career fulfillment and trajectories. ment in organizations, building on the success research and translating research into practice. The Katz Fund will support continued de- of the People Lab’s pilot programs. The pilots The People Lab seeks to create and sustain a velopment of the People Lab’s infrastructure, advanced the development of the lab’s core as- diverse network of stakeholders including stu- education and research. The impact will ex- sessments and its delivery platform, serving a dents, executive education participants, alumni, tend from undergraduate and MBA students to select group of Wharton MBA candidates with faculty and external partners. executive education students and external cli- new character trait assessments and action plans ents. Major milestones anticipated through Mr. to advance their professional growth. INSIDE Katz’s support include the refinement of assess- “In today’s ever-changing business land- 2 Deaths; URF Fall 2018 Awards ment tools used to further the individual devel- scape, the core driver of long-term success is the 3 URF Funding; Two New Funding Opportunities; strength of the talent throughout an organiza- Council Meeting Agenda; Correction opment of students, executive coaches and or- 4 2019 Commencement Speaker and Honorary ganizational partners as well as best-in-class tion,” said Mr. Katz. “I feel fortunate to be able Degree Recipients’ Bios research, education and technology resources. to provide early support towards the creation of 6 Penn Family Night with Penn Basketball; “The greatest asset for most organizations today the Wharton People Lab, to better use data and KWH Summer Program; Penn & Pencil Club; analytics to broaden our understanding of how One Step Ahead: Security and Privacy Tip is their people,” said Wharton Dean Geoffrey Gar- 7 A Centennial Exhibition and Conference in Honor of rett. “Rob’s incredible gift will allow People Lab to to assess and develop great business leaders.” the Gotham Book Mart; Update; CrimeStats develop cutting-edge, data-based tools not only to Mr. Katz and Ms. Amsterdam have made 8 Research Roundup ALMANAC February 12, 2019 www.upenn.edu/almanac 1 Deaths Marshall Blume, Wharton Marshall Edward Blume, the Howard Butch- er III Professor Emer- itus of Finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsyl- In the recent Fall 2018 cycle of Penn’s internally-funded University Research vania, died January 27 Foundation, URF Conference and Impact Seminar Support (noted with *), after a sudden and brief the Office of the Vice Provost for Research has announced awards to illness. He was 77. the following members of the faculty for the projects listed below. After graduating from Trinity College in 1963 with a degree in mathematics, Dr. Blume Fall 2018: URF Awards earned an MBA in 1965 and a PhD in finance in Oscar Aguirre-Mandujano, SAS, Poetics of Zhongjie Lin, Design, Constructing Uto- 1968, both from the Uni- Empire: Literature and Political Culture at the pias: China’s Emerging New Town Movement versity of Chicago. Marshall Blume Early Modern Ottoman Court (1452-1512) James Lok, Veterinary Medicine, Regulat- Dr. Blume spent 44 Keith Bredemeier, PSOM, Enhancing Work- able CRISPR/Cas9 Mutagenesis in Parasitic years on the faculty at Penn. He came to the ing Memory to Reduce Undesirable and Persis- Nematodes University in 1968 as an assistant professor of tent Thoughts (ERUPT): Development of an Ad- Michele Margolis, SAS, Who is a Christian finance, moving up to full professor in 1974. He junctive, Transdiagnostic Intervention in the Age of Trump? Understanding the Con- was named the Howard Butcher III Professor of Eugene Buckley, SAS, Kashaya Fieldwork sequences of Religious Identification in Politics Finance in 1978. From 1982 to 1986, Dr. Blume and Database *Michael May, Veterinary Medicine, VMD- served as chair of the finance department, and Robert Carpick, SEAS, Novel Hydrogel PhD 50th Anniversary Symposium from 1986 to 2009, he was also director of the Coatings for Intrinsically Lubricating Condoms *Enrique Mendoza, SAS, Frontiers of Busi- Rodney L. White Center for Financial Research, Kimberly Christian, PSOM, Functional Role ness Cycle Research 25th Anniversary Confer- which established the Marshall Blume Prizes in ence Financial Research in his honor in 2011. He also of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Learn- helped develop OTIS, Wharton’s Online Trad- ing and Memory Peter Noël, PSOM, Ultra-low Dose PET/ ing and Investment Simulator, to help teach stu- Jean-Christophe Cloutier, SAS, Shadow Ar- CT—Reducing the Integral Radiation Dose for dents investment and portfolio management. In chives: The Lifecycles of Black Literary Papers each Patient 1990, he won the Smith Breeden Prize of the Julie Davis, SAS, Publication Subvention *Mitchell Orenstein, SAS, Social Impacts American Finance Association for his paper, for Two Books: Utamaro and the Spectacle of of Post-Socialist Transition and Policies for the “Order Imbalances and Stock Price Movements Beauty; Ukiyo-e in Context Future on October 19 and 20, 1987.” *John Detre, PSOM, Richards-Goddard In- Laura Perna, GSE, What is the Statutory, Throughout his time at Penn he served on var- terdisciplinary Neuroscience “Brainspace” Regulatory and Financial Framework for Sup- ious committees of the Faculty Senate, including Forum porting Learner-Centered Education in K-12 serving as chair of the Committee on Administra- *David Dillenberger, SAS, Decision Theory Schools and Civic Engagement in Higher Ed- tion and serving on the Cost-Containment Over- at Penn ucation sight Committee in the early 1990s. He retired in Laurel Redding, Veterinary Medicine, Veter- 2011 and earned emeritus status at that time. Walter Englander, PSOM, Protein Biophys- ics and Function by Hydrogen Exchange and inarian Perspectives on Antimicrobial Steward- Dr. Blume was widely recognized as a pio- ship Metrics neer in empirical asset pricing research and was Mass Spectrometry a noted scholar in investment strategies, inves- *Charles Epstein, SAS, A Conference in *Donald Ringe, SAS, 38th East Coast Indo- tor behavior and measurement of risk. He was a Memory of Richard V. Kadison: Titan of the European Conference member of Standard & Poor’s Academic Advi- Penn Mathematics Department Marc Schmidt, SAS, Using Computer Vision sory Board and was chair of the National Asso- *Tulia Falleti, SAS, Indigenous Politics in to Study the Effect of Targeted Neural Circuit ciation of Securities Dealers (NASD) Economic the Americas Perturbations on Social Behavior in Songbirds Advisory Board. He served on the US Govern- Dalmacio Flores, Nursing, Parents Advanc- Theodore Schurr, SAS, Exploring African ment Accounting Office Advisory Committee ing Supportive and Sexuality Inclusive Sex Talks Ancestry in Archeological and Modern Popula- that investigated the October 1987 stock market tions from Charleston, South Carolina Grant Frame, SAS, Completing the Royal crash, he co-founded Prudent Management As- Terenjit Sevea, SAS, Publications and sociates, and he advised numerous corporations, Inscriptions of Ashurbanipal, King of Assyria (668-631 BCE) Open-access Digital Archive of Southeast Asian including AT&T, Dresser and Exxon Mobil. He Islam and Sikhism also served as editor of the Journal of Finance. *Reto Giere, SAS, Environmental Justice and Health Disparities in the US Fatemeh Shams, SAS, Book Project: A Rev- Dr. Blume was also very involved with his alma olution in Rhyme: Official Poets of the Islamic mater, Trinity College. *Glenda Goodman, SAS, Early American Republic Dr. Blume is survived by his wife, Loretta Music and the Construction of Race Ryan; children, Christopher, Caroline Blume *Nancy Steinhardt, SAS, Middle Period Nicholas Hand, PSOM, Development of a Archaeology in Mongolia Sanderson and Catherine Blume Meyerle; and Novel RISC-Trap Mouse Model to Study miRNA seven grandchildren. function in Vivo *Dawn Teele, SAS, The Political Economy of Gender Interdisciplinary Conference Plans for a memorial service will be forth- Sophie Hochhäusl, Design, Memories of coming from the finance department; visit the Resistance: Women, War, and the Forgotten *Franca Trubiano, Design, Architectural https://fnce.wharton.upenn.edu Work of Margarete Schütte-Lihotzsky Theory Now?, International Conference Daniel Hopkins, SAS, Trump and the Ra- Julia Verkholantsev, SAS, Medieval Ety- To Report A Death cialization of Contemporary Americans’ Politi- mology and the Writing of History, a Digital Almanac appreciates being informed of the cal Attitudes Resource deaths of current and former faculty and staff F. Bradley Johnson, PSOM, Modeling Dys- Flavia Vitale, PSOM, Closed-loop Living members, students and other members of the keratosis Congenita Lung Pathology to Develop Deep-brain Stimulation: a Multimodal Ap- University community. Call (215) 898-5274 Therapeutic Approaches proach to Treat Parkinson’s disease or email [email protected] *Michael Kahana, SAS, Context and Epi- *Bethany Wiggin, SAS, Environmental Sto- However, notices of alumni deaths should rytelling and/in Virtual Reality be directed to the Alumni Records Office at sodic Memory Symposium 2019 Room 517, Franklin Building, (215) 898- Mia Levine, SAS, Epigenetic Regulation of *Ken Zaret, PSOM, Cellular Plasticity Sym- 8136 or email [email protected] Reproductive Arrest posium

2 www.upenn.edu/almanac ALMANAC February 12, 2019 University Research Foundation: March 15 The University Research Foundation (URF) is now accepting applica- Research Opportunity Development Grants: Phase 1 tions for the 5 p.m., Friday, March 15 deadline. With an identified new research area in mind, Phase 1 grants enable a The URF is an intramural program that provides three funding mecha- team to articulate the research focus, map Penn’s intellectual assets in the nisms: Research and Conference Support, Impact Seminar Grants and Re- new area, coalesce the appropriate group of scholars, identify Penn’s po- search Opportunity Development Grants. tential contributions in the area in the context of national and international URF Research Grants and Conference Support provides up to research initiatives and identify a funding target. Typically a Phase 1 pro- $50,000 in project support and up to $3,000 for conference support. Its posal would lead to a Phase 2 application. In addition, special attention objectives are to: will be paid to project proposals that include mentorship of Penn under- • help junior faculty undertake pilot projects that will enable them graduates. Applications up to $10,000 will be considered. to successfully apply for extramural sources of funding and aid in es- Research Opportunity Development Grants: Phase 2 tablishing their careers as independent investigators; Phase 2 grants offer extensive support for up to two years to enable spe- • help established faculty perform novel, pioneering research to de- cific outcomes in support of a center or group proposal to an external fund- termine project feasibility and develop preliminary data to support ex- ing organization. Activities include research workshops, preliminary stud- tramural grant applications; ies, networking in the relevant research community, etc. Specific outcomes • provide support in disciplines where extramural support is diffi- are expected. Documented matching department and/or school funds will cult to obtain and where significant research can be facilitated with in- be considered positively. In addition, special attention will be paid to proj- ternal funding; and ect proposals that include mentorship of Penn undergraduates. Applica- • provide limited institutional matching funds that are required as tions with requests between $50,000 to $200,000 will be considered. part of a successful external peer-reviewed application. Note that Phase 2 grants are not intended to support the development URF Impact Seminar Grants will make awards up to $20,000 for sup- of proposals that respond to regular solicitations such as those for NIH port for a cross-school, cross-disciplinary large scale event to be held on RO1 grants or NSF Division programs. Applicants must identify a target Penn’s campus within a year of the award. Funding for this award can of opportunity. be used to augment an already scheduled University event. The event— Disciplines for all award programs: Biomedical Sciences, Humani- which can be a symposium, forum or conference—should occur over one ties, Natural Sciences and Engineering, Social Science and Management. to two days and be open to the entire Penn community. It should highlight Undergraduate Participation: As part of the University’s commit- the scholarship of Penn faculty and bring distinguished scholars to Penn’s ment to providing research opportunities to scholars across our campus campus, with a particular focus on the University’s distinguishing strength community, URF applicants are encouraged to include undergraduate stu- in integrating knowledge. Documented school and/or department match- dent participants within the framework of their proposals. ing funds are required. Budget: Each URF program has separate budget requirements. URF Research Opportunity Development Grants (RODG) Eligibility for all award programs: Eligibility is limited to Penn assis- The Research Opportunity Development Grant program (Phase 1 and tant, associate and full professors, in any track. Instructors and research Phase 2) was designed to facilitate the intersection of the forward trajec- associates must provide a letter from their department chair establishing tory of Penn’s research frontiers with the trajectory of the national and that the applicant will receive an appointment as an assistant professor by global research priorities. RODG Applications should map on to emerg- the time of the award. Adjunct and emeritus faculty are not eligible to ap- ing research areas with new opportunities for support. Awards from these ply. Only one application per PI per cycle. Awards must be expended on programs should be used to develop preliminary information and data for University of Pennsylvania facilities, equipment and/or associated Uni- new applications in these emerging research areas. The two programs are versity technical staff and undergraduate students. described at right. Detailed information including application materials can be found at https://research.upenn.edu/funding/university-research-foundation/

From the Office of the Secretary New OVPR Research Funding Opportunities: April 12 The Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) is excited to introduce two new re- search funding opportunities starting in Spring of 2019: Faculty will be able to apply for a University Council Meeting grant to support high-risk discovery-based research or a grant to support translational re- Agenda search that has potential for commercialization. These two grant programs are: Discovering Wednesday, February 20, 2019 the Future and Accelerating from Lab to Market. 4 p.m. Discovering the Future: A research grant that supports Penn investigators in blue-sky, high- Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall risk/high-reward research. Grants can be as large as $400,000 over a one- to two-year term but will generally be lower. Fundamental scientific research has been the cornerstone of the con- I. Appointment of a new Moderator. tinuous improvement in the quality of life over the last century. Scientific research is also the 1 minute origin of technological advances that underpin the national economy. Because of declining Fed- II. Approval of the minutes of the eral funding for scientific research while simultaneously supporting more low-risk research, a January 30, 2019 University Council meeting. significant gap in funding for high-risk, discovery-based research has developed. This grant is 1 minute designed to help fill that gap by internally supporting high-risk/high-reward research. III. Follow-up comments or questions on Grants will be awarded to creative, novel research with the potential for transformative Status Reports. 5 minutes impact within a given field. The goal of the program is to advance exciting new research to a IV. Presentation: Penn First Plus Pro- point where it can be sustained by external sponsors. grams and Plans. 30 minutes Accelerating from Lab to Market: A pre-seed grant that allows faculty to receive awards V. Open Forum. 70 minutes in the range of $10,000 to $50,000 but could be larger if justified (up to $200,000). The lack VI. New Business. 5 minutes of external pre-seed funding is often the limiting step for new ideas to come across the “val- VII. Adjournment. ley of death” between Federal research funding and Seed/Series A funding. The Accelerat- ing Lab to Market pre-seed grant will help to bridge this gap by internally supporting trans- lational research. Correction: On the back page article of the Pre-seed grants can be awarded to faculty for promising inventions disclosed to Penn Cen- February 5, 2019 issue, the article “Love Temple ter for Innovation (PCI) and to existing Penn faculty founders of University spinout compa- at Morris Arboretum” incorrectly described the nies based on Penn-owned intellectual property. acquisition of Morris Arboretum. Lydia Morris Applications for these two new programs will open on Friday February 15, at noon with bequeathed her estate to the University of Penn- a deadline of Friday, April 12 at noon. Both grant programs will rely on review by commit- sylvania in her will upon her death in 1932. The tee and recommendation for funding to the Vice Provost for Research. Applications materi- arboretum opened to the public in June of 1933 als and additional information can be found at https://upennresearch.smapply.io/ Additional as the Morris Arboretum of the University of information is available at https://research.upenn.edu/funding/ Pennsylvania. We regret the error. —Eds. ALMANAC February 12, 2019 www.upenn.edu/almanac 3 Commencement 2019: Commencement Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipients

Commencement Speaker Honorary Degree Recipients

Bryan Stevenson Jon Bon Jovi Temple Grandin Richard G. Lugar Bryan Stevenson is the founder New Jersey native, singer- Scientist, inventor, teacher, A fifth generation Hoosier, and Executive Director of the Equal songwriter, producer and actor and author Temple Grandin is a United States Senator Richard Justice Initiative (EJI) in Mont- Jon Bon Jovi, the front man and renowned animal expert and ad- G. Lugar was the longest serving gomery, Alabama, and a widely ac- founder of the Grammy Award- vocate for autistic communities. member of Congress in Indiana claimed public interest lawyer who winning band Bon Jovi, has Diagnosed with autism as a child, history, serving 36 years. Today he has dedicated his career to helping made self-reliance, optimism, Dr. Grandin credits her parents’ is President of The Lugar Center, the poor, the incarcerated and the and community key hallmarks of advocacy and early education- a non-profit organization focusing condemned. A graduate of the Har- his music and his philanthropy. al intervention as a factor in her on global food security, non-pro- vard Law School and the Harvard Since forming in 1983, Bon Jovi success. Dr. Grandin has devot- liferation of weapons of mass de- School of Government, he is a pro- has sold more than 130 million ed her career to improving under- struction, aid effectiveness, and bi- fessor of law at the New York Uni- albums, earning status as one of standing and conditions for live- partisan governance. A professor of versity School of Law. Under Mr. the world’s best-selling musi- stock and has designed numerous practice and distinguished scholar Stevenson’s leadership, EJI has won cal groups, and has performed in innovations to reduce stress for at the School of Global and Inter- major legal challenges eliminating more than 50 countries for over animals in handling facilities. national Studies at Indiana Univer- excessive and unfair sentencing, ex- 37 million fans. The band was Pursuing her education at sity, Senator Lugar also serves on onerating innocent death row pris- inducted into the Rock and Roll Franklin Pierce College and Ari- the faculty at the University of In- oners, confronting abuse of the in- Hall of Fame in 2018, in recog- zona State University and culmi- dianapolis, leading the Richard G. carcerated and the mentally ill, and nition of its longevity and impact nating with her doctorate at the Lugar Symposium for Tomorrow’s aiding children prosecuted as adults. on popular music over the past University of Illinois-Urbana, to- Leaders. Mr. Stevenson has successfully ar- three decades. day Dr. Grandin is a professor of Following graduation from Deni- gued several cases in the United Mr. Bon Jovi is also Chair of animal science at Colorado State son University and study as a Rhodes States Supreme Court, including a the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Founda- University and the founder and Scholar, Senator Lugar served in the recent historic ruling banning man- tion, founded in 2006 and dedi- consultant at Grandin Livestock US Navy. Before election to the Sen- datory life-without-parole sentences cated to supporting innovative Handling Systems. ate, he helped manage the family’s for children 17 or younger. community efforts to break the Dr. Grandin is the recipi- food machinery manufacturing busi- Mr. Stevenson is the author of cycle of poverty and homeless- ent of a great number of indus- ness and served two terms as mayor the critically acclaimed New York ness. The Soul Foundation funds try awards over four decades, in- of Indianapolis. Times bestseller, Just Mercy, which partnerships that benefit tempo- cluding the Animal Management In six Senate terms, Senator received the NAACP Image Award rary shelters, transitional housing Award, the American Society of Lugar exercised leadership on critical and was named by Time magazine for teens, permanent supportive Animal Science; Woman of the issues of global food security, nucle- as one of the 10 best nonfiction housing (including for veterans Year in Service to Agriculture, ar non-proliferation, energy indepen- books for 2014. and special needs populations), Progressive Farmer magazine; dence, and free trade. He led actions Mr. Stevenson’s work fight- and home ownership opportuni- the Distinguished Alumni Medal- to reduce the threat of nuclear, chem- ing poverty and challenging racial ties. In 2011, with his wife Dor- lion, National 4-H Council; the ical and biological weapons. With discrimination in the criminal jus- othea, Mr. Bon Jovi opened the Humane Award, American Vet- then-Senate Armed Services Chair- tice system has won him numer- JBJ Soul Kitchen community erinary Medical Association; and man Sam Nunn, efforts to destroy ous awards, including the MacAr- restaurant in Red Bank, New Jer- the President’s Award, National weapons of mass destruction in the thur Foundation Fellowship Award sey with a pay-it-forward model Institute of Animal Agriculture. former Soviet Union resulted in the Prize, the Olof Palme International serving both in-need and paying A champion of “neurodiver- deactivation of over 7,600 nuclear Prize, the ACLU National Medal of customers. In the aftermath of sity,” Dr. Grandin has been fre- warheads once aimed at the US. As Liberty, and the Ford Foundation Hurricane Sandy, a second loca- quently featured in national me- chairman of the Agriculture Commit- Visionaries Award. In 2016, Mr. tion in Toms River, New Jersey dia. Her story was depicted in a tee, Senator Lugar initiated a biofuels Stevenson received the American opened. These community res- 2010 award-winning HBO film, research program to decrease depen- Bar Association’s Thurgood Mar- taurants have since served over as well as her memoir Thinking dency on foreign oil. Senator Lugar shall Award, and in 2018, the Mar- 90,000 meals. in Pictures and autobiography also played an instrumental role in tin Luther King, Jr., Nonviolent Mr. Bon Jovi is a member of Emergence: Labeled Autistic. enacting US sanctions on the apart- Peace Prize from The King Center the Songwriters Hall of Fame She is the author of over 400 ar- heid government of South Africa. in Atlanta. He has also received the and recipient of American Mu- ticles and many books on autism In recognition of his many American Bar Association Medal, sic and Golden Globe Awards for as well as animal science, such achievements, Senator Lugar re- the Association’s highest honor. his original music. In 2012, he as Animals in Translation: Using ceived the American Foreign Ser- In 2018, EJI opened The Leg- was featured on Billboard mag- the Mysteries of Autism to De- vice Association Lifetime Contri- acy Museum: From Enslavement azine’s “Power 100” ranking of code Animal Behavior and Ani- butions to American Diplomacy to Mass Incarceration. Built on the the most influential people in the mals Make Us Human. Her book, Award, the J. William Fulbright site of a former warehouse where music business. In 2010, Presi- Calling All Minds, was a New Prize for International Under- black people were enslaved in dent Barack Obama appointed York Times best seller for middle standing, and the rank of honorary downtown Montgomery, the mu- Mr. Bon Jovi to the White House school students. Knight Commander of the Most seum examines America’s history Council for Community Solu- In 2017, Dr. Grandin was in- Excellent Order of the British Em- of racial injustice and its legacy. tions. ducted into The National Wom- pire. President Barack Obama be- EJI has also established the only Mr. Bon Jovi will be receiving en’s Hall of Fame. She is a fellow stowed on him the Presidential national memorial acknowledging an honorary Doctor of Music. of the American Association for Medal of Freedom. the victims of racial terror lynch- the Advancement of Science and Senator Lugar also manages his ings, the National Memorial for the American Society of Agricul- family’s 604-acre Marion County, Peace and Justice. tural and Biological Engineers. Indiana farm. Mr. Stevenson will be receiving Dr. Grandin will be receiving Senator Lugar will be receiving an honorary Doctor of Laws. an honorary Doctor of Sciences. an honorary Doctor of Laws.

4 www.upenn.edu/almanac ALMANAC February 12, 2019 President’s Badge of Office The President wears as a badge of office a silver medallion of which one face is engraved, like the mace, with the University seal. The obverse (at right) of the President’s medal bears the “orrery seal,” de- signed in 1782 by Francis Hopkinson, A.B. 1757, Honorary Degree Recipients a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Denis Mukwege Laurie Olin Neville Earl Strumpf Jill Cornell Tarter Physician, surgeon, and hu- Laurie Olin is a distinguished Neville Strumpf is a renowned Astronomer Jill Tarter is the man rights activist Denis Mukwe- teacher, author, artist and one of the expert in the nursing care of older Emeritus Chair for SETI (Search ge decided to study medicine while most renowned landscape archi- adults. Until her retirement in 2008, for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) still a child in Bukavu, Democrat- tects practicing today. Known for she served as professor of nursing Research at the SETI Institute in ic Republic of the Congo. Pursu- his award-winning “people-centric” at the University of Pennsylvania’s Mountain View, California. Dr. ing medical studies in Burundi and landscapes gracing cities around School of Nursing, where she is also Tarter has spent much of her career, specialization training in France, the world, Mr. Olin is Practice a former interim dean. Since her ar- spanning more than four decades, he earned his medical sciences Profes-sor Emeritus of Landscape rival at Penn as assistant professor in attempting to answer the age-old doctorate from the Université Libre Archi-tecture at the University of 1982, Dr. Strumpf’s leadership, in- human question, “Are we alone?” de Bruxelles and returned home to Pennsyl-vania’s School of Design, novative scholarship, teaching ex- by searching for evidence of tech- practice in Lemera, where medical where he taught for over 40 years. cellence, generous mentorship and nological civilizations beyond care access was severely limited. As founding principal of the service in the University community Earth. Dr. Tarter and her ground- Enduring a 1996 attack in which Philadelphia-based OLIN, he has and beyond have drawn the deep ad- breaking work were introduced to hospital personnel were killed, Dr. guided signature projects, such as miration of her peers. the public when actor Jodie Foster Mukwege went into exile but soon re-design of the Washing-ton Under Dr. Strumpf’s leadership, Monument Grounds in portrayed a character inspired by returned, and in 1999 founded the Penn Nursing was among the first to Dr. Tarter in the 1997 filmContact. Panzi Hospital at Bukavu. Washington, DC, for which Mr. integrate gerontology into the under- Olin won the Design Honor Award When undertaking undergradu- Intended for maternity services, graduate curriculum. For 15 years, ate studies in engineering physics from the American Society of she directed the School’s nationally Panzi Hospital instead encountered Landscape Architects. Other at Cornell University, Dr. Tarter tremendous numbers of victims of top-ranked Gerontology Nurse Prac- was the only woman of 300 engi- notable projects include New York titioner Program. She also founded sexual violence committed by armed City’s Bryant Park, the Getty neering students. She went on to groups of many origins. Dr. Mukwe- Center in Los Angeles, and and was director of the School’s Cen- receive her master’s and PhD in ge has assisted these survivors and recently, the award-winning Barnes ter of Gerontologic Nursing Research astronomy from the University of women with severe gynecological Foundation in Philadelphia and and its Hartford Foundation Center California, Berkeley. Her success issues for over two decades and has Apple Park in Cupertino, of Geriatric Nursing Excellence. Dr. as a female scientist has served as a publicly advocated for the empower- California. For over four decades, Strumpf is also former chair and ad- role model for generations of wom- ment of Congolese women. Mr. Olin has also contributed visory board member of the School’s en in science. Internationally recognized for significantly to the master planning Barbara Bates Center for the Study Dr. Tarter has served as Proj- its holistic response to gender-based and development of the of the History of Nursing. Among ect Scientist for NASA’s SETI pro- violence, Panzi Hospital has treated University’s campus. other leadership roles as a Penn fac- gram, the High Resolution Micro- over 50,000 women and children. A native of Alaska, Mr. Olin ulty member, Dr. Strumpf served the wave Survey, and has conducted This pioneering model integrating studied civil engineering at the University community as chair of the numerous observational programs psychological and medical care, le- University of Alaska and Faculty Senate. at radio observatories worldwide. gal assistance and socio-econom- architecture at the University of Her work with research partner Since termination of funding for ic support has been implemented Washington. The former chair of Dr. Lois Evans yielded the first ever NASA’s program in 1993, she has in countries across Africa. To ex- the department of landscape clinical trial of its type, demonstrating served in a leadership role to de- tend the hospital’s outreach efforts, architecture at Harvard University that routine use of physical restraints sign and build the Allen Telescope Dr. Mukwege established the Panzi and a Guggen-heim Fellow, Mr. was dangerous for older people. Array and to secure private funding Foundation in 2008. Olin has written widely on his These findings contributed to ground- to continue SETI exploratory sci- Despite a 2012 assassination field, including co-authoring OLIN: breaking national legislation, altered ence. The author of more than 170 attempt, Dr. Mukwege remains an Placemaking, a selection of his standards of care, and revolutionized technical papers, Dr. Tarter lectures outspoken advocate on behalf of studio’s most celebrated projects. practices in nursing homes and hospi- extensively both on the search for sexual violence survivors. His ef- In 2018, the School of Design’s tals in the United States and the world. extraterrestrial intelligence and the forts have brought greater global Architectural Archives honored Mr. In retirement, Dr. Strumpf re- need for proper science education. attention to the crimes of sexual Olin with an exhibition reflecting mains passionately engaged in im- Dr. Tarter is a Fellow of the violence as a weapon of war. Call- seven decades of work, including proving the lives of older people, American Association for the Ad- ing on the international communi- drawings, sketches, and including board membership for vancement of Science, the Califor- ty to hold perpetrators to account, observations from the world over. the Mercy Life West Philadelphia nia Academy of Sciences, and The Dr. Mukwege continues to raise Mr. Olin is a Fellow of the PACE Program and as president of Explorers Club. She is the winner awareness of the need for quality American Academy of Arts and the Board of Ralston Center, a pro- of the 2009 TED Prize, and in 2012, health care for all, for women’s and Sciences and of the American vider of services to older adults in she was named one of the Time 25 human rights, and for peace. Society of Landscape Architects. In West Philadelphia. recognition of his work, he has in Space. She was the 2014 Jan- In recognition of this work, Her many awards include Penn’s sky Lecturer and received a Ge- he and Yazīdī activist Nadia Mu- received the Award in Architecture Lindback Award for Distinguished from the American Academy of nius Award from Liberty Science rad were awarded the 2018 Nobel Teaching; Honorary Alumna of Center in 2015. Dr. Tarter served Arts and Letters, and the 2012 Penn’s School of Nursing; Distin- Peace Prize. He has also received National Medal of Arts. He also as president of the California Acad- the United Nations Human Rights guished Alumna Award, NYU Divi- emy of Sciences and was awarded holds the 2011 American Society sion of Nursing; the Claire M. Fagin Prize, Sweden’s Olof Palme Prize, of Landscape Architects Medal, the a Lifetime Achievement Award by France’s Officier de la Légion Society’s highest award for a Distinguished Researcher Award at Women in Aerospace. The Aster- d’Honneur, and the Seoul Peace landscape architect. The National Penn, and Nurse Researcher Hall of oid 74824 Tarter (1999 TJ16) was Prize. In 2014, the European Par- Building Museum presented to him Fame, Sigma Theta Tau International. named in her honor. A biography liament unanimously elected him the 2017 Vincent Scully Prize in Dr. Strumpf is a Fellow of the Ameri- of Dr. Tarter, Making Contact, was the Sakharov Prize Laureate, its recognition of his contributions. can Academy of Nursing and the Ge- published in 2017. highest honor. Mr. Olin will be receiving an rontological Society of America. Dr. Tarter will be receiving an Dr. Mukwege will be receiving honorary Doctor of Arts. Dr. Strumpf will be receiving honorary Doctor of Sciences. an honorary Doctor of Sciences. an honorary Doctor of Sciences. ALMANAC February 12, 2019 www.upenn.edu/almanac 5 Penn Faculty & Staff Family Night with Penn Basketball: February 23 The Division of Human Resources and Penn Athletics invite benefits-eligible faculty and staff to cheer on the Penn Women’s and Men’s Basketball teams at the Palestra on Saturday, February 23. The Penn teams will take on Cornell. The women’s game begins at 4:30 p.m. and the men’s game begins at 7 p.m. Each Family Night ticket includes a discounted ticket to both Another tip in a series provided by the games, compliments of Penn Athletics, and a $5 concession coupon redeemable for food and Offices of Information Systems & Computing beverage, compliments of the Division of Human Resources. Family Night ticket prices are and Audit, Compliance & Privacy $6.50 each for adults and youth. Gift Card Scams @ Penn Tickets are required for the back-to-back basketball games. One ticket includes both Penn’s Office of Information Security games. The maximum number of discounted tickets each faulty or staff person can purchase saw a rise in gift card phishing scams on is four tickets. Order tickets online at www.hr.upenn.edu/familynight or at The Penn Athlet- campus in the last few months. Typically, ics Ticket Office located at Weightman Hall (235 S. 33rd Street between Walnut and Spruce), the scammer sends an email message to until Monday, February 18. a Penn staff member pretending to be a Game night promotions include a toast-shaped towel giveaway, while supplies last, recog- high-ranking administrator, e.g., School nition of 2004 and 2014 Ivy League Champions at the women’s game, and performances by Dean or Executive Director. The mes- the Palestra Honor Band and Hula Hooper Lauren Resnick at the men’s game. sage indicates the sender is occupied and To pick up your $5 complimentary concession coupon(s), present your game ticket and in need of immediate assistance in pur- your Faculty/Staff PennCard to the Human Resources table outside the entrance to Section chasing gift cards from a specific store or 208 the night of the game. A Human Resources representative will give you one coupon per brand for a specific amount. The message ticket for up to four tickets. Pickup will close at the end of the first quarter. Go Quakers! also requests that the recipient send back the gift card codes to the sender either by Another 2019 Summer Program at Penn taking a photo of the codes and sending In addition to the many programs and camps listed in the January 29 supplement, here is one more. the image back as an email attachment or Kelly Writers House 2019 Summer Work- number of participants, thanks to the generosity sending back the list of codes in an email. shop for Young Writers, a 10-day residential of longtime friend of the Kelly Writers House, Recipients who fell for the scam ei- program for rising high school juniors and se- Maury Povich (C’62). ther lost personal funds or Penn funds niors will take place July 7-17, http://writing. Because of their commitment to keeping the when a Procard was used for the gift card upenn.edu/wh/summer/ class sizes small and the limitations of the inti- purchase. To protect yourself, and Penn, This is an opportunity for promising high mate space, KWH will only be able to accom- be aware: school writers from diverse backgrounds to learn modate a small number of qualified candidates. • Verify the message with the send- from Penn’s faculty and staff as well as their fel- The application is now open and is due March 3. er, with your manager or IT support low participants at the Kelly Writers House. Please note that admission, or lack thereof, to provider before you take any action. Participants will live in one of Penn’s College this program will have no direct impact on a stu- • Read the sender’s email address Houses throughout the program and will have dent’s chances for eventual admission to Penn. carefully. Usually Penn employees opportunities to explore Penn and Philadelphia More information about the Summer Workshop use a Penn email address for work when they’re not writing and reading. and access to the application is available online. communication, e.g., username@ The program offers financial assistance in Send email to summer-writing-workshop@ upenn.edu the form of full- and half-tuition grants to a writing.upenn.edu with questions. • If in doubt about the email ad- dress, hit reply to but don’t send. Pay attention if the email address chang- The Penn & Pencil Club for Penn Staff es in the reply to field to a non-Penn A bit more than 20 years ago, about two dozen Penn people, predominantly staff, from across the email. University and its Health System gathered on the second floor of Houston Hall. They were there in re- • This is not how Penn does busi- sponse to a query about starting a group for staff interested in creative writing. At a university so large, ness. Penn personnel will NOT ask varied and forward-looking, the thinking was that there would likely be some support for such a proj- you for assistance in purchasing gift ect. The idea for the group was Jennifer Baldino’s, then director of external affairs in the Office of the cards for personal purposes. President. And although the number and makeup of the members has changed over the years, what • If you have fallen victim to this became known as the Penn & Pencil Club has flourished. In its earliest days, the members met at dif- scam, report the incident to your IT ferent locations including local restaurants after work hours. Later it found a more permanent and very support staff. If you are unaware who welcoming home at the Kelly Writers House, where the group has also held annual public readings. provides your IT support, contact the P&PC members—including a few who have been part it since its first years—have come from Office of Information Security at se- all parts of the University. Among them: the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Mat- [email protected] ter (LRSM), the department of pathology and laboratory medicine, the Vet School’s department For more information visit https://www. of pathobiology and its communications team, the University’s Development Office, the Wharton isc.upenn.edu/security/gift-card_scam School’s information technology department, the Center for Technology Transfer (now called the Penn Center for Innovation), the publications office of the Health System, the University Press, and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). For additional tips, see the The usual practice is to write and submit whatever the individual member prefers, and because One Step Ahead link on the P&PC now meets twice a month, there is less waiting time in the queue for submissions to be dis- Information Security website: cussed. The range of submissions that the members consider during the workshops has been very https://www.isc.upenn.edu/security/ wide. Among the offerings the group has considered in the past: first-person essays; short stories news-alerts#One-Step-Ahead about fashion, with a touch of fantasy; humorous poems about almost any topic under the sun; part of a novel featuring Greek mythological creatures but transposed to the contemporary American Planning an Event? Email Almanac Northwest; poems generated by computers—and subsequently published in literary magazines; in- Mounting an exhibit? Orchestrating a con- novative (aka eccentric) microfiction based on the dictionary; a science fiction novel set in the far cert? Planning a play? Showing a film? Let Al- future when humanity has left Earth and is seeking new homes; and a novel set largely in the early manac know so it can be included in the month- years of the Civil Rights Movement. ly AT PENN calendar! At other times, the group has worked on joint projects, such as two (unfinished, alas) novels, Almanac’s monthly AT PENN calendar is the for which any member could draft a chapter and then the group voted on which to add to the se- most inclusive calendar of Penn events on cam- quence. For another project, known as Exquisite Corpse, developed by French surrealist writers, pus. With a readership in print and online, a listing words or images were provided by members and then assembled into poems. Another project chal- in AT PENN increases visibility and attendance. lenged members to incorporate words clipped from newspapers and magazines into sketches and Email [email protected] with your event short stories—for example, “Reflections of ancient glory,” “With a little hollandaise,” “liquidators,” details, including the event date, time, topic, and “When the Plants Take Over a Home.” The purpose is always to get the creative juices flowing! speaker information and sponsors. For info, visit Penn staff interested in joining the P&PC should contact Luellen Fletcher, the group’s coordina- https://almanac.upenn.edu/deadlines-for-submit- tor, at [email protected] ting-at-penn-information 6 www.upenn.edu/almanac ALMANAC February 12, 2019 Wise Men Fish Here: A Centennial Exhibition in Honor of the Gotham Book Mart, 1920–2020 Update In 2008, the University of Pennsylvania February AT PENN was given the contents of the Gotham Book FITNESS AND LEARNING Mart, the legendary New York City bookstore founded by Frances Steloff in 1920 (Almanac 21 Mindfulness: An Invitation to Pause; with January 27, 2009). To mark the 100th anniver- Mara Wai; noon; rm. 216, Claire Fagin Hall; sary of the store’s founding, the Kislak Cen- register: https://ppsa.upenn.edu/events/ppsa- ter for Special Collections, Rare Books and presents-mindfulness/ (PPSA, The Penn Pro- Manuscripts will host an exhibition in honor of gram for Mindfulness). Ms. Steloff and her famous bookshop. For de- cades the Gotham Book Mart was, as Ms. Stel- READINGS AND SIGNINGS off prosaically put it, “the headquarters of the avant-garde.” The exhibition, Wise Men Fish 13 Feminista Jones in conversation with Tan- Here, A Centennial Exhibition in Honor of the ji Gilliam; 6:30 p.m.; Penn Book Center. Gotham Book Mart, 1920-2020, explores the 16 Poetry Reading with Ryan Eckes, Alex- shop’s role in assembling, publishing and pro- is Almeida and Marwa Helal; 2:30 p.m.; Penn moting groundbreaking experimental writers, Book Center. as well as its later years under the ownership of Ms. Steloff’s hand-chosen successor, Andreas SPECIAL EVENTS Brown, focusing on Mr. Brown’s passion for 16 Palentine’s Day: Artisan and Handmade postcards and collaborations with graphic artist Bazaar; unique handmade goods and artwork; 11 Edward Gorey. The exhibition runs from Feb- a.m-4 p.m..; The Rotunda. Register: https://tinyurl. ruary 18-May 20, 2019 at the Van Pelt Library. com/yaextywb For the past eight years, Penn Libraries cu- Frances Steloff and her legendary bookshop. rators and staff have unpacked and processed TALKS over 200,000 items and unveiled 150 linear feet of archival materials. From this mass of “stuff,” Curator David McKnight has, with the assistance of Katherine Aid and Camille Davis, selected 300 21 Crisis at the Border: The Effects of Trau- pieces ranging in date from 1900 to 2000. Drawing upon the collection’s vast array of material evi- ma and Stress on Migrant Children and Fami- dence—books, periodicals, manuscripts and ephemera—the exhibition will narrate the history of lies; Colleen Kraft, American Academy of Pe- the shop from its earliest beginnings to its demise in 2005. diatrics; noon; Bodek Lounge, Houston Hall; Modernism - Materiality - Meaning Conference: February 29-March 2 register: kraftseminar.eventbrite.com (Center In conjunction with Wise Men Fished Here: A Centennial Exhi- for Public Health Initiatives, CHOP PolicyLab). bition in Honor of the Gotham Book Mart, 1920-2020, the Kislak 22 The Creative Nature of Memory and How Center is hosting a conference from February 28 to March 2 on the Brain Builds Knowledge; Dasa Zeithamova, the theme of Modernism - Materiality - Meaning. The Conference University of Oregon, and Patricia Moss-Vree- will be held in the Libary’s Class of 1978 Orrery Pavilion, Kis- land, artist of the In Search of Meaning: Memo- lak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts. ry Becomes Us exhibition; 5 p.m.; Quorum, sec- During its formative years, the Gotham Book Mart was one of ond floor, 3675 Market St. (EKG). the few book shops in North America to specialize in avant-garde and modernist literature, film and art. Responding to the growing AT PENN Deadlines The February AT PENN calendar is online. The interest in the concept of the modernist book store, the three-day March AT PENN will be published February 26. conference will provide a framework to explore the role of the Gotham Book Mart within the larger context of the printing arts, non-commercial publishing, retailing and the marketing of mod- ernism; as well as, examining the important role of little maga- zines and small presses; Surrealism; the New York poetry scene; 3910 Chestnut Street, 2nd floor Philadelphia, PA 19104-3111 the Beats and Edward Gorey. The conference will be preceded by Phone: (215) 898-5274 or 5275 a film festival inspired by the Gotham Book Mart promotion of FAX: (215) 898-9137 Modernist film. Other events will include a poetry reading, panels Email: [email protected] A vintage poster for an Andy and workshops. The keynote speaker is professor Andrew Thack- URL: www.upenn.edu/almanac Warhol exhibit at the Gotham. er, from Nottingham Trent University. The University of Pennsylvania’s journal of record, opinion Thanks to the generosity of the Jay Kislak Endowment, and news is published Tuesdays during the academic year, and as needed during summer and holiday breaks. Its electronic edi- the conference is free and open to the public. Registration is required; seating is limited. Register by tions on the Internet (accessible through the Penn website) include February 15 at https://www.alumni.upenn.edu/modernism HTML, Acrobat and mobile versions of the print edition, and interim information may be posted in electronic-only form. Guidelines for readers and contributors are available on request and online. The University of Pennsylvania Police Department EDITOR Marguerite F. Miller Community Crime Report ASSOCIATE EDITOR Louise Emerick ASSISTANT EDITOR Alisha George About the Crime Report: Below are the Crimes Against Persons or Crimes Against Society from STUDENT ASSISTANTS Jackson Betz the campus report for January 28-February 3, 2019. Also reported were 13 Crimes Against Property (1 Justin Greenman Joel Lee fraud, 1 disorderly conduct, 1 vandalism, 8 thefts and 2 other offenses) with 3 arrests. Full reports are avail- Christina Lu able at: https://almanac.upenn.edu/sections/crimes Prior weeks’ reports are also online. –Eds. This summary is prepared by the Division of Public Safety and includes all criminal incidents reported ALMANAC ADVISORY BOARD: For the Faculty Senate: and made known to the University Police Department between the dates of January 28-February 3, 2019. Martin Pring (chair), Sunday Akintoye, Christine Bradway, Daniel The University Police actively patrol from Market St to Baltimore Avenue and from the Schuylkill River to Cohen, Al Filreis, Cary Mazer. For the Administration: Stephen MacCarthy. For the Staff Assemblies: Jon Shaw, PPSA; Marcia 43rd St in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police. In this effort to provide you with a thorough and accu- Dotson, WPPSA; Rachelle R. Nelson, Librarians Assembly. rate report on public safety concerns, we hope that your increased awareness will lessen the opportunity for crime. For any concerns or suggestions regarding this report, please call the Division of Public Safety The University of Pennsylvania values diversity and seeks tal- at (215) 898-4482. ented students, faculty and staff from diverse backgrounds. The University of Pennsylvania does not discriminate on the basis 01/29/19 7:08 PM 3700 Spruce St Confidential investigation of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, 02/03/19 7:25 PM 3948 Market St Complainant assaulted by known person/Arrest creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected class status in the administration of its admissions, financial aid, educational or ath- 18th District letic programs, or other University-administered programs or in Below are the Crimes Against Persons from the 18th District: 4 incidents (2 indecent assaults and 2 robber- its employment practices. Questions or complaints regarding this ies) were reported between January 28-February 3, 2019 by the 18th District covering the Schuylkill River policy should be directed to Sam to 49th Street & Market Street to Woodland Avenue. Starks, Executive Director of the Office of Affirmative Action and 01/28/19 12:31 AM 3700 Spruce St Indecent Assault Equal Opportunity Programs, 421 01/29/19 9:19 PM 3700 Spruce St Indecent Assault Franklin Building, 3451 Walnut 01/30/19 6:43 AM 4314 Locust St Robbery Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104- 01/31/19 10:20 AM 4523 Baltimore Ave Robbery 6205; or (215) 898-6993 (Voice).

ALMANAC February 12, 2019 www.upenn.edu/almanac 7 RESEARCH ROUNDUP

Hindering Metastasis with an FDA-Approved Drug Link Between Illness and Sleep For cancer to spread, it needs a hospitable environment in distant or- Little is known about what genetic or molecular forces drive the need gans. This fertile “soil” can provide a home to circulating malignant cells. to sleep—until now. In a study of over 12,000 lines of fruit flies, research- Recent research has shown that cancer cells from the primary tumor can ers from Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine have found a single gene, help ready this soil by sending out small vesicles that contain a cocktail called nemuri that increases the need for sleep. The findings were recently of molecules that “educate” healthy cells to prepare the target tissues for published in Science. cancer cells to seed and thrive. Blocking this process offers one strategy The NEMURI protein fights germs with its inherent antimicrobial ac- to stop metastasis. tivity and it is secreted by cells in the brain to drive prolonged, deep sleep New research from Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine has identi- after an infection. fied an FDA-approved drug that, when used with surgery, hampers metas- “While it’s a common notion that sleep and healing are tightly related, tasis in an animal model. our study directly links sleep to the immune system and provides a poten- Originally developed and approved nearly 65 years ago to control tial explanation for how sleep increases during sickness,” said senior au- blood pressure, the medication reserpine prevents what are known as tu- thor Amita Sehgal, professor of neuroscience and director of Penn’s Chro- mor-derived extracellular vesicles (TEVs) from fusing to healthy cells nobiology Program. and sharing their cargo of disease-promoting molecules, the research team Without the nemuri gene, flies were more easily aroused during daily found. sleep, and their acute need for an increase in sleep—induced by sleep de- To understand how TEVs influenced the reprogramming of healthy privation or infection—was reduced. On the other hand, sleep deprivation, cells to contribute to a metastatic soil, they used a mouse model possess- which increases the need for sleep, and to some extent infection, stimu- ing a protein resistant to degradation. These mice, they found, resisted up- lated nemuri to be expressed in a small set of fly neurons nestled close to take of TEV, and did not develop lung metastases from melanoma tumors. a known sleep-promoting structure in the brain. Overexpression of nemuri The team discovered that healthy cells from these mice were less likely to increased sleep in bacteria-infected flies and led to their increased survival take up the TEVs because the lipid membrane of the vesicle did not effi- compared to non-infected control flies. ciently fuse with the lipid membrane of the cell. In response to infection, NEMURI appears to kill microbes, most like- “At that point, we started thinking that this continuous swallowing of ly in the peripheral parts of the fruit fly body, and increases sleep through vesicles by healthy cells is important for the ‘education’ of normal cells,” its action in the brain. Several molecules like NEMURI, which is an an- said Serge Fuchs, professor of cell biology. “That suggested to us that any timicrobial peptide (AMP), have multiple functions that help combat in- event that would interrupt this continuous uptake of the vesicles by nor- fection, but its sleep-promoting role may be just as important for host de- mal cells might be able to disrupt their reprogramming, and might be an- fense, the researchers suggest, given that increased sleep during sickness timetastatic.” promotes survival in the flies. The researchers found success in pretreating cells with 25-hydroxy- The authors note that cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), an im- cholesterol (25HC), a compound that is induced by interferon and has mune cell molecule, are implicated in human sleep. IL-1 can function in been shown to disrupt fusion of lipid membranes. But 25HC degrades the same pathway as AMPs, and it accumulates after prolonged wakeful- quickly in the body. The scientists then landed on reserpine. ness and appears to promote sleep. In mammals, cytokines can induce While reserpine given alone to mice with a melanoma tumor appeared production of AMPs, but AMPS may also affect the expression of cyto- to have little effect on tumor growth and survival, mice that received the kines. Given this relationship, the researchers conclude that NEMURI is a reserpine treatment before and after surgery seemed to disrupt the repro- working link between immune function and sleep. gramming of healthy cells. Overall survival of these animals significant “The NEMURI protein is a genuine driver of keeping sleep on track improved, and the treatment “virtually eliminated” evidence of lung me- under conditions of high sleep need like when we’re sick,” said first au- tastases, the researchers report. thor Hirofumi Toda, a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Sehgal’s lab. “In the next “We are eager to get this into the hands of medical and veterinary on- phase of our work, we plan to investigate the mechanism by which NEM- cologists,” Dr. Fuchs said. URI drives sleep.” Improving End-of-Life Care Quality “Metallic Wood” Strong as Titanium, Floats on Water A new study from the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing’s Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Engineering Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research (CHOPR) describes the and Applied Science, the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, and quality of end of life care in nearly 500 US hospitals, utilizing nearly the University of Cambridge have built a sheet of nickel with nanoscale 13,000 bedside nurses as informants of quality. The study has been pub- pores that make it as strong as titanium but four to five times lighter. lished online. It will also appear in the Journal of the American Geriat- The empty space of the pores, and the self-assembly process in which rics Society. they’re made, make the porous metal akin to a natural material, such as The majority of nurses (58%) rate their hospital’s end of life care un- wood. Infusing the empty space with anode and cathode materials would favorably. The most common quality problem nurses cite (53% of nurs- enable this metallic wood to serve double duty: a plane wing or prosthetic es) is that patients often experience painful procedures that are not likely leg that’s also a battery. to change their clinical outcome. This finding is consistent with growing The study, published in Nature Scientific Reports, was led by James Pi- trends towards aggressive medical intervention in the final days of life, kul, assistant professor in the department of mechanical engineering and which is widely recognized as inappropriate for terminally ill individuals. applied mechanics at Penn Engineering. More than one-third (37.7%) of nurses report being discouraged from The struts in the researchers’ metallic wood are around 10 nanome- discussing alternative care options with patients/families. A similar per- ters wide, or about 100 nickel atoms across. Other approaches involve us- centage of nurses say they often disagree with their physician colleagues ing 3D-printing-like techniques to make nanoscale scaffoldings with hun- about end of life care decisions—and feel decisions are not made as a dred-nanometer precision, but the slow and painstaking process is hard to team. scale to useful sizes. “Even the best hospitals have significant room for improvement when “We’ve known that going smaller gets you stronger for some time,” it comes to providing better care for patients at the end of life,” said Karen Dr. Pikul said, “but people haven’t been able to make these structures with Lasater, lead-author and assistant professor of nursing. “Hospitals are fail- strong materials that are big enough that you’d be able to do something ing to capitalize on an already available cadre of skilled end of life care useful. Most examples made from strong materials have been about the providers available for every patient in every hospital—registered nurses size of a small flea, but with our approach, we can make metallic wood at the bedside.” samples that are 400 times larger.” The study found that end-of-life care is best in hospitals character- Dr. Pikul’s method starts with tiny plastic spheres, a few hundred ized by effective nurse-physician teamwork, where authority is devolved nanometers in diameter, suspended in water. When the water is slowly to nurses to act in their areas of expertise, where nurses have manage- evaporated, the spheres settle and stack like cannonballs, providing an able workloads, and where nurses are highly engaged in hospital deci- orderly, crystalline framework. Using electroplating, the same technique sion making. that adds a thin layer of chrome to a hubcap, the researchers then infil- “For patients and families, making health-care decisions at the end of trate the plastic spheres with nickel. Once the nickel is in place, the plastic life is stressful. They want to be cared for by a team of providers that elicit spheres are dissolved with a solvent, leaving an open network of metallic and respect their care preferences. They want information about disease struts. Roughly 70% of the resulting material is empty space. With a den- progression, symptom management, and the full array of care options. sity on par with water’s, a brick of the material would float. They want to be acknowledged as a whole person—with goals beyond Replicating this production process at commercially relevant sizes is prolonging life. This is at the heart of nurses’ work,” said Dr. Lasater. the team’s next challenge. 8 www.upenn.edu/almanac ALMANAC February 12, 2019