East Montgomery Times

Three studies from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have been recognized in this year's Clinical Research Forum's Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement Awards. The forum annually highlights studies that demonstrate the benefits of research investment on public health. This marks the third occasion that three Penn-led papers have been featured since the inception of the Top 10 list. Additionally, three other Penn studies were among the Top 20 finalists.

Emma Meagher, MD, senior vice dean for Clinical and Translational Research, stated, "We know that when it comes to translational research that can leave the lab and make a difference in the real world, Penn has always been a leader." She added, "Seeing so much of the work done by our researchers recognized in this way is extremely gratifying, and it shows that our teams are revolutionizing care for patients across the world both today and for generations to come."

The Clinical Research Forum, based in Washington D.C., was established in 1996 to support clinical research conducted through academic centers. The top papers are selected by its board after an open submission process.

This year's honored Penn-affiliated works include:

1. “Gene Editing for CEP290-Associated Retinal Degeneration,” led by Tomas Aleman, MD. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, this study involved a CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing trial restoring sight in patients with blindness due to a single gene mutation.

2. “FOXO1 is a Master Regulator of Memory Programming in CAR T Cells,” led by Evan Weber, PhD. This Nature paper explored how FOXO1 protein could enhance CAR T cells' survival and effectiveness against cancers.

3. “Diversity and Scale: Genetic Architecture of 2068 Traits in the VA Million Veteran Program,” led by Scott Damrauer, MD. Published in Science, this study analyzed genetic data from over 600,000 participants to find associations between genetic variants and various traits or conditions.

Additionally recognized as finalists were:

- A study on palliative care consultations led by Katherine Courtright, MD.

- A behavioral intervention trial on distracted driving led by Jeff Ebert, PhD.

- A treatment comparison for vasculitis led by Peter Merkel, MD.

Meagher participated as vice chair of membership on the CRF board but recused herself from evaluating Penn-affiliated papers. Arthur Rubenstein also recused himself from voting on such papers.