April 9 Update: From the Chair

Dear Members of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Community,

Evidence for the use of face masks to limit the spread of the coronavirus continues to mount: a recent study in the journal Nature found that flat surgical face masks significantly reduced the number of virus-carrying droplets that mask wearers released into the surrounding air. The CDC website has a helpful page on using cloth masks in public.

I am passing along a message from Dr. Jon Epstein, the Executive Vice Dean and Chief Scientific Officer, to our scientists about emerging funding opportunities for COVID-19 research, which are listed here. In addition, the NIH created this helpful overview for applicants and recipients of NIH funding related to COVID-19. If there is an opportunity you would like to pursue, please email evdcso@pennmedicine.upenn.edu, and they will work to coordinate researchers and resources to best support your application.

Our own Dr. Mike Milone is part of the Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19 with HCQ (PATCH) clinical trial that will evaluate whether the drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) can benefit people infected with COVID-19, as well as whether taking the drug preventatively may help people avoid infection altogether. More information on the clinical trial is available here.

I also want to emphasize that Penn Medicine is making sure that all of its clinicians and staff have access to the support they need while providing coronavirus care. A summary of the support resources can be found here.

Finally, here is a progress report from my "Locked Down Kitchen."  I have succeeded in recreating the (really delicious) sourdough pancakes from my youth using my now vigorous starter culture and this recipe from the bread exchange ("Malin Elmid's Sourdough Pancakes" -  https://www.sourdough.co.uk/the-bread-exchange/ ). The challenge now is quite clear: to somehow avoid gaining a lot of weight during lockdown!

Please continue to take care of yourselves because we are here for each other.

David Roth
Chair, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine