News Releases

Not All Organ Failures Are Created Equal: Study Identifies the Sepsis Symptoms That Lead to Death

The data analysis, pulled from more than 200,000 hospital visits, could help clinicians to more quickly identify - and treat- the patients who are at the greatest risk of dying from the common, and often insidious, condition.

Business Experts Say FedEx and UPS Fight Over NRA Won't Win Over Public
March 2, 2018

A panel of business experts say the latest fight between FedEx and UPS over their relationship with the National Rifle Association (NRA) won’t help either company win over the public. FedEx has stated it will keep its discount for NRA members, breaking with other companies who eliminated such discounts after the Parkland School shooting. While UPS has never had a discount for NRA members, the company has said it will continue delivering NRA products.
Drexel Supports Students Protesting Gun Violence
March 1, 2018

We welcome and respect student activism and citizenship, and can assure our college applicants that there will be no repercussions for peaceful, thoughtful and meaningful protests.
Drexel to Establish NSF Plasma Research and Development Center with Michigan and George Washington
February 28, 2018
With support from the National Science Foundation, researchers from Drexel University, the University of Michigan and George Washington University will work with interested companies to uncover new ways to use high-pressure plasma technology.
Food Insecurity Screening Works. We Just Need to Fix Social Stigma and the Referral Process
February 27, 2018
Screening for food insecurity is effective, a Drexel study found, but red tape and fears of being declared unfit parents often keep help from coming.
Plants Evolve Away from Obsolete Defenses When Attacked by Immune Herbivores, Study Shows
February 26, 2018
A new study shows that plants can evolve out of their obsolete defense mechanisms when facing an immune enemy, an illustration of the “defense de-escalation” evolution theory.
Dornsife School of Public Health Wins Inaugural Harrison Spencer Community Service Award
February 22, 2018
The award recognizes the Dornsife School of Public Health for its extensive work in Philadelphia.
Drexel and Partners Receive $5 Million Lenfest Foundation Grant to Accelerate Career Training for Local Residents
February 16, 2018

The Lenfest Foundation has awarded a three-year $5 million grant to University City District, the University City Science Center and Drexel University to accelerate career opportunities for local residents. The grant will benefit a partnership between the three organization that leverages University City's explosive economic growth to train and place unemployed West Philadelphia residents in family-sustaining jobs today, while equipping the community's workforce with the skills and certifications needed to connect to the jobs of the future.
Just Putting it Out There — How #MeToo, Awareness Months and Facebook Are Helping Us Heal
February 15, 2018
If we have learned anything on social media in 2017 it’s that everything isn’t okay. Far from it. But we are finally starting to talk about it — according to researchers at Drexel University who study our relationships with social network sites. Their latest work, an examination of how and why women decide to disclose pregnancy loss on Facebook, sheds light on a shift in our social media behavior that is making it easier for people to come forward and share their painful, personal and often stigmatized stories.
Donuts to Go from the EAT Café for Fat Tuesday
February 7, 2018
The EAT Café is offering two traditional Fat Tuesday donuts, fasnachts and calas, as a fundraiser to support its mission.
A High(er)-Definition Nose — Drexel's MXene Material Could Improve Sensors That Sniff
February 1, 2018
Sensors that sniff out chemicals in the air to warn us about everything from fires to carbon monoxide to drunk drivers to explosive devices hidden in luggage have improved so much that they can even detect diseases on a person’s breath. Researchers from Drexel University and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have made a discovery that could make our best “chemical noses” even more sensitive.
Eagles Autism Challenge: Passion for Helping Fuels Drexel Staff Member’s Participation
January 30, 2018
Biking in the Eagles Autism Challenge is just the latest step in a lifetime of helping the neurodiverse for the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute’s Jackie Abrams.
'Chemical Net' Could be Key to Capturing Pure Hydrogen
January 29, 2018
Hydrogen is one of the most abundant elements on Earth and an exceptionally clean fuel source. While it is making its way into the fuel cells of electric cars, busses and heavy equipment, its widespread use is hampered by the expensive gas-separation process required to produce pure hydrogen. But that process could soon become more efficient and cost-effective thanks to a discovery by an international team of researchers, led in the U.S. by Drexel University. The group has uncovered exceptionally efficient gas separation properties in a nanomaterial called MXene that could be incorporated into the membranes used to purify hydrogen.
To Improve Self-Control, Call Weight Loss What It Is: Difficult
January 29, 2018
Painting a realistic picture of the challenges of weight loss can lead to greater long-term outcomes, a new study from a Drexel psychologist shows.
Trauma Support for Welfare Recipients Helps Them Earn More, Study Shows
January 24, 2018
Research shows that addressing Welfare recipients’ past and current trauma help them earn more at their jobs — providing hope for an exit from the program.
Drinking, DUI Crashes Down Among Pennsylvania Youth, State Workgroup Says
January 24, 2018
The Pennsylvania State Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup released a brief that shows drinking is down in the state’s youth, but the information it presents could serve as a baseline as liquor licensing laws are relaxed.
Restaurant, Bar Smoking Bans Impact Smoking Behaviors, Especially for the Highly Educated
January 11, 2018
Smoking bans in restaurants and bars are especially effective among those with college degrees, but also were associated with higher quit attempts by people with low incomes, according to a new Drexel University study.
Mexican Migrant Health Access Lower After U.S. Border Crossing — And Even When They Return to Mexico
January 10, 2018
Immigrants and migrants from Mexico had worse access to health care and insurance after they crossed the border into the U.S. — and it remained bad when they returned to Mexico again.
Drexel Helps to Establish the Region's First Federal Statistical Research Data Center to Gain Access to Census Data
January 9, 2018
Researchers from around the city, who are studying public policy and the economy, will have access to some of the nation’s highest quality Census data this coming cycle, thanks to a new federal research center.
Little Wasp Bodies Means Little Wasp Brain Regions, Study Shows
January 2, 2018
A Drexel study looking at 19 species of paper wasps found that body size may lead to variation in the complex parts of their brains.
Drexel's Statement on Resignation of Professor George Ciccariello-Maher
December 28, 2017
Drexel’s 2018 Philly Chef Conference Tackles Sexism, Wellness and Business Development
December 20, 2017

Now in its fifth year, the 2018 Philly Chef Conference will once again convene the regional and national food community to discuss the latest food and beverage industry issues and trends with demonstrations on current professional techniques. Experts from coast-to-coast will talk trends in food styling and beverage programs, as well as sexism in the kitchen and wellness for chefs. The conference hosted by Drexel University’s Center for Food and Hospitality Management will take place Sunday through Monday, March 11–12, 2018.
Can’t Switch Your Focus? Your Brain Might Not Be Wired for It
December 19, 2017
A new study suggests that the extent to which brain signals “stick” to white matter networks is associated with cognitive flexibility, or our ability to switch our focus from one concept to another.
Drexel and Chemical Heritage Foundation Mix Artifacts With Mobile Gaming to Create History of Alchemy Experience
December 18, 2017
The Chemical Heritage Foundation wants to set the record straight about alchemy. The medieval practice, often perceived as a dark art or pseudoscience, actually helped form the process of scientific experimentation and influenced our modern understanding of chemistry and medicine. On its quest to shed light on alchemy, the Foundation, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, has enlisted help from Gossamer Games, a game design startup in Drexel University’s Entrepreneurial Game Studio, and Frank Lee, PhD, director of the EGS, to create a mobile gaming experience about the “golden age of alchemy” using books, art and artifacts from CHF Museum’s alchemy collection.
Drexel Study: Coloring Books Make You Feel Better, But Real Art Therapy Much More Potent
December 14, 2017
Many adult coloring books claim to be art therapy and can reduce negative feelings, but art therapists are significantly more impactful, a Drexel study shows.
The U.S. Could Easily Hit Its 2020 HIV Prevention Goal By Using One Drug, Drexel Study Finds
December 13, 2017
If just a quarter of high-risk men who have sex with men were to use daily preventive medicine, the United States could surpass its goal of reducing new HIV infections by 25 percent.
Will People Eat Relish Made from ‘Waste’ Ingredients? Drexel Study Finds They May Even Prefer It
December 12, 2017

A new Drexel University study found strong potential for consumer acceptance of a new category of foods created from discarded ingredients.
Could Death Rates Have Swung the 2016 Election?
December 7, 2017
A new study shows that climbing mortality rates of middle-aged white people were associated with many counties voting Republican in the 2016 presidential election.
Studies Show Barnegat Bay Salt Marshes Provide Millions of Dollars of Water Treatment for Free – For Now
December 7, 2017
A pair of studies led by Academy of Natural Sciences researchers show that salt marshes along New Jersey’s Barnegat Bay are invaluable for removing nutrients — but they’re threatened by climate change.
Microscopic Algae Hold Key to New Jersey’s Nutrient Pollution Now and in the Past
December 7, 2017
An Academy of Natural Sciences-led study found that the presence of certain species of microscopic algae called diatoms can be reliable indicators of nitrogen pollutions in New Jersey’s bays.
When Vegetables Are Closer in Price to Chips, People Eat Healthier, Drexel Study Finds
November 16, 2017
A new study determined that the difference in price of healthy foods compared to unhealthy foods plays a significant role in whether people have a healthy diet.
Training the Next Generation of Chefs and Culinary Professionals to Reduce Food Waste
November 15, 2017

When the James Beard Foundation (JBF), with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, sought out culinary instructors and professors to help design and implement a curriculum to inspire a new generation of chefs and culinary professionals to substantially reduce food waste, Drexel’s Center for Food & Hospitality stepped up to the plate.
If Sitting Is The New Smoking, Should Employers Be Held Liable?
November 14, 2017

Doctors have warned us for years about the health risks associated with sitting too much. Researchers have linked sitting for long periods of time to a number of health issues, including increased high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat and cholesterol. They also warn that prolonged sitting increases the risk of cardiovascular problems and cancer. What does this mean for organizations whose employees end up sitting for at least eight hours a day? Should they be held liable for harms caused to employees in sedentary workplaces?
Writers Room Breaks in New Campus Space with Canon Photography Partnership
November 14, 2017

Drexel University’s Writers Room, a College of Arts and Sciences initiative within the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships, will introduce its first satellite location on campus this fall. Located on the first floor of MacAlister Hall, it will serve as the anchor location for a new program created in partnership with Canon Solutions America Inc. to promote literacy and life skills.
Drexel to Host Pennsylvania's Center For Advanced Fabric Manufacturing Innovation
November 14, 2017
The Department of Defense’s effort to bring America to the forefront of textile technology manufacturing and innovation is gaining a strategic foothold in the region. Drexel University, in collaboration with DoD-supported Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA), is establishing a statewide center that will help companies, entrepreneurs and innovators take their advanced-textile concepts from prototype to product and prepare America’s workforce for the quality jobs this growing sector is generating. Called the “Pennsylvania Fabric Discovery Center,” this statewide resource is the first hub located outside of AFFOA’s home state of Massachusetts. It will be part of a national network intended to lower the barrier to commercialization for functional fabrics, resulting in advanced textiles that do things like see, hear, sense, communicate, generate and store energy.
Drexel’s Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice Receives ‘Empowering’ Grant
November 13, 2017
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has awarded a grant to the Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice that will expand offerings and resources in Healing Hurt People.
Skip Cooking for Thanksgiving This Year — With Help from the EAT Cafe
November 13, 2017
Philadelphia’s first pay-what-you-can Café is offering delicious take-out side dish and dessert options for Thanksigiving as a fundraiser to support its mission of feeding the hungry.
Drexel Opens State-of-the-Art Sound Studio
November 10, 2017
Future music producers, audio engineering and music executives being trained in Drexel University’s music industry program will now have access to the most technologically advanced recording studio of its kind in Philadelphia. The University opened a new music industry facility at One Drexel Plaza, that was conceived by faculty in the program, in collaboration with the acoustic design team behind Jimi Hendrix’s legendary Electric Lady Studios in New York.
Academy of Natural Sciences Scan Reveals the Bones of Satan…Fish
November 8, 2017
A fish named after the devil because of its underground home was scanned by scientists at the Academy of Natural Sciences and the University of Texas in the hopes of understanding how it’s related to other catfish.
Brandywine Realty Trust Breaks Ground on Drexel Square, the First Project of $3.5B Schuylkill Yards Innovation Community
November 8, 2017
Brandywine Realty Trust, in partnership with Drexel University, broke ground today on Phase I construction of the mixed-use, master-planned Schuylkill Yards development in University City. The first phase of the $3.5 billion, multi-year project will enhance the public realm by creating a 1.3-acre community park at the corner of 30^th and Market Streets to be known as Drexel Square, followed by the reimagination of the former Bulletin Building, and the development of two towers at 3003 JFK Boulevard and 3025 JFK Boulevard.
Drexel Launches Free Counseling Program for Veterans
November 6, 2017
The skills training program is designed to help veterans reduce stress, improve relationships and achieve meaningful life goals.
NSA Professionals Score College Creds at Drexel
November 3, 2017
For more than half a century, students in training to become experts in numerous fields at the National Security Agency have participated in rigorous training at the National Cryptologic School — learning everything from foreign languages to codebreaking. Today the school with the classified curriculum is expanding its coursework to keep students ahead of the latest technological threats by partnering with Drexel University to offer them the opportunity to earn a master’s degree in cybersecurity.
Rankin Scholars Bitty McLean and Guillaume Bougard Combine Reggae With Philly Soul From Sigma Sound Collection
October 31, 2017
A pair of reggae innovators will visit Drexel University this fall to share their experiences in the music industry with students in Westphal College of Media Arts & Design and to explore the trove of Philadelphia soul music in Drexel’s Sigma Sound Studio Archives. Bitty McLean, a reggae artist with three top-10 hits as a performer and a No. 1 album to his credit as a producer; and Guillaume Bougard, who operates one of the most successful independent reggae record labels in Europe; will serve as Westphal’s 2017 Rankin Scholars, holding a mixing demonstration in the Pearlstein Gallery on Nov. 2 and a series of lectures from Oct. 31 to Nov. 8 while also working on a new album in Drexel’s recording studio.
Drexel Researchers Identify 'Master Regulator' Involved in Infant Lung Damage
October 27, 2017
Blocking the micro-RNA miR-34a significantly reduced bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in mice.
Drexel Joins Regional Effort to Reduce Carbon Emissions by Making Buildings More Energy-Efficient
October 26, 2017
Through its Institute for Energy and the Environment and breadth of research in environmental science and engineering, Drexel University has a longstanding commitment to sustainability and environmental preservation. The University recently reaffirmed this commitment by joining a regional partnership of property owners, utilities and energy service companies, and community organizations in Philadelphia that have pledged to help reduce energy and water use and transportation emissions by 50 percent by the year 2030.
Philadelphia’s First Pay-What-You-Can Restaurant Celebrates First Year
October 24, 2017
Closing out its inaugural year of business, the EAT Café is celebrating the beginning to its second year of delicious food and pay-what-you-can service.
Multivitamin Use During Pregnancy Linked to Lower Risk of Autism With Intellectual Disability
October 5, 2017
Taking a multivitamin during pregnancy was linked to a 30 percent decrease in risk of a child developing autism with an intellectual disorder, according to a new Drexel University study.
Drexel Study: Women Firefighters Can Improve Safety, But Fire Department Culture Must Change
October 3, 2017
A new study by Drexel’s Center for Firefighter Injury Research & Safety Trends discerned that gender may be a unique contributor to safety, but hypermasculine fire service culture creates barriers.
Drexel Receives $1.5 Million FEMA Grant to Study Stress and Violent Injuries in Fire Departments’ EMS Workers
October 3, 2017
Drexel University’s Firefighter Injury Research and Safety Trends (FIRST) team will lead a study that was funded for $1.5 million to create a data system and standardized checklist for injuries and stress suffered by EMS workers in fire departments.
Roots, Rock & Research: A.J. Drexel Autism Institute Hosts First Benefit Concert
September 28, 2017
The A.J. Drexel Autism Institute will host its very-first benefit concert at World Café Live to raise money for its vital research into every phase of life for people on the spectrum.
Drexel to Help Develop Urban Special Education Leaders
September 27, 2017

A partnership between Drexel University’s School of Education and the School District of Philadelphia Office of Specialized Services (OSS) will result in the development of aspiring special education leaders, poised to address the unique challenges facing students and teachers in the complex urban education environment.