William H. Danforth, chancellor emeritus, trustee emeritus of Washington University, dies at 94
Category: School of Medicine
Gutmann receives award from neurological association
David H. Gutmann, MD, PhD, the Donald O. Schnuck Family Professor and vice chair for research affairs in the Department of Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received the George W. Jacoby Award from the American Neurological Association for his discoveries on the role of the immune system in brain […]
Podcast: COVID-19, social media and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities
The pandemic is affecting everyone, but the stresses it causes are particularly rough for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Providing effective education to such children and getting services to those who need help in their homes is typically complex, but those issues are even more difficult in the face of COVID-19. […]
Immune system affects mind and body, study indicates
New research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis helps illuminate a surprising mind-body connection. In mice, the researchers found that immune cells surrounding the brain produce a molecule that is then absorbed by neurons in the brain, where it appears to be necessary for normal behavior. The findings, published Sept. 14 in […]
Older people with early, asymptomatic Alzheimer’s at risk of falls
Falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries in older adults, causing more than 800,000 hospitalizations and about 30,000 deaths in the U.S. every year. Some risk factors are well-known — advanced age, problems with vision or balance, muscle weakness — but an under-recognized factor is early Alzheimer’s disease. Older people in the earliest stages […]
Imaging agent developed at Washington University spotlights inflammation
Many of the most common diseases — cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and lung disease, and even COVID-19 — have been linked to chronic or excessive inflammation. Blood tests can indicate that some part of a person’s body is inflamed, but doctors don’t have a good way to zero in on the site of inflammation and visualize the […]
Evan Gordon joins MIR
We are happy to share that Evan Gordon, PhD, joins our faculty as an assistant professor in the Neuroimaging Lab (NIL) effective September 1. Evan completed his BA in Psychology from Duke University and went on to earn his PhD from Georgetown University. After his doctorate, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the neurology department […]
College students access eating disorders therapy via phone app
More than 13% of women and 3.6% of men on college campuses have an eating disorder of some kind, but fewer than 20% of those affected ever receive treatment due to lack of available clinicians and the stigma associated with seeking help. New research led by eating disorders experts at Washington University School of Medicine […]
COVID-19 disproportionately affects developmentally disabled
As the nation’s children, teens and college students attempt to start a new school year amidst debate regarding how best to resume education during the COVID-19 pandemic, a segment of the population in desperate need of in-person supports often is overlooked in the decision-making process, according to a group of experts on the topic. “In […]
Cochlear implants should be recommended for adults more often
An international group of hearing specialists has released a new set of recommendations emphasizing that cochlear implants should be offered to adults who have moderate to severe or worse hearing loss much more often than is the current practice. The group hopes the recommendations help increase usage of such devices, potentially improving hearing and quality […]
Washington University develops COVID-19 saliva test
A new saliva test to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been developed by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Results from the COVID-19 diagnostic test are available in a few hours and, ideally, able to be communicated to people tested within a day. Highly sensitive to detecting even tiny levels of […]
African American children with autism experience long delays in diagnosis
Diagnosing autism in children as early as possible is essential to improving their language, social and cognitive skills. But often the diagnosis is made relatively late — even after some children begin elementary school. In the United States, diagnostic delays and barriers in access to developmental therapy for those with autism are particularly pronounced among […]
WashU weekly Neuroscience publications
“Testing the impact of a single nucleotide polymorphism in a Plasmodium berghei ApiAP2 transcription factor on experimental cerebral malaria in mice” (2020) Scientific Reports Testing the impact of a single nucleotide polymorphism in a Plasmodium berghei ApiAP2 transcription factor on experimental cerebral malaria in mice (2020) Scientific Reports, 10 (1), art. no. 13630, . Akkaya, M.a , Bansal, A.b e , Sheehan, P.W.a f , Pena, […]
New center to explore brain, immune system connections
As the brain reigns supreme over the human body, the immune system works 24/7 to defend the body from foreign invaders. For decades, however, the brain and the immune system were thought to operate independently of one another. But a growing body of evidence suggests the two are intimately connected in keeping the body healthy. […]
WashU weekly Neuroscience publications
“Orbitofrontal-striatal potentiation underlies cocaine-induced hyperactivity” (2020) Nature Communications Orbitofrontal-striatal potentiation underlies cocaine-induced hyperactivity (2020) Nature Communications, 11 (1), art. no. 3996, . Bariselli, S.a d , Miyazaki, N.L.a , Creed, M.C.b c , Kravitz, A.V.a c a National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States b Washington University Pain Center, St Louis, MO 63110, United States c Departments of Psychiatry, […]
Gereau honored for mentorship and training in neuroscience research
Robert W. Gereau IV, PhD, the Dr. Seymour and Rose T. Brown Professor and vice chair for research in the Department of Anesthesiology, has received the Landis Award for Outstanding Mentorship from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The award, one of six presented this year, is […]
Babulal receives five-year $4M grant from National Institute on Aging
Ganesh M. Babulal, assistant professor of neurology at the School of Medicine, received a five-year $3,984,843 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s National Institute On Aging for research titled “The Impact of Depression and Preclinical Alzheimer Disease on Driving Among Older Adults.” This study will investigate how depression, preclinical Alzheimer’s disease and antidepressant […]
Immunotherapy-resistant cancers eliminated in mouse study
Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment by stimulating the patient’s own immune system to attack cancer cells, yielding remarkably quick and complete remission in some cases. But such drugs work for less than a quarter of patients because tumors are notoriously adept at evading immune assault. A new study in mice by researchers at Washington University […]
WashU weekly Neuroscience publications
“Blood plasma phosphorylated-tau isoforms track CNS change in Alzheimer’s disease” (2020) The Journal of Experimental Medicine Blood plasma phosphorylated-tau isoforms track CNS change in Alzheimer’s disease (2020) The Journal of Experimental Medicine, 217 (11), . Barthélemy, N.R.a , Horie, K.a , Sato, C.a , Bateman, R.J.a b c a Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO b Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, […]
Targeting ultrasound at the brain for noninvasive diagnosis of brain cancer
Brain tumors are typically diagnosed using MRI imaging, as taking a sample for a tissue biopsy is risky and may not be possible due to tumor location or a patient’s poor health conditions. Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis are developing a method to diagnose brain tumors without any incisions. The method is developed […]
History is made restoring hearing in patients with acoustic neuromas
Surgeons at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis made history on July 15 when they completed the first case in a clinical trial to restore hearing in patients with vestibular schwannomas, also known as acoustic neuromas. The July operation at Barnes-Jewish Hospital marked the first use of the MED-EL Auditory Nerve Test System […]
Boosting immune system a potential treatment strategy for COVID-19
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to claim lives around the world, much research has focused on the immune system’s role in patients who become seriously ill. A popular theory has it that the immune system gets so revved up fighting the virus that, after several days, it produces a so-called cytokine storm that results in […]
WashU weekly Neuroscience publications
"Gait asymmetry, and bilateral coordination of gait during a six-minute walk test in persons with multiple sclerosis" (2020) Scientific Reports Gait asymmetry, and bilateral coordination of gait during a six-minute walk test in persons with multiple sclerosis(2020) Scientific Reports, 10 (1), art. no. 12382, . Plotnik, M.a b c , Wagner, J.M.d , Adusumilli, G.e , Gottlieb, A.a , Naismith, R.T.e a Center of Advanced Technologies in Rehabilitation, […]
WashU engineering, orthopedic team to study painful degenerative condition
Many adults suffer from low back pain sometime in their lives, and about 40% of cases are caused by intervertebral disc degeneration (IVD), a painful and age-related condition. But physicians and researchers don’t have a clear picture of what aspect of degeneration or pathology causes the pain. With new advances in imaging and modeling, researchers […]
Alzheimer’s protein in blood indicates early brain changes
Two decades or more before symptoms arise, plaques of a sticky protein called amyloid begin forming in the brains of people later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown that levels of a specific protein in the blood rise as amyloid plaques form in the brain. […]
Payne named Associate Dean for Health Information and Data Science
Dear School of Medicine community: I am pleased to announce that Philip R.O. Payne, PhD, currently director of the Institute for Informatics (I2) and the Janet and Bernard Becker Professor, has accepted the new roles of Associate Dean for Health Information and Data Science, and Chief Data Scientist for the School of Medicine. In formalizing […]
WashU weekly Neuroscience publications
“A PIP2 substitute mediates voltage sensor-pore coupling in KCNQ activation” (2020) Communications Biology A PIP2 substitute mediates voltage sensor-pore coupling in KCNQ activation (2020) Communications Biology, 3 (1), art. no. 385, . Liu, Y.a , Xu, X.b , Gao, J.c , Naffaa, M.M.a , Liang, H.a , Shi, J.a , Wang, H.Z.c , Yang, N.-D.a , Hou, P.a , Zhao, W.a , White, K.M.F.a , Kong, W.a , Dou, A.a , Cui, A.a , Zhang, […]
Specific bacteria help explain stunted growth in malnourished children
Many children treated for childhood malnutrition in developing countries never fully recover. They suffer from stunted growth, immune system dysfunction and poor cognitive development that typically cause long-term health issues into adulthood. Now, new research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research involving malnourished children […]
Gut Microbes Might Keep Malnourished Children From Growing
Long-term malnutrition might at first seem like a medical condition with an easy fix: access to a wholesome diet rich in calories and nutrients. But many of the children on the receiving end of such interventions still struggle to grow. Even when given enough to eat, they end up shorter than their peers and are […]
5 physician-scientists named inaugural Dean’s Scholars
The newly formed Division of Physician-Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has selected five physicians for its inaugural Dean’s Scholar Program, which provides up to two years of financial support and mentorship to aspiring, early-career physician-scientists, along with dedicated time for conducting laboratory research. The program represents one of the division’s first major […]
WashU weekly Neuroscience publications
“Quantification of brain oxygen extraction and metabolism with (15O)-gas PET: A technical review in the era of PET-MRI” (2020) NeuroImage Quantification of brain oxygen extraction and metabolism with [15O]-gas PET: A technical review in the era of PET/MRI (2020) NeuroImage, 220, art. no. 117136, . Fan, A.P.a b , An, H.c , Moradi, F.a , Rosenberg, J.a , Ishii, Y.a […]
Heart’s electrical propagation focus of WashU interdisciplinary study
The heart relies on electrical signals generated by ion channel proteins to tell it when to expand and contract. Genetic mutations in the genes that encode ion channel proteins, as well as changes in the expression of properties of these proteins that alter ion channel function, expose patients to various problems, from an irregular heartbeat […]
WashU weekly Neuroscience publications
“A genome-wide cross-phenotype meta-analysis of the association of blood pressure with migraine” (2020) Nature Communications A genome-wide cross-phenotype meta-analysis of the association of blood pressure with migraine (2020) Nature Communications, 11 (1), art. no. 3368, . Guo, Y.a b c , Rist, P.M.a b c , Daghlas, I.a b , Giulianini, F.a , Gormley, P.e f g h , Anttila, V.f g i , Winsvold, B.S.j k l , Palta, P.m , Esko, T.f n o , Pers, T.H.f o p q , Farh, K.-H.f i r , Cuenca-Leon, E.e f g s , Muona, […]
Experimental drug shows early promise against inherited form of ALS, trial indicates
An experimental drug for a rare, inherited form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has shown promise in a phase 1/phase 2 clinical trial conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and other sites around the world and sponsored by the pharmaceutical company Biogen Inc. The trial indicated […]
Davis, Luby receive 2020 faculty achievement awards; Covey to be honored for innovation and entrepreneurship
Adrienne Davis and Joan Luby will receive Washington University in St. Louis’ 2020 faculty achievement awards, Chancellor Andrew D. Martin announced. Davis, vice provost, the William M. Van Cleve Professor of Law and inaugural director of the university’s Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity, will receive the Arthur Holly Compton Faculty Achievement […]
Chen receives $500,000 grant to study new technique in pediatric brain cancer model
In Australia, brain cancer kills more children than any other disease. But it is difficult to treat without significant risks from surgical or drug treatment. Hong Chen, assistant professor of biomedical engineering in the Washington University in St. Louis McKelvey School of Engineering and of radiation oncology in the School of Medicine, will address the […]
WashU weekly Neuroscience publications
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent euismod, quam at feugiat commodo, turpis orci feugiat justo, nec porta nibh lectus vitae dui. Author Correction: Multimodal hippocampal subfield grading for Alzheimer’s disease classification (Scientific Reports, (2019), 9, 1, (13845), 10.1038/s41598-019-49970-9) (2020) Scientific Reports Author Correction: Multimodal hippocampal subfield grading for Alzheimer’s disease classification (Scientific […]
How To Safeguard Mental Health As Pandemic Becomes ‘A Really Long Haul’
It was one thing to navigate the initial stress and disruptions of the coronavirus pandemic. And early on, as people looked for ways to guard mental well-being amid big changes, many realized that it helped to have a sense of horizon in sight. “I can shelter in place for a month” and “One semester at […]
Study to examine social media’s effects on stress during COVID-19 pandemic
The impact of social media on anxiety and stress during the coronavirus pandemic is the focus of a new study led by mental health experts at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and computer scientists at Georgia Tech. The National Science Foundation is funding the pilot study. The researchers plan to use computer […]
Do probiotics actually do anything?
There is an invisible universe hidden inside your body, it’s called the gut microbiome — a vast array of trillions of intestinal bacteria, hundreds of different species. They help digest your food in exchange for a warm, safe place to live. And we are only now starting to discover the gut microbiome plays a much […]
WashU weekly Neuroscience publications
“Using polygenic scores for identifying individuals at increased risk of substance use disorders in clinical and population samples” (2020) Translational Psychiatry Using polygenic scores for identifying individuals at increased risk of substance use disorders in clinical and population samples (2020) Translational Psychiatry, 10 (1), art. no. 196, . Barr, P.B.a , Ksinan, A.b , Su, J.c , Johnson, E.C.d , […]
Board of Trustees grants faculty appointments, promotions
At the Washington University in St. Louis Board of Trustees meeting May 1, several faculty members were appointed or promoted with tenure, effective July 1 unless otherwise indicated. Appointment with tenure …Jonathan Kipnis as professor of pathology and immunology at the School of Medicine; Carolina B. Lopez as professor of molecular microbiology at the School of Medicine […]
Ferguson receives award from blindness-prevention organization
Thomas A. Ferguson, PhD, a professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences, has received a Research to Prevent Blindness Stein Innovation Award. Ferguson is an internationally recognized expert on the role of autophagy — the natural, regulated mechanism that helps cells remove unnecessary or malfunctioning components — in the development of eye diseases, such as age-related […]
WashU weekly Neuroscience publications
“Entropy, mutual information, and systematic measures of structured spiking neural networks” (2020) Journal of Theoretical Biology Entropy, mutual information, and systematic measures of structured spiking neural networks (2020) Journal of Theoretical Biology, 501, art. no. 110310, . Li, W.a , Li, Y.b a Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, United States b Department […]
Schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders focus of new clinic for teens, young adults
The first signs of mental illness involving psychosis — the experience of having hallucinations, delusions or intrusive, disturbing thoughts — often appear during the teen years. There is emerging evidence, however, that early intervention can help such adolescents avoid the extremely serious problems that can derail their educations and disrupt family relationships. With this goal […]
Stroke survival rates worse in rural areas, study says
A major U.S. study reveals large gaps between urban and rural patients in quality of care received after a stroke and rates of survival. In more rural areas, the ability of hospitals to deliver advanced stroke care is lower and mortality rates substantially higher, the research shows. The analysis, involving nearly 800,000 patients, was led […]
Previously undetected brain pulses may help circuits survive disuse, injury
A neuroscientist’s neon pink arm cast led him and fellow researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis to discover previously undetected neuronal pulses in the human brain that activate after an immobilizing illness or injury. The pulses appeared on MRI scans used to measure brain activity of the neuroscientist and, later, two […]
WashU weekly Neuroscience publications
“GATA2 Regulates Constitutive PD-L1 and PD-L2 Expression in Brain Tumors” (2020) Scientific Reports GATA2 Regulates Constitutive PD-L1 and PD-L2 Expression in Brain Tumors (2020) Scientific Reports, 10 (1), art. no. 9027, . Fu, Y.a b , Liu, C.J.a b , Kobayashi, D.K.a b , Johanns, T.M.b c , Bowman-Kirigin, J.A.a , Schaettler, M.O.a , Mao, D.D.a , Bender, D.b , Kelley, D.G.d , Uppaluri, R.e , Bi, W.L.f , Dunn, I.F.g , […]
Scientists map how human retinal cells relay information to brain
To understand how we see the world and how diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma impair vision, scientists need to understand how the retina communicates vision signals to the brain. Previously, researchers have worked primarily with retinal cells from animals. But a new study from scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in […]
Mokalled receives national early career award
Mayssa H. Mokalled, PhD, an assistant professor of developmental biology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received the 2020 H.W. Mossman Award in Developmental Biology from the American Association for Anatomy. This award recognizes outstanding researchers in developmental biology who, though still in the early stages of their careers, already have […]
