Category: News

WashU Medicine researchers receive Falk Catalyst Awards

Jin-Moo Lee, MD, PhD, the Andrew B. & Gretchen P. Jones Professor of Neurology and head of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis Department of Neurology, and Jeffrey R. Millman, PhD, a professor of medicine at WashU Medicine and of biomedical engineering, have each been selected as recipients of the prestigious Dr. Ralph and […]

Racism packs a punch for those enduring it over a lifetime

Black Americans die younger than their white counterparts, with an estimated 1.63 million “excess” deaths having occurred between 1999 and 2020, according to research in the Journal of the American Medical Association. These excess deaths are predominantly attributable to chronic conditions such as heart disease and cancer. In a new study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers at […]

Board grants faculty appointments, tenure

At the Washington University in St. Louis Board of Trustees meeting Dec. 5, numerous faculty members were appointed, promoted or granted tenure, with most taking effect that day unless otherwise indicated. Appointment with tenure Andrew Witt as a professor of architecture at the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts (tenure effective Jan. 1) […]

New ALS drug stabilizes decline with improved strength, mobility for some

Historically, people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) experience a relentless decline of neurological function that eventually robs them of the ability to move, speak, eat or breathe. Now, researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and collaborators report that long-term use of tofersen, a new drug approved by the Food and Drug […]

Mapping the dance of circadian synchrony

What makes someone a “morning lark” or a “night owl?” Why does jet lag hit us so hard, and why do some people struggle each winter with seasonal affective disorder? Clues to these puzzles may lie in a tiny brain region called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the body’s central circadian pacemaker. The SCN contains thousands […]

Benzinger Named Wilson Professor of Radiology

Tammie L.S. Benzinger, MD, PhD, a neuroradiologist at WashU Medicine Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR), was installed as the Hugh Monroe Wilson Professor of Radiology. A renowned physician-scientist, Benzinger serves as a principal investigator in the Neuroimaging Labs Research Center. She and her research group primarily study Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease (ADAD) and […]

How Omar Abdelmoity claimed the Marshall Scholarship

Less than 48 hours after he learned he would not be a Rhodes Scholar, WashU senior Omar Abdelmoity hopped on a plane to interview for the equally prestigious — yet somehow more elusive — Marshall Scholarship. Only seven WashU students had been awarded the Marshall since its founding in 1953, compared to the university’s 30 Rhodes […]

$5 million for brain development and Alzheimer’s degeneration study

NIH), to examine how early-life stress on the developing brain can influence brain aging and the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Adverse circumstances in the first years of life — such as low birth weight, poverty, unsafe living conditions and exposure to trauma — are known to alter the development of certain brain […]

T cells found in tonsils differ in key ways from those in blood

T cells, also known as lymphocytes, are a type of white blood cell that play an important role in the body’s immune response. Historically, blood samples have been used to monitor how T cells respond to a virus, vaccine or immunotherapy. But a new study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. […]

The New Frontier of Aging-Brain Research

Alzheimer’s. Huntington’s. Brain diseases that steal memories, identities and lives, affecting millions worldwide. Andrew S. Yoo, PhD, isn’t simply studying them — he’s rewriting what we know about the aging brain and opening the door to treatments once thought impossible. Yoo’s lab discovered how to use tiny molecules called microRNAs to reprogram human skin cells […]

On a Mission to End Alzheimer’s

David M. Holtzman, MD, has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease. A world-renowned physician-scientist, he investigates the biological forces driving neurodegeneration — from genes and immune cells to sleep and the gut microbiome. He has extensively studied the strongest known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s and related neurodegenerative diseases, which was also the first […]

Transforming Global Health, One Microbe at a Time

Widely regarded as the father of gut microbiome science, Jeffrey I. Gordon, MD, has spent his career illuminating the microscopic world inside us — and transforming our understanding of human health. His groundbreaking discoveries have reshaped how scientists and clinicians think about growth, nutrition, immunity and disease. Gordon’s journey began with a simple question during […]

Curious From the Start

Basic science is the spark that turns bold questions into breakthroughs — uncovering the mechanisms of disease and unlocking entirely new ways to prevent, diagnose, treat and even cure them. By investing in basic science, we create the foundation for better options, better care and better lives for patients everywhere. Meet the investigators Before a […]

Understanding intrinsically disordered protein regions and their roles in cancer

Every function in a cell is associated with a particular protein or group of proteins, typically in a well-defined three-dimensional structure. However, intrinsically disordered regions of proteins defy this structure-function paradigm. A team of researchers in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis has developed an algorithm to understand how intrinsically […]

2025 Global Incubator Seed Grants awarded

We are excited to announce that eleven new projects have been awarded Global Incubator Seed Grants this month, enabling WashU faculty to kickstart innovative international collaborations. These projects span a diverse range of cutting-edge research, from developing breakthrough energy devices to advancing malaria research, driving new frontiers in global scholarship and impact. These eleven projects […]

Timing may be key to effective cancer treatments

When doctors biopsy and treat cancer may be just as important as how they treat it. New research from Erik Herzog, PhD, the Viktor Hamburger Distinguished Professor in biology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, revealed that when a treatment is given may play a key role in how well brain cancer […]

Creed to study dopamine system changes in chronic nerve pain

Meaghan Creed, PhD, an associate professor of anesthesiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received a $3.3 million five-year grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate how alterations in the brain’s dopamine system — which plays a critical role in learning […]

Seniors Abdelmoity, Karinshak were Rhodes Scholars finalists

Washington University in St. Louis seniors Omar Abdelmoity and Marilee Karinshak were finalists for the Rhodes Scholarship, one of the globe’s highest academic honors. Abdelmoity, of the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kan., is majoring in biology in Arts & Sciences and was recently awarded the Goldwater Scholarship, a national award that honors young […]

Inaugural WashU Medicine Dean’s Medals honor extraordinary contributions

Leaders across WashU Medicine foster a culture of ambition and achievement that improves the health of the region, the nation and the world. Some of these contributions leave such an indelible mark — advancing the institution’s mission in extraordinary ways — that they merit special recognition. To honor such achievements — and the donors whose […]

Disrupting infectious diseases

When a public building catches fire, its built-in systems automatically respond: Smoke alarms blare, sprinklers turn on and occupants quickly evacuate. What if the life-threatening danger isn’t fire, but invisible airborne contaminants that can make occupants sick? Could a similar smart-building system monitor and improve air quality indoors, where Americans spend 90% of their time? […]

Board grants faculty appointments, tenure

At the Washington University in St. Louis Board of Trustees meeting Sept. 19, numerous faculty members were appointed, promoted or granted tenure, with most taking effect that day unless otherwise indicated. Appointment with tenure James Friend as a professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at the McKelvey School of Engineering, with tenure to take […]

WashU chemists reveal new insights into ALS-linked protein

Using advanced techniques in biophysical chemistry, a team led by Meredith Jackrel, PhD, an associate professor of chemistry, has achieved unprecedented views of a protein that may play a pivotal role in some cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and the related disorder frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Their work could open doors to new approaches for treatment […]

Circadian clock protein linked to brain aging, neurodegenerative disease

Impeding a link between the body’s natural clock and the brain may help reduce neurodegeneration in mice modeling Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study led by researchers at WashU Medicine and published in Nature Aging.   Erik Musiek, MD, PhD, the Charlotte & Paul Hagemann Professor of Neurology at WashU Medicine, first author Jiyeon Lee, PhD, […]

What is the secret to healthy aging?

We all get older one day at a time, but we don’t necessarily age at the same pace. Some people in their 60s, 70s, or beyond have energy, mental sharpness, and a quality of life that defies the decades. Healthy aging isn’t just an aspiration or a trope for pharmaceutical ads. For researchers with the […]

A businessman’s strategic gift powers Alzheimer’s disease research

After decades of building and revitalizing numerous multimillion-dollar restaurant chains, entrepreneur Ron Shaich is embracing one more challenge: leaving a positive impact on the world. “I’ve had the good fortune to have some success in life,” he says. “I want to make sure I do a good job stewarding the blessings I’ve had and use […]

Yoo, Sun recognized for developing novel method to study aged neurons

Andrew S. Yoo, PhD, the Phil and Sima Needleman Distinguished Professor of Developmental Biology, and Zhao Sun, PhD, a staff scientist in Yoo’s laboratory, both of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, were awarded the second annual Jeffrey L. Morby Prize from Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, a nonprofit that supports research to prevent, slow or […]

Pollina named Vallee Foundation Scholar

Elizabeth Pollina, PhD, an assistant professor of developmental biology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been named a 2025 Vallee Scholar by the Vallee Foundation, an international organization that supports the advancement of biomedical research and medical education globally. She is one of six early-career researchers recognized this year for their extraordinary […]

Mouse study links chronic pain to disrupted sleep patterns

Pain and sleep disturbances often go hand in hand — more than 30% of the U.S. population lives with pain, and a majority of those with pain also report sleep disorders — but the relationship between the two has remained largely unexplored. Now researchers at WashU Medicine have developed a new mouse model that mirrors […]

Study sheds light on how pediatric brain tumors grow

The most common type of brain tumor in children, pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), accounts for about 15% of all pediatric brain tumors. Although this type of tumor is usually not life-threatening, the unchecked growth of tumor cells can disrupt normal brain development and function. Current treatments focus mainly on removing the tumor cells, but recent studies […]

Lenze named XPRIZE Healthspan semifinalist

Eric J. Lenze, MD, the Wallace and Lucille K. Renard Professor and head of the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and his team are among the Top 40 Milestone 1 award winners in XPRIZE Healthspan. This seven-year, global competition incentivizes teams to develop and test therapeutics to improve healthy aging […]

WashU Expert: Synthetic torpor has potential to redefine medicine

Nature is often the best model for science. For nearly a century, scientists have been trying to recreate the ability of some mammals and birds to survive extreme environmental conditions for brief or extended periods by going into torpor, when their body temperature and metabolic rate drop, allowing them to preserve energy and heat. Taking […]

Immune ‘bouncers’ protect the brain from infection

The itching, redness and swelling of an allergic reaction are caused by mast cells — the vigilant first responders of the immune system that spring into action with histamine-filled granules in response to a perceived threat. Now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have revealed that the same cells that cause misery […]

WashU Medicine dean search committee appointed

Chancellor Andrew D. Martin has appointed a committee to begin the process of identifying the next dean of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. David H. Perlmutter, MD, executive vice chancellor for medical affairs and the George and Carol Bauer Dean of WashU Medicine, will conclude his deanship on June 30, 2026. “WashU Medicine plays […]

Blood plasma reveals shared pathways in neurodegenerative diseases

Scientists know that many proteins and pathways are involved in the development and progression of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and that these proteins can be detected in the plasma of people with the conditions. But it hasn’t been clear exactly which proteins are distinct to one disease […]

A unified theory of the mind

In a new paper with implications for preventing Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders, Keith Hengen, PhD, an associate professor of biology, suggests a new comprehensive approach to understanding how the brain works and the rules it must follow to reach optimal performance. “There’s a common perception that the human brain is the most complicated […]

$12 million grant funds studies of role of genes in autism, similar diagnoses

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received an $11.85 million grant to create a resource for the WashU and national research communities to study the growing number of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders known to be caused by a single gene mutation. Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health of […]

Research soaring with the Eagles

Jason Yi’s latest grant has a championship pedigree. Jason Yi, PhD, an assistant professor of neuroscience at WashU Medicine, has received a $400,000 pilot grant from the Eagles Autism Foundation to advance a new approach to treating autism spectrum disorder. The nonprofit, which was established by Jeffrey Lurie, owner of the Super Bowl LIX-winning Philadelphia Eagles, is dedicated to […]

Chen elected Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America

Hong Chen, PhD, associate professor of biomedical engineering in the McKelvey School of Engineering and of neurosurgery at Washington University School of Medicine, has been elected a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA). The association’s fellows are individuals who have made significant advances in the field of acoustics. Chen was elected for her contributions […]

Research untangles role of stress granules in neurodegenerative disease

Scientists from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Washington University in St. Louis report mechanistic insights into the role of biomolecular condensation in the development of neurodegenerative disease. The collaborative research, published in Molecular Cell, focused on the interactions that drive the formation of condensates versus the formation of amyloid fibrils and how these relate to […]