Sheng Chih (Peter) Jin, PhD, an assistant professor of genetics at WashU Medicine, has received a $3.2 million grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the genetic and molecular underpinnings of congenital hydrocephalus, a buildup of too much cerebrospinal fluid in the brain […]
Guoyan Zhao, PhD, an assistant professor of genetics and of neurology, and Erik Musiek, MD, PhD, the Charlotte & Paul Hagemann Professor of Neurology, both of WashU Medicine, have received a $433,000 grant from the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study brain cells called astrocytes and their roles […]
At the Washington University in St. Louis Board of Trustees meeting Sept. 27, numerous faculty members were granted tenure, effective that day. Granting of tenure Kirsten Gilbert Alberts, PhD as an associate professor of psychiatry at WashU Medicine; Robert A. Campbell, PhD as an associate professor of emergency medicine at WashU Medicine; Carmen M. Halabi, MD, PhD as […]
Mouse study of therapeutic food for malnourished children reveals new gut bacterial enzyme’s wide-ranging functions
Device delivers naloxone upon sensing drop in respiration, animal study shows
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis celebrated rising investigators at the First R01 Celebration, marking a significant milestone for scientists embarking on their independent research careers. The event honored recipients of their first R01 research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The research grants represent the NIH’s recognition of investigators’ rigorous, […]
uis PhD candidates have been selected for the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education Inc. (AAHHE) Graduate Student Fellows Program. The students — Allison Martinez Mejia and Gerson Moreno Romero — are both studying biomedical engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering. Martinez Mejia , a member of the McDonnell International Scholars Academy, researches […]
When trying to understand how genetic influences factor into youth behavior, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have taken the “big trawl” approach, casting their net wide to pull in all the measured traits, behaviors and environments that make up who we are and examine associations with the genetic building blocks comprising risk for […]
Rohit V. Pappu, PhD, the Gene K. Beare Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering and director of the Center for Biomolecular Condensates at Washington University in St. Louis, has been selected as an American Physical Society Fellow. Pappu was selected for his innovative and fundamental studies regarding intrinsically disordered proteins and phase transitioning behaviors using polymer […]
Three researchers from Washington University in St. Louis have received highly competitive and prestigious National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director’s awards for “High Risk, High Reward” medical research funding totaling $10 million over five years. Hong Chen, PhD, an associate professor of biomedical engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering and of neurosurgery at the […]
Jeffrey I. Gordon, MD, the Dr. Robert J. Glaser Distinguished University Professor at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been awarded the 21st annual Nierenberg Prize from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. The prize is awarded for outstanding contributions to science in the public interest. Gordon, director […]
Mouse study shows engineered immune cell therapy protects damaged neurons
Findings could point to new strategies to treat Alzheimer’s
The Research Development Office in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research is pleased to announce the final awardees from FY 2024 of the Here and Next Seed Grant Program. The program’s broad goal is to encourage novel, innovative interdisciplinary research excellence amongst Washington University researchers on both the Med School and Danforth Campuses. […]
Detailed blueprint of nerve cells’ dramatic changes could help identify ways to heal spinal cord damage
Washington University School of Medicine faculty members Mark Rutherford and Yang E. Li have won grants from St. Baldrick’s Foundation to study pediatric cancers.
Scientists at the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis sort the rules governing putty-like biomolecular condensates.
With new technique, patient-derived neurons accurately model late-onset Alzheimer’s, point to potential treatments
Head-to-head comparison of six tests reveals which ones could replace spinal taps, brain scans
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown how brain tumors evolve in response to therapy, helping describe how such cancers develop treatment resistance that leads to the high mortality rate characteristic of this cancer. Only 5% of patients survive five years after diagnosis with the most aggressive brain cancers. Published […]
mans and other animals, signals from a central circadian clock in the brain generate the seasonal and daily rhythms of life. They help the body to prepare for expected changes in the environment and also optimize when to sleep, eat and do other daily activities. Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis are working out […]
Study advances efforts to harness drug’s mind-altering power to treat mental illness
Howard Hughes Medical Institute honors duo’s research
Professors honored for research, service, teaching, community contributions
Scientists are trying to understand how cannabis may affect long-term neurodevelopment when people were exposed to it in the womb. Previous work by Washington University in St. Louis researchers Sarah Paul and David Baranger in the Behavioral Research and Imaging Neurogenetics (BRAIN) lab led by Ryan Bogdan, PhD, found associations between prenatal cannabis exposure and potential mental health conditions in childhood […]
Brian A. Gordon, PhD, an assistant professor of radiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and a principal investigator in the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR)’s Neuroimaging Labs Research Center, was selected for the 2024 New Investigator Award from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center and the Alzheimer’s Association. This award is given […]
Yao Chen, PhD, an assistant professor of neuroscience at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is part of two teams that have been awarded grants to study the molecular processes that underlie memory and cognition. The grants are part of the “Research Corporation for Science Advancement’s Scialog: Molecular Basis of Cognition” initiative. The […]
Clinical trial for RVCL-S patients tests drug already approved as sickle cell disease treatment
The brain needs to flush out waste products to stay healthy and fend off conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists are beginning to understand how the the brain’s waste removal system works. [Transcript] A MARTÍNEZ, HOST: Turns out the brain needs regular cleaning. Otherwise, it gets clogged up with waste products, including some associated with diseases […]
Human brain diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, involve damage in more than one region of the brain, requiring technology that could precisely and flexibly address all affected regions simultaneously. Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a noninvasive technology combining a holographic acoustic device with genetic engineering that allows them to precisely target […]
There is increasing evidence that the immune system is involved in the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Most research has focused on the innate immune system and its role in mediating neuroinflammation and degeneration. Naresha Saligrama, PhD, an assistant professor of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received a […]
Morby prize from Cure Alzheimer’s Fund honors discovery of T cells’ role in neurodegeneration
The one-year awards promote collaborative research within the university
Roughly one in five cancer patients benefits from immunotherapy – a treatment that harnesses the immune system to fight cancer. Such an approach to beating cancer has seen significant success in lung cancer and melanoma, among others. Optimistic about its potential, researchers are exploring strategies to improve immunotherapy for cancers that don’t respond well to […]
Study reveals mechanism for why treatment appears to work better in the morning
The research by Phil Bayly’s lab makes cover of Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
A study in mice by researchers at the School of Medicine indicates that brain injury can lead to brain tumors in susceptible individuals. For this study, they used mice that model people with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a genetic disorder that causes brain tumors. The study showed that molecules released by injured neurons set off […]
Abhinav Diwan, MD, a highly regarded cardiologist with expertise in the molecular underpinnings of cardiovascular disease, has been named the inaugural Charlie W. Shaeffer, MD, Professor of Cardiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Diwan was installed by David H. Perlmutter, MD, executive vice chancellor for medical affairs, the George and Carol […]
Nine researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received funding from the Longer Life Foundation — a cooperative effort between the School of Medicine and the Reinsurance Group of America. The foundation supports research aimed at improving human health, wellness and longevity. The researchers are: Originally published on The Source.
Each year, the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders recognizes trainees (students and postdocs) who present their work at the Hope Center Retreat. Hope Center award winners are selected based on scientific merit, presentation, and projects that address the Hope Center mission. Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Hope Center Awards! Winner from the talks: Vishnu Muraleedharan Saraswathy, […]
Three physician-scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have been newly elected to the Association of American Physicians. Membership in the organization is an honor bestowed on physicians who lead innovative scientific research to improve health care. They are Patricia I. Dickson, MD, Dineo Khabele, MD, and Gregory D. Longmore, MD. Dickson, the Centennial Professor […]
Gift from Andy Newman supports world-changing research on the gut microbiome
Study highlights need to develop therapies for this vulnerable population
Study lays groundwork for clinical trial aimed at preventing brain tumors in children with NF1
At the Washington University in St. Louis Board of Trustees meeting March 1, numerous faculty members were appointed with tenure, promoted with tenure or granted tenure. Their new roles and titles take effect July 1, unless otherwise indicated. Appointment with tenure Steven Miles as a professor of history in Arts & Sciences. Granting of tenure Paul […]
For the past several years, Washington University in St. Louis researchers have been using focused ultrasound combined with microbubbles to target an opening in the tough, protective blood-brain barrier to deliver drugs or retrieve biomarkers. To ensure that the fast-developing technology functions safely and consistently, Hong Chen, PhD, and her team, including first author and […]
Popular alternative to CPAP machines may not be appropriate for all
Alzheimer’s disease starts with a sticky protein called amyloid beta that builds up into plaques in the brain, setting off a chain of events that results in brain atrophy and cognitive decline. The new generation of Alzheimer’s drugs — the first proven to change the course of the disease — work by tagging amyloid for […]
Researchers aim to create treatment that promotes tissue regeneration, restores joints
Scientists trying to understand the physical and chemical properties that govern biomolecular condensates now have a crucial way to measure pH and other emergent properties of these enigmatic, albeit important cellular compartments. Condensates are communities of proteins and nucleic acids. They lack a membrane and come together and fall apart as needed. The nucleolus is […]