Two innovative pilot projects led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received funding from the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative to address critical challenges in the fields of neurodegeneration and neuroscience. The initiative has awarded a total of $12.8 million to more than 60 pilot projects nationwide. Each project receives $200,000 over […]
Author: Emily Wasserman
AI may predict spread of lung cancer to brain (Links to an external site)
Physicians treating patients with early-stage lung cancer face a conundrum: choosing potentially helpful yet toxic therapies such as chemotherapy, radiation or immunotherapy to knock out the cancer and lessen the risk of it spreading to the brain, or waiting to see if lung surgery alone proves sufficient. When up to 70% of such patients do […]
Dr. Scott Handley and scientists from Yale School of Medicine receive $575,000 grant to fund Long COVID research
A team including scientists from Yale School of Medicine and Scott Handley, PhD, Professor of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, have received $575,000 from PolyBio Research Foundation to fund long COVID research. The grant will support the team’s efforts to define mechanisms by which the SARS-CoV-2 virus can persist for long […]
Three P&I graduate students named Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Medical Science Fellows
Three graduate students affiliated with labs in the Department of Pathology and Immunology have been named Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Medical Science Fellows. Lucas Adams, an MD/PhD student in the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences (DBBS) Immunology program who is completing his thesis work in the labs of Dr. Daved Fremont and […]
Neurons help flush waste out of brain during sleep (Links to an external site)
There lies a paradox in sleep. Its apparent tranquility juxtaposes with the brain’s bustling activity. The night is still, but the brain is far from dormant. During sleep, brain cells produce bursts of electrical pulses that cumulate into rhythmic waves – a sign of heightened brain cell function. But why is the brain active when we […]
Medicare approves genetic test for solid tumors (Links to an external site)
A genetic test that identifies cancer mutations in solid tumors and that was developed by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has been approved for reimbursement by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The test, known as GatewaySeq, identifies mutations that can be targeted with available drugs, helping advance […]
Dr. Jeffrey I. Gordon receives Nemmers Prize (Links to an external site)
Jeffrey I. Gordon, MD, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received the 2024 Mechthild Esser Nemmers Prize in Medical Science from Northwestern University. Gordon was selected for the prize by a jury of distinguished U.S. scientists for transforming the understanding of human health and how it is shaped by the gut […]
How does waste leave the brain? (Links to an external site)
Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found passageways that connect the brain to vessels that carry fluid waste out of and away from the brain. The newly discovered anatomical structures, found in mice and people, are like tiny gates, allowing waste to leave the brain and enter lymphatic vessels, where […]
Weekly Pathogen Report developed by multidisciplinary P&I team
Cold and flu season is upon us, and thanks to a new report developed by a team in the Department of Pathology and Immunology, individuals in the BJC hospital system and School of Medicine can better track pathogens causing common illnesses. A collaborative team including members of the BJH Molecular Infectious Disease Laboratory and P&I […]
Eighteen P&I physicians named Castle Connolly Top Docs in 2024
The Department of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine is pleased to announce 18 physicians have been named Castle Connolly Top Doctors in 2024. “The recognition of these physicians is a testament to the high quality of our entire faculty, whose work benefits patients across our entire region,” said Richard J. Cote, […]
Metabolism-boosting, bile acid-reducing drugs improve gut health (Links to an external site)
Millions of children in under-resourced parts of the world suffer from malnutrition and, consequently, stunted growth. Protein-based therapeutic foods designed to restore health are lifesavers for many, but a significant number of malnourished children do not respond to available therapies. But now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that […]
Study reveals clues to how Eastern equine encephalitis virus invades brain cells (Links to an external site)
An atomic-level investigation of how Eastern equine encephalitis virus binds to a key receptor and gets inside of cells also has enabled the discovery of a decoy molecule that protects against the potentially deadly brain infection, in mice. The study, from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is published Jan. 3 […]
Brestoff Lab graduate student and postdoc awarded American Heart Association fellowships
Rocky Giwa, a graduate student in the Brestoff Lab, and Wentong Jia, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in the Brestoff Lab, have been awarded fellowships from the American Heart Association (AHA). The fellowships recognize the outstanding work Rocky and Dr. Jia contribute to the Brestoff Lab and their potential to become leaders in scientific research. “I’m […]
Trainees awarded educational grants from the Association of Pathology Chairs
Three trainees in the Department of Pathology and Immunology have been awarded educational grants from the Association of Pathology Chairs (APC). Patricia Hernandez, MD, Resident in Clinical Pathology; Zita Hubler, MD, PhD, Resident in Clinical Pathology and the Physician Scientist Training Program; and Yanchun Lin, PhD, Clinical Chemistry Fellow, have all received funding for their […]
Gut bacteria of malnourished children benefit from key elements in therapeutic food (Links to an external site)
A clinical trial reported in 2021 and conducted by a team of researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Dhaka, Bangladesh, showed that a newly designed therapeutic food aimed at repairing malnourished children’s underdeveloped gut microbiomes was superior to a widely used standard […]
Clues to preventing Alzheimer’s come from patient who, despite genetics, evaded disease (Links to an external site)
Alzheimer’s disease has plagued one large Colombian family for generations, striking down half of its members in the prime of life. But one member of that family evaded what had seemed would be fate: Despite inheriting the genetic defect that caused her relatives to develop dementia in their 40s, she stayed cognitively healthy into her […]
Photoacoustic imaging improves diagnostic accuracy of cancerous ovarian lesions (Links to an external site)
Researchers and clinicians at Washington University in St. Louis have found a way to improve the standard of care diagnostic accuracy of potentially cancerous lesions in the ovaries and adnexal regions, or the fallopian tubes, by incorporating functional biomarkers with photoacoustic imaging, a technique that illuminates tissue with near-infrared light at specific wavelengths that are […]
Dr. Robert Schreiber receives scientific innovator award (Links to an external site)
Robert D. Schreiber, PhD, an internationally recognized scientist in cancer immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been named the 2024 Senior Scientist Winner of the Innovators in Science Award in Cancer Immunology. The award is given by the New York Academy of Sciences and sponsored by Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Schreiber, the […]
P&I researchers among those ‘highly cited’
Clarivate, an analytics company, has named more than 50 Washington University in St. Louis researchers to its Highly Cited Researchers 2023 list including several members of the Department of Pathology and Immunology. Researchers from Pathology and Immunology highlighted in Clarivate’s list include: Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers list, which was established in 2001, identifies scientists and […]
Researchers identify way to block alphavirus infection (Links to an external site)
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found an innovative way to block infection by a variety of alphaviruses, a group of mosquito-borne viruses that can cause joint and brain infections in people. The study, led by Michael S. Diamond, MD, PhD, the Herbert S. Gasser Professor of Medicine, and Daved […]
Dr. Sarah D. Ackerman named 2023 Young Investigator grantee (Links to an external site)
Sarah D. Ackerman, Gabor Egervari, MD, PhD and Tao Xie, all of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, have been named 2023 Young Investigator grantees by the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. This year’s funding will support 150 promising early-career scientists across the field of neuropsychiatry with innovative ideas in mental health research. The two-year grant is expected […]
Dr. Hussein Sultan wins 2023 Presidential Travel Award from SITC
Hussein Sultan, PhD, Instructor in Pathology and Immunology, received a Presidential Travel Award from the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC). As part of the award, Dr. Sultan was one of four early-career investigators selected to give a presentation at the SITC 38th Annual Meeting in San Diego. Dr. Sultan’s talk showed that high dose […]
Medicare approves GatewaySeq test for solid tumors
GatewaySeq, a cancer sequencing test developed at Washington University School of Medicine, has received approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS approval for GatewaySeq marks a milestone for test developers, including Eric Duncavage, MD, Professor of Pathology and Immunology; Lulu Sun, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Immunology; Drew Hughes, […]
Pancreatic cancer research, clinical trials supported with $10.9 million NCI grant (Links to an external site)
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received a prestigious Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support research and clinical trials aimed at improving therapies for pancreatic cancer. The five-year grant will provide about $10.9 million […]
Antibiotic treatment in malnourished children improves gut microbiome development (Links to an external site)
Malnutrition threatens the lives of millions of children under age 5, causing about 500,000 deaths per year in low- and middle-income countries. Short courses of antibiotics paired with a therapeutic peanut butter-based food are the standard of care for treating severe acute malnutrition in children — but using antibiotics in this vulnerable population is controversial; […]
DiPersio Lab graduate student receives Minority Hematology Graduate Award from ASH
Omar Ibrahim, PharmD, a graduate student in the DiPersio Lab at Washington University School of Medicine, has received a 2023 Minority Hematology Graduate Award (MHGA) from the American Society of Hematology (ASH). Dr. Ibrahim is one of two individuals from Washington University selected for this prestigious honor, which recognizes high-caliber early career scientists on a […]
P&I faculty honored by Washington University Academy of Educators
Three faculty members in the Department of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine were recently honored by the Academy of Educators, an institutional collaboration of educators who foster a culture of educational excellence and an institutionally valued community of leaders in health science education at the School of Medicine. Ian Hagemann, MD, […]
Dr. Jeffrey I. Gordon receives Albany Prize
Jeffrey I. Gordon, MD, the Dr. Robert J. Glaser Distinguished University Professor and director of the Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been recognized with the 2023 Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research. Gordon shares this year’s award — given Thursday, Oct. […]
Dr. Louis Dehner receives Lifetime Achievement Award from Barnes Jewish Hospital Medical Staff Association
Louis P. Dehner, MD, Professor of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, has received the Barnes Jewish Hospital Medical Staff Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Dehner, or “Pepper,” as he is fondly known by colleagues, is one of two individuals selected for the award, which is given to outstanding clinical faculty each […]
Dr. Ian Hagemann and Dr. Lulu Sun participate in Pedal for the Cause
Ian Hagemann, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology and Immunology and Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Lulu Sun, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Immunology, recently participated in Pedal the Cause, the annual cycling challenge where all funds raised go towards funding world-class research at Siteman Cancer Center. As members of team Gyn Onc Teal […]
Dr. Gwendalyn Randolph selected for new National Commission for Lymphatic Diseases
Gwendalyn Randolph, PhD, Emil R. Unanue Professor of Pathology and Immunology in the Division of Immunobiology, was chosen to be a member of the newly formed National Commission for Lymphatic Diseases. The Commission, which is slated for an inaugural meeting in December 2023, will be convened by NHLBI leadership. In 2022, Congress directed the NIH to […]
Dr. Ali Ellebedy and multi-institution, multidisciplinary team awarded $13M by NIH to develop better vaccines against coronaviruses (Links to an external site)
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has awarded the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai a five-year, $13 million grant to bring together experts from multiple disciplines across five research institutions to create better vaccines against current as well as emerging coronaviruses. The “Programming Long-lasting Immunity to Coronaviruses” (PLUTO) project will be […]
Fiber from crustaceans, insects, mushrooms promotes digestion (Links to an external site)
Digesting a crunchy critter starts with the audible grinding of its rigid protective covering — the exoskeleton. Unpalatable as it may sound, the hard cover might be good for the metabolism, according to a new study, in mice, from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The researchers, led by Steven Van Dyken, PhD, an […]
P&I residents selected for PROUD-MED program
Patricia Hernandez, MD, Clinical Pathology Resident in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, and Homayemem Weli, MD, PhD, Clinical Pathology Resident in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, were recently selected for the PROUD-MED program through the university. The program, which is an […]
Dr. Gaya Amarasinghe and multi-institutional team awarded $16.8M NIH grant for Ebola virus research
Gaya K. Amarasinghe, PhD, Alumni Endowed Professor of Pathology and Immunology in the Department of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, and a multi-institutional team of researchers were awarded a $16.8 million grant from NIH for their Ebola virus research. The grant from NIH’s National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) […]
Dr. Mai He named editor-in-chief of Fetal and Pediatric Pathology journal
Mai (Mike) He, MD, PhD, Professor of Pathology and Immunology and Section Head of Pediatric Pathology in the Department of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, was recently named editor-in-chief of Fetal and Pediatric Pathology. Dr. He will oversee the journal effective January 1, 2024. “I am thrilled to accept the position […]
Medicare approves WashU Medicine’s whole-genome test for blood cancers (Links to an external site)
A new test for two blood cancers – developed by a team at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis – is the first whole-genome sequencing test for cancer to be approved for reimbursement by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The test, known as ChromoSeq, advances precision medicine approaches for treating blood […]
Dr. Ann Gronowski named to The Pathologist Power List
Ann Gronowski, PhD, Oree M. Carroll and Lillian B. Ladenson Professor in Clinical Chemistry, Pathology and Immunology and Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Division Co-Chief of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, was recently named to The Pathologist‘s Power List for 2023. Dr. Gronowski was one of 25 individuals selected by a panel of experts for the list, […]
Multi-institutional team including Dr. Joseph Gaut creates kidney tissue atlas for understanding kidney injury, disease (Links to an external site)
Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are among the leaders of a multi-institution research team that has built an atlas focused on the kidney’s myriad cells. The aim of the kidney tissue atlas is to further the understanding of kidney injury and disease. The study, funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and […]
Dr. Erika Crouch honored by medical students at Distinguished Service Teaching Awards Ceremony (Links to an external site)
Washington University School of Medicine students recently honored faculty and residents with Distinguished Service Teaching Awards for the 2021-22 academic year. The awards, which were first given in 1991, highlight the students’ appreciation for dedication, patience and skill in training aspiring physicians. Students completing their first, second and third year of studies select the module […]
Dr. Lulu Sun named ASCP 40 Under Forty honoree
Lulu Sun, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, was recently named a 40 Under Forty honoree by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP). ASCP’s program “recognizes members under the age of 40 for their achievements and leadership qualities that are making an impact […]
Brestoff Lab graduate student receives Roy & Diana Vagelos International Student Fellowship
Rocky Giwa, a graduate student in the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences and member of the Brestoff Lab at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received the Roy & Diana Vagelos International Student Fellowship. The ISF fellowship, which is awarded through the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences (DBBS), provides Rocky […]
Dr. Sarah Ackerman named a 2023 Klingenstein-Simons fellow (Links to an external site)
Sarah Ackerman, PhD, an assistant professor of pathology & immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received a 2023 Klingenstein-Simons Fellowship Award in Neuroscience. She is one of 13 new fellows – all early-career scientists in the U.S. – who will receive three-year $300,000 grants to pursue high-risk, cutting-edge research. Ackerman, who […]
Dr. Samantha Krysa named a 2023 W.M. Keck Postdoctoral Fellow
Samantha Krysa, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in the Brestoff Lab in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, was named a 2023 W.M. Keck Postdoctoral Fellow. The fellowship recognizes and supports outstanding postdoctoral scientists in their first two years of training in biomedical sciences and molecular medicine by offering a […]
P&I Chief Residents reflect on time in department, impart wisdom
As the Department of Pathology & Immunology’s Residency Program prepares for a changing of the guard, we’ve spoken to outgoing Chief Residents about their experience in the department and advice they would like to share with incoming residents. We also asked the about their plans after graduation. Although they’re all headed in different directions, they […]
Altered gut bacteria may be early sign of Alzheimer’s disease (Links to an external site)
People in the earliest stage of Alzheimer’s disease — after brain changes have begun but before cognitive symptoms become apparent — harbor an assortment of bacteria in their intestines that differs from the gut bacteria of healthy people, according to a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The findings, […]
P&I trainees win Paul E. Strandjord Young Investigator Award at ACLPS
Three trainees in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine recently won the Paul E. Strandjord Young Investigator Award for research projects they presented at the 2023 Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists (ACLPS) Conference in Charlottesville, Virginia. Hannah Brown, PhD, a Clinical Chemistry fellow; Robert Frick, MD, a […]
Dr. Jeffrey Gordon wins Spain’s Asturias Award (Links to an external site)
Microbiome pioneer Jeffrey I. Gordon, MD, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has won the 2023 Princess of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research. The Asturias awards, among the most prestigious honors in the Spanish-speaking world, are presented annually in eight categories. The awards are designed to recognize exceptional scientific, technical, cultural, […]
Dr. Ian Hagemann elected to AOA Honor Medical Society
Ian S. Hagemann, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, was recently elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (AOA). The organization’s mission includes “honoring gifted teaching” and “encouraging the development of leaders in academia and the community,” AOA said on its website. In addition to […]
P&I clinical fellow elected to AOA Honor Medical Society
Hansini Laharwani, MD, a former Gynecologic and Breast Pathology Fellow in the Department of Pathology & Immunology, was recently inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA), a national medical honor society. “I owe immense gratitude to my fellowship director Dr. Ian Hagemann for his unwavering support,” Dr. Laharwani said. AOA’s mission is to improve care for […]