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 […]

P&I fellow elected to House of Delegates at the College of American Pathologists

Hansini Laharwani, MD, a former Gynecologic and Breast Pathology Fellow in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, was recently elected to the House of Delegates at the College of American Pathologists (CAP). As a delegate, Dr. Laharwani will represent the state of Iowa, where she plans on practicing in […]

Dr. Neil Anderson, Dr. Carey-Ann Burnham, Dr. Ali Ellebedy and Dr. Bijal Parikh receive Dean’s Impact Awards

Four faculty in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine have received Dean’s Impact Awards in 2023 including: Dean’s Impact Awards recognize faculty whose response to the COVID-19 pandemic has had a lasting impact, who demonstrate the highest level of professionalism and who deliver exceptional results across the missions of […]

Bloodstream infections in preemies may originate from their gut microbiomes (Links to an external site)

Dangerous bacterial bloodstream infections in preemies may originate from the infants’ gut microbiomes, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Such infections are of substantial concern, as about half of infants who are extremely preterm or have very low birth weights experience at least one episode of the life-threatening infection […]

Schreiber Lab postdoc selected as AAI Public Policy Fellow

Derek Thiesen, PhD, a postdoctoral research associate in the Schreiber Lab, was selected for The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) Public Policy Fellows Program (PPFP). The program gives early-career researchers the opportunity to learn about and participate in public policy and legislative activities related to science and public health, the organization said on its website. […]

Colonna Lab members receive AGA funding

Martina Molgora, PhD, Instructor of Pathology & Immunology and a member of the Colonna Lab, and Siyan Cao, MD, PhD, a postdoctoral research associate in the Colonna Lab, have received funding from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) through the organization’s annual AGA Research Foundation Awards Program. The program serves as a career catalyst for the […]

Trainees inspire at annual research symposium

Residents and fellows in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine shined at the annual Trainee Research Symposium. The event, which was held April 17-18, 2023, in the Eric P. Newman Education Center, featured talks from several trainees, a presentation from a distinguished guest speaker and an awards ceremony where […]

Dr. Robert Schreiber receives AACR Lectureship

Robert Schreiber, PhD, FAACR, Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Distinguished Professor of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, has received the American Association for Cancer Research’s (AACR) Princess Takamatsu Memorial Lectureship. The award “recognizes an individual scientist whose novel and significant work has had or may have a far-reaching impact on […]

Dr. Gwen Randolph receives Outstanding Faculty Award from Graduate Student Senate

Gwen Randolph, PhD, Emil R. Unanue Professor of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, has received an Outstanding Faculty Award from the Graduate Student Senate at Washington University in St. Louis. Outstanding faculty mentors are selected “based on evidence of exceptional contributions to graduate students’ quality of life and workplace, scholarly development, […]

Why do some people get UTIs over and over? A new report holds clues (Links to an external site)

Research from a team at Washington University School of Medicine including Tom Hannan, DVM, PhD, Instructor of Pathology & Immunology, offers insight into why some people get repeat urinary tract infections (UTIs). The team’s findings, which were published recently in Nature Microbiology, suggest that UTIs can actually change the DNA in the cells lining the […]

Grant supports training physician-scientists in cancer research (Links to an external site)

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support training and mentorship for early-career physician-scientists. This relatively new funding opportunity — called Stimulating Access to Research During Residency (StARR) — will provide support for early-career physicians pursuing careers in cancer research. […]

Keeping COVID-19 in check likely to require periodic boosters (Links to an external site)

New research from scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that updated booster shots will be important for shoring up population immunity as new variants emerge – but there’s a caveat. Their research, published April 3 in Nature, shows that vaccinating people against the original strain of the virus and then […]

Department of Pathology & Immunology shines at USCAP 2023

The Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine shined at the USCAP Annual Meeting in 2023. Notably, Dr. Sanica Bhele and Dr. Hansini Laharwani, were honored with awards at the meeting, which was held March 11 – 16 in New Orleans, LA. Several faculty and trainees presented posters at the event, […]

Scientists aim to develop vaccine against all deadly coronaviruses (Links to an external site)

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis including Ali Ellebedy, PhD, an associate professor of pathology & immunology, of medicine and of molecular microbiology; and Daved Fremont, PhD, a professor of pathology & immunology, of biochemistry & molecular biophysics and of molecular microbiology, are working to reduce the risk of another devastating […]

Colonna Lab publishes paper on transcriptional signatures of brain cells in de- and remyelination induced by cuprizone

The Colonna Lab recently had a paper published in Cell Reports, “Transcriptomic atlas and interaction networks of brain cells in mouse CNS demyelination and remyelination.” The paper by co-first authors JinChao Hou, PhD, and Yingyue Zhou, PhD, postdoctoral researchers in the Colonna Lab, presents a high-resolution single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) analysis of gene expression changes […]

Dr. Liang-I Kang receives K12 Paul Calabresi Career Development Award in Clinical Oncology

Liang-I Kang, MD, PhD, Instructor of Anatomic and Molecular Pathology in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, has received a K12 Paul Calabresi Career Development Award in Clinical Oncology from NIH’s National Cancer Institute (NCI). The award is meant to “increase the number of clinicians (MDs, DOs, PharmDs, nurses […]

Dr. Erika Crouch receives Diversity Distinguished Service Teaching Award

Erika Crouch, MD, PhD, Professor of Pathology & Immunology and Vice Chair of the Office of Education at Washington University School of Medicine, has received the Diversity Distinguished Service Teaching Award. The award, which honors Dr. Crouch’s teaching in the 2021-2022 academic year, is from the Washington University School of Medicine entering class of 2021. […]

Discovery of T cells’ role in Alzheimer’s, related diseases, suggests new treatment strategy (Links to an external site)

Nearly two dozen experimental therapies targeting the immune system are in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease, a reflection of the growing recognition that immune processes play a key role in driving the brain damage that leads to confusion, memory loss and other debilitating symptoms. Many of the immunity-focused Alzheimer’s drugs under development are aimed at […]

P&I graduate students selected as Olin Fellows

Vincent Peng, an MD/PhD student in the Colonna Lab in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, and Renee Wu, an MD/PhD student in the Murphy Lab in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, were recently selected as Olin Fellows. Olin Fellowships are presented […]

Video: Gordon honored with Janssen Award for Biomedical Research (Links to an external site)

Jeffrey I. Gordon, MD, explores the “vast, mysterious world” of the gut microbiome to develop innovative therapies for treating childhood malnutrition and restoring kids’ healthy growth. In recognition of his groundbreaking research, Gordon, who is the director of the Center for Genome Sciences and Systems Biology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, […]

ChromoSeq now covered by Medicare

ChromoSeq, an advanced diagnostic assay developed in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, was recently approved for reimbursement by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a milestone for test developers and a win for patients with myeloid malignancies. The test is based on whole […]

Dr. Sonika Dahiya named to Working Committee of cIMPACT-NOW

Sonika Dahiya, MD, Professor of Pathology & Immunology and Head of Neuro-Oncology in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, was recently named to the Working Committee of the Consortium to Inform Molecular and Practical Approaches to CNS Tumor Taxonomy (cIMPACT-NOW). This prestigious consortium was established under the sponsorship of […]

Dr. Nicholas Borcherding receives ASCI 2023 Emerging Generation Award

Nicholas Borcherding, MD, PhD, resident in Clinical Pathology and a member of the Physician Science Training Program (PSTP) in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, recently received a 2023 Emerging Generation Award from The American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI). The award recognizes post-MD, pre-faculty appointment physician-scientists who are […]

Cancer patients who don’t respond to immunotherapy lack crucial immune cells (Links to an external site)

Immunotherapy has transformed cancer care. In advanced melanoma, for example, the most fatal form of skin cancer, the five-year survival rate has risen from less than 10% to more than 50% since immunotherapy was introduced in 2011. Still, only about half of melanoma patients respond to immunotherapy, and those who do not respond face a […]

Ten Pathology & Immunology Physicians named 2023 Castle Connolly Top Doctors

The Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine is pleased to announce ten physicians have been named Castle Connolly Top Doctors in 2023. “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, […]

Dr. Stephen Persaud named 2023 ASH Scholar

Stephen Persaud, MD, PhD, Instructor of Pathology & Immunology in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, was recently named an American Society of Hematology (ASH) Scholar for 2023. One of ASH’s most prestigious research award programs, the ASH Scholar Awards support early career investigators dedicated to careers in hematology […]