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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

­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, […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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. […]

Three researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis including Steffen Storck, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Pathology & Immunology, recently received funding from the Alzheimer’s Association for projects that aim to study and make progress against the disease.

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

Kenneth Murphy, MD, PhD, Eugene Opie First Centennial Professor in the Department Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine, was named a Distinguished Fellow by the American Association of Immunologists (AAI). The program annually recognizes members of AAI “for distinguished careers and outstanding scientific contributions as well as their service to AAI and […]

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 named this year’s recipient of the Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research. The honor recognizes Gordon’s groundbreaking studies of the […]

S. Joshua Swamidass, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology & Immunologyat Washington University School of Medicine and Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, was recently elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Dr. Swamidass is recognized by AAAS “for distinguished contributions to the field […]

Richard J. Cote, MD, FRCPath, FCAP, Professor and Chair, Department of Pathology & Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine and Pathologist-in-Chief at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, was named a Castle Connolly Top Doctor in 2023. Every year, Castle Connolly accepts peer-only nominations for physicians at leading health centers including Washington University School of Medicine. The Castle […]

A growing pile of evidence indicates that the tens of trillions of microbes that normally live in our intestines — the so-called gut microbiome — have far-reaching effects on how our bodies function. Members of this microbial community produce vitamins, help us digest food, prevent the overgrowth of harmful bacteria and regulate the immune system, […]

Emil Raphael Unanue, MD, an internationally renowned immunologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, died Dec. 16, 2022, surrounded by family in St. Louis after a two-year battle with glioblastoma. He was 88. Head of the Department of Pathology & Immunology at the School of Medicine from 1985 to 2006, Unanue built […]

The cancer therapy known as CAR-T has revolutionized treatment of some blood cancers since it was introduced in 2017. The therapy uses genetically altered immune cells to home in on cancer cells and destroy them. Now, studying mice with an autoimmune disease similar to multiple sclerosis (MS), researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in […]

Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and many other neurodegenerative diseases are marked by damaging clusters of proteins in the brain. Scientists have expended enormous effort searching for ways to treat such conditions by clearing these toxic clusters but have had limited success. Now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found an innovative way […]

Gary Grajales-Reyes, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of pathology & immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received an Early Independence Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The award supports outstanding junior scientists with the intellect, scientific creativity, drive, and maturity to bypass or shorten the traditional postdoctoral training […]

Four faculty members at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, a part of the National Academy of Sciences. They are Opeolu M. Adeoye, MD; Farshid Guilak, PhD; David H. Gutmann, MD, PhD; and Jonathan Kipnis, PhD. Membership in the academy is considered one of the […]