Nasal vaccine combats bird flu infection in rodents (Links to an external site)

Nasal vaccine combats bird flu infection in rodents
Since it was first detected in the U.S. in 2014, H5N1 avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, has jumped from wild birds to farm animals and then to people, causing more than 70 human cases in the U.S. since 2022, including two fatalities. The virus continues to circulate among animals, giving it the opportunity […]

Dr. Melissa Kaltenbach joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Melissa Kaltenbach joins the Department of Medicine
Dr. Melissa Kaltenbach joins the Department of Medicine joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology as an Assistant Professor as of January 2026. Dr. Kaltenbach received her MD from SUNY Upstate Medical University and completed her clinical training in internal medicine, gastroenterology, and transplant hepatology from the Hospital of the University of […]

DOM Insider Volume 28 (Links to an external site)

DOM Insider Volume 28
Dear colleagues and friends, As we step into a new year, I’m proud to reflect on the extraordinary strength, scope, and impact of the Department of Medicine at WashU Medicine. Together, we are advancing discovery, shaping the future of patient care, and training the next generation of physicians and scientists at a scale unmatched across […]

Immunotherapy reduces plaque in arteries of mice (Links to an external site)

Immunotherapy reduces plaque in arteries of mice
Scientists have designed an immunotherapy that reduces plaque in the arteries of mice, presenting a possible new treatment strategy against heart disease. The antibody-based therapy could complement traditional methods of managing coronary artery disease that focus on lowering cholesterol through diet or medications such as statins, according to the findings of a new study led […]

SCC Catchment Prevention and Control Trial Grants (Links to an external site)

SCC Catchment Prevention and Control Trial Grants
Full application deadline: Monday, March 2, 2026. Purpose: This funding opportunity is meant to support new or ongoing prevention and control-based interventional trials involving at least one health system partner in SCC’s catchment area. The best proposals will move evidence-based cancer practices into clinical and community settings and/or address health disparities in the catchment area.

January 2026 Accolade Recipients – SAFE (Supporting a Fair Environment)

January 2026 Accolade Recipients – SAFE (Supporting a Fair Environment)
Congratulations to the 14 Department of Medicine (DOM) Accolade Recipients. Golec, Lynn Medicine-Hematology Hematology Nurse Practitioner Feldeisen, Delaney IM IM Senior Resident Resident/Clinical Fellow Feldeisen, Delaney Internal Medicine Med Firm Green Team Resident/Clinical Fellow Foster, Jaleyea Internal Medicine Cards FIRM Blue Resident/Clinical Fellow Kwok, Michael Internal Medicine IM Resident/Clinical Fellow Merrell, Dallin Internal Medicine BJH […]

December 2025 Kudos and Awards

December 2025 Kudos and Awards
Thank you, residents and interns, for all you do for one another and for your patients. Though often under-appreciated, your work does not go unnoticed. ​​​​​​​Help us highlight the kindness, clinical skills, and work ethic: submit here. Residents of the Month Dr. Alex Taylor: “During her time she consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, clinical excellence, and unwavering ownership of […]

15th Annual Fellow Immersion Training (FIT) Program in Addiction Medicine (Links to an external site)

15th Annual Fellow Immersion Training (FIT) Program in Addiction Medicine
Application Deadline: February 13, 2026 Program Description: A four-day intensive immersion training that equips incoming and current clinical subspecialty fellows with state-of-the-art skills and content to integrate addiction medicine into research and clinical care. This curriculum prepares fellows to incorporate addiction science into their research bycovering advances in the field of clinical addiction research through […]

25th Annual Chief Resident Immersion Training (CRIT) Program in Addiction Medicine (Links to an external site)

25th Annual Chief Resident Immersion Training (CRIT) Program in Addiction Medicine
Application Deadline: February 13, 2026 Program Description: A four-day immersion training to equip incoming chief residents with the skills to diagnose, manage, and teach about substance use and addiction. All chief residents will develop a Substance Use Teaching Project (SUTP) to implement at their home institution. Faculty mentors who accompany their chief resident will support […]

4th Annual CARE Faculty Scholars Program in Addiction Medicine (Links to an external site)

4th Annual CARE Faculty Scholars Program in Addiction Medicine
Application Deadline: February 13, 2026 Program Description: An in-person four-day immersion training followed by six virtual 90-minute ECHO Learning Collaborative sessions. All participants must be able to attend the entire immersion training, attend all six ECHOsessions, and develop an Addiction Medicine Enhancement Project (AMEP). The NIDA grant supports up to ten $500 scholarships to be […]

International travel requirement (Links to an external site)

International travel requirement
WashU is concerned with the health, safety, and security of all members of our community while traveling outside of the United States of America. The WashU International Travel Policy has been adopted to ensure a consistent set of travel standards to be followed by all units of the university. The policy applies to all international […]

Ramadan (Links to an external site)

Ramadan
This year, the holy month of Ramadan is to begin on Tuesday, February 17 – Thursday, March 19, 2026. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and holds great significance in the Islamic faith. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a period of fasting, prayer, self-reflection, and increased devotion to Allah.

Happy Lunar New Year 2026 (Links to an external site)

Happy Lunar New Year 2026
Chinese New Year in 2026 is the Year of the Horse and is scheduled to start on Tuesday, Feb. 17, and last until the Lantern Festival on March 3, the date of the next full moon. It is the most important traditional festival in China. It marks the beginning of the new year on the traditional […]

February is Heart Health Awareness Month

February is Heart Health Awareness Month
February, a month traditionally associated with love, also brings attention to something equally vital: heart health. Recognized as Heart Health Awareness Month, February is dedicated to raising awareness about cardiovascular diseases (CVD), which continue to be the leading cause of death worldwide. Join us in highlighting the importance of heart health and taking steps to […]

Cao Awarded 2026 Young Physician-Scientist Award

Cao Awarded 2026 Young Physician-Scientist Award
Siyan “Stewart” Cao, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, WashU Medicine Division of Gastroenterology, recently was awarded the The American Society of Clinical Investigation 2026 Young Physician-Scientist Award. The American Society for Clinical Investigation seeks to support the scientific efforts, educational needs, and clinical aspirations of physician-scientists to improve the health of all people. The ASCI Council Young […]

Kirmani Receives Lifetime Achievement Award (Links to an external site)

Kirmani Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
On November 14, 2025, Nigar Kirmani, MD, professor of medicine, was honored at the Semi-Annual General Staff Meeting and presented with the BJH Medical Staff Association Lifetime Achievement Award. This award recognizes physicians at Barnes-Jewish Hospital with over 25 years of distinguished service, honoring their exceptional contributions, leadership, teaching, and patient care.

Leslie Stuart Gewin, MD – Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Professor of Renal Diseases

Leslie Stuart Gewin, MD – Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Professor of Renal Diseases
Colleagues, it is my pleasure to announce that Dr. Leslie Stuart Gewin has been named the Alan A. and Edith L. Wolff Professor of Renal Diseases in the Department of Medicine. Dr. Gewin is an outstanding physician scientist, clinician and educator who is nationally recognized for her many contributions in academic Nephrology. Dr. Gewin earned her […]

A tribute to Stuart A. Kornfeld (1936–2025) (Links to an external site)

A tribute to Stuart A. Kornfeld (1936–2025)
A giant in the field of biomedical research, Stuart Arthur Kornfeld, MD (Figure 1), passed away in St. Louis on Sunday, August 17, 2025, following complications from Parkinson’s disease. Stuart was the David C. and Betty Farrell Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM). His leadership roles at WUSM, where […]

Inflammatory immune cells predict survival, relapse in multiple myeloma (Links to an external site)

Inflammatory immune cells predict survival, relapse in multiple myeloma
A new study maps the immune cell landscape of bone marrow in patients with multiple myeloma, a rare cancer that develops in the plasma cells of the bone marrow and has no cure. This large immune cell atlas, which includes robust patient outcome data, provides unparalleled new insights into how the immune system interacts with […]