Nigeria Launches Sodium Reduction Guidelines Developed with WashU Medicine Research (Links to an external site)

Mark Huffman, MD

Research developed through the collaborative efforts of WashU Medicine, the University of Abuja, Northwestern University, and The George Institute for Global Health have supported the launch of Nigeria’s Sodium Reduction Guidelines. William Bowen Endowed Professor of Medicine and Global Health Center Co-Director Mark Huffman, MD, MPH headed the WashU team for this NIH-funded project.

2025 NKF Annual Kidney Walk a Success! (Links to an external site)

Our walking team: (L) “Jess” from Pediatric Nephrology, with Max Edele, Carrie Koeller, Atlee Baker, and Naoka Murakami from WashU Nephrology; (Kathryn Riner and her son Jack not shown).

A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to the success of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) annual St. Louis Kidney Walk, held last Sunday, March 23, 2025.  Our WashU Nephrology team not only met their fundraising goal of $2500, but exceeded it by raising $3022! 

WashU Inspiring People: Evan Garber (Links to an external site)

Evan Garber

As a clinical nurse coordinator in the Department of Medicine at WashU Medicine, Evan Garber specializes in caring for patients with sickle cell anemia. His role encompasses various responsibilities, including providing telephone triage, responding to patient inquiries through the online portal, MyChart, assisting with care coordination, and offering in-clinic support during outpatient visits. 

Meet the Researcher: Nathaniel Hogrebe (Links to an external site)

Nathaniel Hogrebe, PhD

Nathaniel Hogrebe, PhD has always had an interest in science, and now, as a junior faculty member in the Millman Lab, he has steadily built a career as a leader in diabetes research, working closely with Dr. Millman to pioneer cutting-edge research in stem cell-derived islets (SC-islets).

Minority Health Month – Diversity Month (Links to an external site)

Minority Health Month

April celebrates both Diversity Month and National Minority Health Month, providing an opportunity to recognize and honor the diversity of the world around us while also addressing the disproportionate burden of premature death and illness in racial and ethnic minority groups.

“Roads to Success” Workshop Provides Foundational Information to Educators in Medicine (Links to an external site)

Rakhee Bhayani, MD, and Abby Spencer, MD, MS, FACP, give presentation on Belonging and Wellness.

In 2023, division hospitalists Dennis Chang, MD, Eileen Lee, MD, and Alex Thomas, MD organized the inaugural “Roads to Success” workshop with the goal of providing a comprehensive faculty development opportunity for hospitalists. After its initial success, Abby Spencer, MD, Professor and Vice Chair for Education and Director of the Academy of Educators, suggested a collaboration with the […]

IDEAS Committee Collaborates with WashU Minority Medical Association (Links to an external site)

The WashU Minority Medical Association (WUMMA) is an organization of residents and fellows across different departments that work to empower minorities in the medical community through fostering an inclusive environment and supporting the professional and personal development of under-represented minority (URM) medical trainees. IDEAS Committee members Natalia Brito Rivera, MD, Jaime Flores-Ruiz, MD, and Corey Shy, MD, participated in […]

Molecular analysis of isthmus thyroid nodules and carcinomas (Links to an external site)

Cytologic and molecular assessment of isthmus thyroid nodules and carcinomas

Sina Jasim, MD, MPH; Allan Golding, MD; David Bimston, MD; Yang Chen, PhD; Ruochen Jiang, PhD; Yangyang Hao, PhD; Jing Huang, PhD; Joshua P. Klopper, MD; Richard T. Kloos, MD; and Taylor C. Brown, MD, MHS had their research article titled “Cytologic and Molecular Assessment of Isthmus Thyroid Nodules and Carcinomas,” published online ahead of print in the journal Thyroid. 

Dr. Megan Baldridge receives Global Grant for Gut Health Award (Links to an external site)

Megan Tierney Baldridge, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Infectious Diseases Division

Megan Tierney Baldridge, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Infectious Diseases Division, Departments of Medicine and Molecular Microbiology, received a project grant to explore the interactions between bacteriophages (phages) and human intestinal epithelial cells, aiming to uncover how phages, which infect bacteria, also influence human cells.

When His Heart Stopped, a New Life Began (Links to an external site)

Sandeep S. Sodhi, MD, MBA

Nathan and Lynda Olsen loved to explore the southwestern Missouri countryside near their home in Carthage, so when they discovered a cozy coffeeshop situated on a picturesque bluff, they pulled in to savor the view and the java. But their relaxing afternoon quickly came to a jolting halt. 

Faddis Appears on KMOV to Discuss Pulse Field Ablation (Links to an external site)

Mitchell N. Faddis, MD

Professor of Medicine Dr. Mitchell Faddis appeared on KMOV news’s Living Well segment to celebrate February’s Heart Month. He discussed tips for general heart health in winter, warning signs of a cardiac emergency, as well as providing updates on the EP program at Barnes-General Hospital.

Deaf History Month (Links to an external site)

""

National Deaf History Month is celebrated March 13th to April 15th each year to commemorate the achievements of people who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Women’s History Month (Links to an external site)

""

March offers us an opportunity to celebrate Women’s History Month.  This annual event honors women’s achievements and contributions throughout history.  The theme for the 2025 Women’s History Month is “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations,” The theme recognizes the powerful influence of women who have dedicated their lives to education, mentorship, and leadership.

Disabilities Awareness Month (Links to an external site)

""

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month is an annual observance held in March to increase public awareness about developmental disabilities and promote inclusivity, acceptance, and understanding for individuals with these conditions.

Ramadan (Links to an external site)

green ramadan background

Ramadan (February 28 – March 30, 2025) 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.

Crystal Atwood, MD, and Carol Faulk, MD, Obtain Impressive POCUS Certifications (Links to an external site)

Drs: Crystal Atwood, Carol Faulk

As the Division of Hospital Medicine continues to expand, Division Chief Mark Williams, MD, has placed emphasis on the importance of continued education and training for its physicians to increase overall impact and effectiveness. Since Dr. Williams started with the division in October 2021, he has helped transform the division into one of the premier academic hospitalist […]

Siteman Investment Program Awards $1.89 Million in Cancer Research Grants (Links to an external site)

Nine projects led by Washington University researcher Matthew Walter, MD, and others will benefit from the new funding.

Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine is pleased to announce funding for nine new projects. These include research focused on: Improving CAR T-cell therapy for lymphomaIdentifying new treatment targets for leukemiaBetter understanding how myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) developIdentifying a treatment for a broad range of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) independent of […]

Connecting the dots (Links to an external site)

Graduate student Jiayu Ye works in the lab of Sheila A. Stewart, PhD. Stewart’s lab has identified a drug combination that makes T cells more effective in mice with metastatic breast cancer.

From detection to treatment, mapping a new future for breast cancer. WashU Medicine physicians at Siteman Cancer Center are recognized nationally for their expertise in leading-edge breast cancer therapies. Nearly 50 specialists in surgery, breast reconstruction, medical oncology and radiation oncology, radiology and pathology are part of the Breast Cancer Program at Siteman, providing personalized treatment plans […]

R56 NIH Grant Awarded to Physician-Scientist Ying Maggie Chen (Links to an external site)

Ying (Maggie) Chen, MD, PhD

Congratulations to Ying Maggie Chen, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, WashU Nephrology, on receiving an R56 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to study impaired autophagy underlying the disease pathogenesis of autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease (ADTKD).

Three faculty members awarded $3 million NIMH grant for HIV prevention in Africa (Links to an external site)

A Ugandan member of the ICHAD team (right) discusses the Suubi4Stronger Families study with a mother in the Masaka district of Uganda. (Photo: Thomas Malkowicz/WashU)

Fred Ssewamala, PhD, William E. Gordon Distinguished Professor at the Brown School and director of the International Center for Child Health and Development (ICHAD); Proscovia Nabunya, PhD, assistant professor at the Brown School and co-director of ICHAD; and Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD, professor of medicine and associate director for global health and dissemination at WashU Medicine, have […]

Global Studies Examine Hypertension Management and Barriers to Care (Links to an external site)

The ANDES study team after a meeting with the Ministry of Health in Lima, Peru. The WashU team: front row, first from left Dr. de las Fuentes; second from right Dr. Lindsay Underhill; back row Davila-Roman.

At WashU’s Global Health Center in the Institute for Public Health, teams of cardiologists, implementation scientists, and other experts are spearheading efforts to address one of the world’s most common and treatable risk factors for cardiovascular disease: hypertension. These efforts span multiple NIH/NHLBI-funded studies underway in Peru, Nigeria, India, and the United States.

Hospitalists Form Addiction Medicine Subcommittee to Tackle Patient Care Issues (Links to an external site)

From left to right: Benjamin Hoemann, MD, Thomas Hoyt, MD, Alex Lane, MD, Randy Laine, MD, Alyssa Moller, MD, and Corey Shy, MD

In 2023, several like-minded hospitalists noticed a gap in patient care, provider knowledge, and research within the division and hospital regarding the treatment of patients with addiction. These physicians—Benjamin Hoemann, MD; Thomas Hoyt, MD; Alex Lane, MD; Randy Laine, MD; Alyssa Moller, MD; and Corey Shy, MD—decided to come together to discuss these issues and […]

Honoring Excellence: Q and A with Dr. Cassandra Fritz of the Washington University in St. Louis Internal Medicine Residency Program (Links to an external site)

Cassandra Fritz, MD

This interview is one in a series of interviews with the 2025 recipients of the ACGME Awards. These awardees join an outstanding group of previous honorees whose work and contributions to graduate medical education (GME) represent the best in the field. They will be honored at the 2025 ACGME Annual Educational Conference, taking place February […]

Understanding muscle insulin resistance in metabolic syndrome  (Links to an external site)

Decreased sarcoplasmic reticulum phospholipids in human skeletal muscle are associated with metabolic syndrome

In March, Samantha Adamson, MD, PhD; Sangeeta Adak, PhD; Max C. Petersen, MD, PhD; Dustin Higgins, DO; Larry D. Spears, PhD; Rong Mei Zhang, MD; Andrea Cedeno, MD; Alexis McKee, MD, CDCES; Aswathi Kumar, MD; Sudhir M. Singh, MD;  Fong-Fu Hsu, PhD; Janet B. McGill, MD, MA, FACP; and Clay F. Semenkovich, MD had their article titled “Decreased sarcoplasmic reticulum phospholipids in human skeletal muscle are associated with metabolic […]