Researchers are working with industry toward a clinical trial for blood cancer patients Two new studies led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a possible way to block the progression of several forms of blood cancer using a drug already in clinical trials against breast cancer.
Category: News
Hirbe and Oh Elected for ASCI 2025 Members
Angela C. Hirbe, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, Director, Adult Neurofibromatosis Clinical Program, WashU Medicine Division of Oncology, along with Stephen T. Oh, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Co-Chief, WashU Medicine Division of Hematology recently were selected for The American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) 2025 Members. The ASCI is a […]
National Institutes for Health Awards PRIDE Grant
Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases Grant Ana Maria Arbeláez, MD; Rita Brookheart, PhD; and Dominic Reeds, MD, WashU Medicine clinician–researchers and directors, were recently the recipients of one of three National Institutes for Health Grants. This grant offers funding for the Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases (PRIDE) […]
New cellular immunotherapy approach shows promise for B-cell lymphoma (Links to an external site)
Off-the-shelf CAR-natural killer cells could expand accessibility, reduce cost of cell-based cancer therapies
Global Cardiovascular Disease Seed Funding (Links to an external site)
The application period for this funding will open on March 1, 2025 and close on March 31, 2025 (5 p.m. CDT). This seed funding opportunity will support pilot studies in the broad research topics of global CVD and/or CVD-related diseases with the goal to address the large and growing burden of disease in both USA […]
Big Ideas Letter of Intent
The Big Ideas Program invites innovative proposals that use data, advanced analytics (including artificial intelligence or AI), and workflow re-design to address critical clinical and operational needs that impact the quality, safety, outcomes, and value of healthcare delivery. Projects should align with the core purpose and values of BJC HealthCare and WashU Medicine, emphasizing clinical […]
Balancing Life, Love, and Loss: Dr. Debra Parker Oliver’s Inspiring Journey (Links to an external site)
In this heartfelt episode, Kim Sorrelle sits down with Dr. Debra Parker Oliver, Professor at Washington University in St. Louis, to explore the profound intersection of caregiving, grief, and resilience. Drawing from her personal journey caring for her husband, Dr. Oliver shares insights from her extensive research and her memoir, Legacies From the Living Room: […]
Development of a metabolome-based respiratory infection prognostic during COVID-19 arrival
Jeffrey P. Henderson, MD, PhD, FIDSA, Professor of Medicine and Molecular Microbiology, at WashU Division of Infectious Diseases, was recently published in ASM Journals with new insights into the development of a metabolome-based respiratory infection prognostic during COVID-19. Henderson highlights that the supportive environment at WashU Medicine played a crucial role in making this work possible, […]
Apply Now for the 2025 WashU Nephrology Summer Intern Research “SOAR” Program (Links to an external site)
The Washington University Kidney O’Brien Center for Chronic Kidney Disease Research, established in 2024, is excited to announce it is accepting applications for its 2nd immersive summer research program for undergraduate students interested in pursuing nephrology research.
Molly Keppell joins the Department of Medicine
Molly Keppell, BS, MS, joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Oncology as an Instructor in January 2025. She was raised in southern Illinois and attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. While there, she earned her B.S. and M.S. in Crop Science. Her research there focused on diseases of sweet corn and […]
Dr. Brooks Brodrick joins the Department of Medicine
Dr. Brooks Brodrick joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Allergy and Immunology as an Assistant Professor in January 2025. She received her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Texas at Austin. She then went on to complete both her MD and PhD as part of the NIH-Funded MSTP program […]
Drs. Leslie Gewin and Anuja Java Attend AAMC Women Faculty Leadership Seminar (Links to an external site)
WashU nephrologists Leslie Gewin, MD, and Anuja Java, MD, recently participated in the 2024 Mid-Career Women Faculty Leadership Development Seminar. Organized by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the seminar took place December 2-5, 2024, in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico.
DOM Insider Volume 23 (Links to an external site)
In this Issue: Message from the Chair, Grants, High Impact Research Publications, Spotlight, Clinical Programs, Awards/Fellowships/Honors/Accolades, Leadership/Appointments, Office of Faculty Development (OFD), Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Allyship & Social Justice (IDEAS) at DOM, Vice Chair for the Advancement of Women’s Careers, Vice Chair of Clinical Research, Vice Chair of Education, Vice Chairs of Safety, Quality, and […]
$10.8 Million Grant Supports Cutting-edge Leukemia Research (Links to an external site)
Continuing its role as a leader in leukemia research, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has been awarded a five-year, $10.8 million grant to further its exceptional programs in leukemia and other blood cancers.
Understanding muscle insulin resistance in metabolic syndrome (Links to an external site)
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 […]
Dr. Wooten’s Inspiring Journey to Infectious Diseases Leadership
Dr. Darcy Wooten’s career journey has been anything but conventional. Born and raised in Southern California, Dr. Wooten proudly represents six generations of California heritage. Growing up in Los Angeles, she initially aspired to become an English teacher, inspired by her mother, a high school science teacher, but also seeking a path uniquely her own. […]
Global Health Center: 2024 Year in Review (Links to an external site)
As 2024 comes to a close, the Global Health Center wishes you a happy and healthy holiday season. We are excited to reflect on this year’s accomplishments — achieved through the unwavering support of our team, collaborators and community members — and look forward to what lies ahead in 2025. We thank you for your […]
January is Blood Donor Month
Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. January marks Blood Donor Awareness Month, a time to recognize the life-saving impact of blood donors and raise awareness about the constant need for blood and platelet donations. Donating blood is one of the simplest yet most impactful ways to help those in need. Whether […]
December 2024 Accolade Recipients – SAFE (Supporting a Fair Environment)
Congratulations to the 11 Department of Medicine (DOM) Accolade Recipients Lonigro Lori Gastroenterology Staff Heather Beal and Jillian Schuette Heather Beal and Jillian Schuette Dermatology – COH Mohs – (Heather Beal and Jillian Schuette) Staff Mann Caroline Dermatology Faculty Rosman Ilana Dermatology Faculty Cheema Sana Med Firm Resident/Clinical Fellow Jin Julie Med Firm Resident/Clinical Fellow […]
Happy Lunar New Year 2025 (Links to an external site)
Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is the most important traditional festival in China. It marks the beginning of the new year on the traditional lunar calendar and usually falls between January 21 and February 20. The history of Chinese New Year dates back over 4,000 years, rooted […]
Programming and Events for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration (Links to an external site)
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 20, 2025) serves as a reminder to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr by engaging in acts of service and promoting inclusivity within our communities. It is an opportunity for individuals and organizations to come together, reflect on the progress made, and strive for a more […]
Lanza named fellow of National Academy of Inventors (Links to an external site)
Joins this year’s class of 170 honorees for his innovations in imaging, diagnostics and drug delivery using nanoparticles
2024 Diabetes Day Symposium Recap (Links to an external site)
In honor of World Diabetes Day, the Diabetes Research Center of the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid Research sponsored the 2024 Diabetes Day Symposium. The event took place on Thursday, November 7 at the Washington University School of Medicine’s Eric P. Newman Education Center, with programming aimed at bringing together scientists and trainees to showcase their work, […]
Multiple Hospitalists Contribute to Insightful Article about Substance Use Disorder (Links to an external site)
The Society of Hospital Medicine has a monthly publication entitled, ‘The Hospitalist’ in which they share helpful information about a variety of topics that are relevant to hospital medicine. The October 2024 issue featured an article about substance use disorder in physicians written by Dennis Chang, MD, Tony Dao, MD, Carol Faulk, MD, and Kieran […]
First Annual Hospital Medicine Awards Ceremony is a Success (Links to an external site)
Division Chief Mark Williams, MD, along with the Social and Wellness Committee, spearheaded the inaugural Division of Hospital Medicine Awards Ceremony as an opportunity to recognize the hard work and efforts of our providers and staff. They worked together to create 12 award categories and sent out surveys for the division to nominate their colleagues and […]
DOLF Leadership Visits Clinical Trial Sites in Liberia and Ivory Coast (Links to an external site)
The DOLF Project PI, Dr. Peter Fischer, and associate director Laura Peer traveled to Liberia in October for a mid-trial visit the site of DOLF’s clinical trial of treatment for the neglected tropical disease (NTD) onchocerciasis (also known as “river blindness”). The clinical trial is located at Bong Mines Hospital about 70 miles from the […]
Physician Leadership Development Program
Fundamentals of Performance Improvement and Change Management Summary The Physician Leadership Development Program will equip physicians in the Department of Medicine with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in leadership roles. The program is tailored to address the unique challenges and opportunities faced by leaders in medicine in today’s healthcare system. This course offering […]
Andreas Herrlich on Editorial Board of New Comprehensive Physiology Journal (Links to an external site)
Andreas Herrlich, MD, PhD, Director of Translational Medicine at WashU Nephrology, has been recruited for the editorial board of the new journal, Comprehensive Physiology, a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by John Wiley & Sons on behalf of the American Physiological Society that will focus on interorgan communication.
Innovation by collaboration (Links to an external site)
The brightest minds solving brain cancer’s toughest challenges. Brain tumors are among the most challenging cancers to effectively treat. Depending on the tumor’s location, surgery can interfere with cognitive function, movement or language, and surgery often is not the solution because the tumor cells are invasive and intertwined with normal brain cells. Additionally, the brain’s […]
WashU Medicine reaches all-time high in NIH funding (Links to an external site)
NIH grants recognize the quality and significance of WashU Medicine research in enabling life-changing advances in medicine In a testament to the quality and national competitiveness of biomedical research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the school secured $683 million in research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in federal […]
Baggstrom presented a poster at the annual AAMC Learn Serve Lead GWIMS
In November 2024, Dr. Maria Baggstrom, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Oncology, presented a poster at the annual Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Learn Serve Lead Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS) Poster Session that she co-authored with Dr. Rakhee Bhayani, Vice Chair of Advancing Women’s Careers and Professor of […]
WashU research funding exceeds $1 billion for first time (Links to an external site)
For the first time, annual research funding to Washington University in St. Louis has surpassed $1 billion. External funding supports WashU investigators tackling big challenges from Alzheimer’s disease to air pollution to childhood depression. Research funding also ripples across the economy, sparking job growth, new construction and local spending, said Chancellor Andrew D. Martin.
WashU Medicine Divisions of Pulmonary and Infectious Diseases Selected as Bronchiectasis and NTM Care Center
Bronchiectasis and NTM 360, a division of the COPD Foundation, has accepted WashU Medicine – Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, into its Bronchiectasis and NTM Care Center Network (CCN), recognizing the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Division’s dedication to providing high-quality medical care, resources and education for those with bronchiectasis and nontuberculous mycobacterial […]
Dr. Vishwanath Jha joins the Department of Medicine
Dr. Vishwanath Jha joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hematology as an instructor in December 2024. He is an accomplished postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Jaehyung Cho’s laboratory at Washington University School of Medicine, specializing in hematology, focusing on thrombosis and platelet activation. His innovative research has led to a groundbreaking discovery: intracellular ERO1α […]
New drug tested to reduce side effect of ‘half-matched’ stem cell transplants (Links to an external site)
Clinical trial indicates safety, fewer cases of life-threatening graft-versus-host disease than expected Adding a new drug to standard care for stem cell transplant recipients may reduce a life-threatening side effect, according to an early-stage clinical trial conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The trial showed that patients being treated for various […]
World leaders in ending blood cancer (Links to an external site)
The Siteman Blood Cancer Center delivers tomorrow’s treatments today. The Siteman Blood Cancer Center, recognized internationally as a leader in innovative care, draws patients from across the U.S. and overseas. The center brings together the multidisciplinary expertise of WashU Medicine physicians who have a singular focus on treating blood cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and myelodysplastic […]
Siteman Cancer Center share how colorectal cancer is affecting young people too (Links to an external site)
Dr. Jean Wang with Siteman Cancer Center shares why they started the young onset program.
Department of Medicine 2025 Fellowship Matches
The Department of Medicine is proud to announce that we have 69 matched fellows. Please view the list below for more information about each. Fellowships Allergy & Immunology Fellowship Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism Fellowship Gastroenterology Fellowship Cardiology Fellowship Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Geriatric Medicine Fellowship Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship […]
Siteman Cancer Center’s new outpatient building named in honor of Gary C. Werths (Links to an external site)
Generous gift to WashU Medicine supports cancer research, medical student scholarships
Dr. Dmitri Kotov joins the Department of Medicine
Dr. Dmitri Kotov joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases as an Assistant Professor in December 2024. He earned his PhD in the lab of Dr. Marc Jenkins at the University of Minnesota, where he studied how T cell receptor signaling impacts CD4+ T cell fate commitment. Pivoting from researching fundamental […]
Congratulations to Colonel James G. “Doc” Avery on His Promotion! (Links to an external site)
We are delighted to celebrate Dr. James G. “Doc” Avery’s well-earned promotion to Colonel in the United States Air Force. As the Chief of Aerospace Medicine at the 126th Medical Group, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, Colonel Avery oversees the health and medical readiness of the unit’s personnel and leads key aerospace medicine initiatives.
Leadership Announcement – Director of CTSA TWD and CRTC (Links to an external site)
Nancy Sweitzer, MD, PhD, Named as Director of Clinical and Translational Science Award Translational Workforce Development (CTSA TWD) and Clinical Research Training Center (CRTC) at WashU Medicine. As Director of the Clinical Research Training Center, Dr. Sweitzer will oversee the training and education core of WashU’s CTSA.
WashU faculty, alumni lead effort to repair harms caused by systemic racism in St. Louis (Links to an external site)
The St. Louis Reparations Commission released its final report last month, outlining St. Louis’ deep history of slavery and systemic discrimination and the continued impact on Black residents. The report also offered recommendations for city officials to repair the harm caused by racial injustice.
Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Week
Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Week takes place from December 1-7 each year, spotlighting the nearly 3 million Americans living with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which include Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. These chronic, lifelong conditions cause inflammation in the digestive tract, leading to symptoms that can significantly impact quality of life, including abdominal pain, diarrhea, […]
Las Posadas (Links to an external site)
Las Posadas is a traditional Mexican celebration that takes place from December 16th to December 24th, marking the nine days before Christmas. This event holds significant cultural and religious importance in Mexico and other Latin American countries, as well as among Latino communities in the United States.
Happy Hanukkah (Links to an external site)
Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival. The central theme of Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century B.C. and the miracle of the oil. Hanukkah holds great cultural and religious significance for Jewish communities around the world, and the celebration of this festival is a time for reflection, […]
Happy Kwanzaa (Links to an external site)
Kwanzaa is a secular festival observed from December 26th through January 1st as part of a celebration of African American cultural heritage and traditional values. The word Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase, “matunda ya kwanza” or first fruits, referring to First fruits or Harvest festivals that are found throughout Africa. Kwanzaa was created in […]
Merry Christmas
December 25th is celebrated as both a religious holiday and a global cultural and commercial event. People around the world celebrate this holiday through a variety of religious and secular traditions. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their […]
Discovery of Culprit Behind Scars in Heart Failure Points to Possible Treatment Target (Links to an external site)
More than 6 million adults in the U.S. have heart failure, a condition that develops when the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the demands of the body. While lifestyle changes and treatment can slow heart failure, there’s no cure. One reason is that heart failure and other heart conditions including heart attacks lead heart […]
Vaccine Shows Promise Against Aggressive Breast Cancer (Links to an external site)
A small clinical trial shows promising results for patients with triple-negative breast cancer who received an investigational vaccine designed to prevent recurrence of tumors. Conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis with a therapy designed by Washington University researchers, the trial is the first to report results for this type of vaccine — known […]