Category: News

Infectious Diseases Division Co-Director and Pallavi Chandra, PhD, published in Autophagy

Jennifer A. Philips, MD

Host De-ubiquitinase USP8 promotes Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection Pallavi Chandra, PhD, an Instructor of Medicine in the Philips laboratory at WashU Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases, along with Jennifer A. Philips, MD, PhD, Theodore and Bertha Bryan Professor, Departments of Medicine and Molecular Microbiology; Co-director, Infectious Diseases Division, recently co-authored a Autophagy publication, on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and USP8. […]

Dr. Darcy Wooten joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Wooten joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases as a professor in September 2024.  She holds the positions of ID Fellowship Program Director, Vice Chief of Medical Education, and Director of Educational Programs.  She earned a BA in Human Biology from Stanford University and a master’s degree in health and […]

Dr. Ayse Ece Cali Daylan joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Ece Cali Daylan joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Oncology as an assistant professor as of August 2024.  She earned her medical degree and PhD in Medical Biology from Hacettepe University, Turkey, before relocating to the United States for advanced training.  She completed her internal medicine residency at St. Elizabeth’s Medical […]

Are patients with Alport Syndrome at Increased Risk of Aortic Aneurysms?  ASF Funds Dr. Carmen Halabi and Jeffrey Miner to Find Out (Links to an external site)

Congratulations to Carmen Halabi, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Nephrology, and collaborator Jeffrey Miner, PhD, FASN, Eduardo and Judith Slatopolsky Professor of Medicine in Nephrology, who were awarded an Alport Syndrome Foundation (ASF) grant to fund research into the presence of aortic aneurysms in Alport mice.

Dr. Xiao-Qing Cheng joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Xiaoqing (Cathy) Cheng joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Oncology as an Instructor in October 2024. She received a PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology from Wuhan University in 2017. Her PhD training including the mitochondrial dynamics and the mechanism study between epigenetic regulation and liver tumorigenesis. As an expert in the field […]

Call for Applications: Loeb Teaching Fellowship (Links to an external site)

Application submission dates: Friday, August 30, 2024 – Sunday, October 13, 2024 The Carol B. and Jerome T. Loeb Teaching Fellows program provides fellows the opportunity to implement ideas that augment the education of medical students, residents and fellows. Initiated in 2004 with a gift from Carol and Jerome Loeb and supported by The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish […]

Hepatitis C ElimiNATION Awareness Tour (Links to an external site)

Dr. Nolan from Street Med STL with event coordinators, phelbotomists and staff from the Missouri Department of Medicaid during the Wellston Loop outreach event.

The Hepatitis C ElimiNATION Awareness Tour, sponsored by ABBVIE, brings Hepatitis C testing to underserved communities. The WashU Infectious Diseases Division’s Bridge to Health Program partnered with other state and community organizations including Street Med STL, the Missouri Department of Social Services, the Missouri Department of health and Senior Services, and Vivent Health to provide HIV […]

Hematology-Oncology Fellow Podany Receives Conquer Cancer Merit Award

Emily Podany, MD

For research on early stage Breast Cancer Emily Podany, MD, Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program, Fellow Wellness Leader, WashU Division of Oncology, received a 2024 Conquer Cancer Merit Award for the ASCO Quality Care Symposium for her abstract (poster presentation) “Improving the OncotypeDX ordering process in patients with ER+ HER2- early-stage breast cancer: A longitudinal QI project.”  […]

Huffman Promotes Heart Health on Show Me St. Louis (Links to an external site)

Mark Huffman, MD

Professor of Medicine and Co-Director Global Health Center Dr. Mark Huffman appeared on KSDK’s Show Me St. Louis to recognize World Heart Day. Dr. Huffman noted that 1 in 3 people worldwide die of cardiovascular disease, and shared tips from the American Heart Association for heart health. He emphasized the dangers of ultra-processed foods, which […]

Dr. Katharine Foster joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Katharine Foster joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Allergy and Immunology as an Assistant Professor in September 2024.  She is interested in the wealth of immune reactions both beneficial and detrimental that medications can elicit and their interplay with a patient’s overall health, including drug allergy, microbiome changes, and immunomodulatory effects.  […]

American Cancer Society and Yosemite Award $1.65 Million to WashU Medicine Researchers at Siteman (Links to an external site)

George Souroullas, PhD

Five Washington University investigators at Siteman Cancer Center, based at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, have received $1.65 million total for research aimed at advancing the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The American Cancer Society (ACS) and Yosemite, a San Francisco-based oncology-focused venture capital firm, awarded the five scientists $330,000 each.

Dr. FNU Meena joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. FNU Meena joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in September 2024. She was born and raised in Hyderabad, Pakistan, and received her medical education at Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Pakistan, which is one of the oldest and top-ranked medical universities in the […]

Ross honored by Association of American Medical Colleges (Links to an external site)

Will Ross, MD

Will Ross, MD, the associate dean for diversity and the Alumni Endowed Professor of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received the 2024 Louis W. Sullivan, MD, Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The honor recognizes medical leaders committed to diversifying the health-care workforce.

$12 million grant aimed at probing how vaccines induce lasting immunity (Links to an external site)

Researchers at WashU Medicine have received a $12 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to identify the factors that are responsible for long-lasting immunity against disease.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received a $12 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study how vaccines trigger long-lasting immune responses. The work may inform the design of new, more protective vaccines for respiratory viruses, […]

Dr. Aaron Greenspan joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Aaron Greenspan joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology as an Assistant Professor in July 2024.  He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brandeis University in Waltham, MA followed by a Doctor of Medicine from University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA.  He remained in Pittsburgh for an Internal Medicine Residency. […]

Dr. Erin Dyer joins the Department of Medicine

Erin Dyer, MD

Dr. Erin Dyer joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in August 2024.  She grew up in Oxford, Mississippi and attended college at the University of Mississippi, where she graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese […]

Dr. Katherine Goodenberger joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Katherine (Katie) Goodenberger joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine in July 2024.  Katie grew up in Clayton, Missouri and attended Washington University where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree before moving to New York for her graduate degree in Biological Anthropology.  In her first career, she studied the fossil […]

What Repeat COVID Infections Do to Your Body, According to Science (Links to an external site)

IKON Images/Adobe Stock

These days, it’s tempting to compare COVID-19 with the common cold or flu. It can similarly leave you with a nasty cough, fever, sore throat—the full works of respiratory symptoms. And it’s also become a part of the societal fabric, perhaps something you’ve resigned yourself to catching at least a few times in your life (even if […]

Physician-Scientist Ying Maggie Chen Receives VA Merit Award (Links to an external site)

Ying (Maggie) Chen, MD, PhD

Congratulations to Associate Professor of Medicine, Ying Maggie Chen, MD, PhD, WashU Nephrology, who received a four-year, $1.15M VA Merit Award from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.  The funding will support her research on therapeutic targeting of mitochondria in uromodulin-associated chronic kidney disease (CKD). 

Kao awarded the ASP Neilson Award

Patricia F. Kao, MD, MS

Patricia F. Kao, MD, MS, Professor of Medicine, Divisions of General Medicine & Geriatrics and Nephrology, Director, Teaching Physician Pathway, recently awarded the ASP Eric G. Neilson, MD, Leadership in Specialty Internal Medicine Award The ASP Neilson Award is given to a leader who has had a significant impact on the landscape of internal medicine […]

WashU Researchers to Study Effectiveness of Flu Vaccines in Preventing Household Transmission

Jennie H. Kwon, DO, MSCI

Jennie H. Kwon, DO, MSCI, Associate Professor of Medicine, Section Director, Healthcare Epidemiology & Antimicrobial Stewardship, WashU Division of Infectious Diseases, has received a new contract from the CDC to investigate how influenza (flu) spreads within households and whether vaccines reduce transmission of flu. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the […]

Oktoberfest (Links to an external site)

Oktoberfest graphic

Oktoberfest is a world-renowned festival held annually in Munich, Germany, typically from late September to the first weekend in October. Oktoberfest dates back to October 12, 1810, when Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) married Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The citizens of Munich were invited to join the festivities held over five days on […]

Infectious Diseases Division Co-Director Philips Published in Nature Microbiology

Jennifer A. Philips, MD

Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulence lipid PDIM inhibits autophagy in mice Jennifer A. Philips, MD, PhD, Theodore and Bertha Bryan Professor, Departments of Medicine and Molecular Microbiology; Co-director, Infectious Diseases Division, recently co-authored a Nature Microbiology publication, with Ekansh Mittal, PhD, Instructor of Medicine, WashU Division of Infectious Diseases, on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Dr. Philips is the principal investigator […]

Dr. Fan He joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Fan He joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hematology as an Instructor in September 2024. Under the mentorships of Dr. Stephen Oh and Dr. Jorge Di Paola, Fan studies molecular mechanisms underlying hyperinflammation in MPN and novel therapeutic vulnerabilities against it using patient samples, genetic mouse models, omics approaches (such as single […]

Dr. Kai Jones joins the Department of Medicine

Kai Jones, MD

Dr. Kai Jones joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology as an Assistant Professor in August 2024.  Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Dr. Jones earned the BA in Biology from Washington University in 2015 and the MD degree from Washington University in 2019.  Between 2019 and 2022, she completed Internal Medicine Residency Training […]

Dr. Rabia Mayer joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Rabia Mayer joined the Department of Medicine in Division of Dermatology as an Assistant Professor in August 2024. Dr. Mayer received her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and subsequent PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Florida. She decided to pursue medicine thereafter and has completed two separate residencies in pediatrics and dermatology from Washington […]

Dr. Ju-Fang Chang joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Ju-Fang Chang joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Oncology as an Assistant Professor in July 2024. Her research focus is to overcome barriers in immunotherapy by incorporating insights from protein structural biology. Dr. Chang received bachelor’s degrees in Physics and Biology from National Tsing-Hua University, Taiwan. After graduating, she was awarded a […]

Bhayani Recognized with the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) Inspire Award

2024 AMWA Award - Bhayani

Celebrating women physicians who inspire others as they lead the way forward in medicine. The American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) is honored to announce the recipients of the 2024 AMWA INSPIRE Award. This annual award celebrates women physicians who exemplify the highest values of vision, integrity, service, and role-modeling in medicine and healthcare. “During Women in […]

Dr. Max Wattenberg joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Wattenberg joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Oncology as an Assistant Professor in July 2024. He has a long-standing interest in immune-oncology and hopes to unveil new approaches to targeting the immune system for cancer therapy. Dr. Wattenberg received his MD from the University of Louisville School of Medicine. During medical […]

Dr. Ramon Jin joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Ramon Jin joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Oncology as an Assistant Professor in July 2024. He treats gastroesophageal cancer patients and studies these cancers and their precursor conditions in the research lab. His career goal is to become an independent basic science and translational researcher at the nexus of cancer […]

Dr. Spencer Ng joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Spencer Ng joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Dermatology as an Assistant Professor in July 2024. He received his BSc in Cancer and Cell Biology from McGill University and subsequently received his MD and PhD degrees from Emory University. His PhD dissertation work focused on enhancing immune-based therapies against cancer and autoimmune […]

Peterson Leads SHVM Annual Meeting in St. Louis (Links to an external site)

The 21st annual meeting of the Society for Heart and Vascular Metabolism (SHVM) was held in St. Louis September 8th through 11th, with Professor of Medicine in the Cardiovascular Division Dr. Linda Peterson serving as SHVM President. This is the first time that the meeting has been held in St. Louis, and events were held in Clayton […]

Dr. Helen Ajufo joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Helen Ajufo joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hematology as an Assistant Professor in March 2024. She is currently leading a large multicenter retrospective study, the Analysis of the North American Myelofibrosis Transplant Outcome (NAMTO) assessing the role of high-risk mutations and other clinical and transplant specific factors on overall survival in […]

WashU Medicine leads two major pandemic preparedness research projects (Links to an external site)

WashU Medicine scientists lead two large, multicenter programs to develop vaccines and antibody-based therapies for understudied viruses with pandemic potential, including the three shown above: (left to right) chikungunya, dengue and parainfluenza viruses. The programs are supported by two grants from the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) totaling more than $30 million a year for three years.

Two grants totaling $30 million a year for 3 years support efforts to design vaccines, drugs for understudied virus families Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are laying the groundwork to rapidly respond to potential future pandemics caused by viruses from five understudied families. The effort, the aim of which is […]

Dr. Linying Zhang joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Linying Zhang, PhD joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of General Medicine and Geriatrics as an Assistant Professor in October 2023. Dr. Zhang’s research focuses on improving the reliability of real-world evidence generation using causal inference and artificial intelligence. Her works have been published on high impact clinical journals (e.g., Journal of the […]

Podany Metastatic Breast Cancer work spotlighted in JNCCN360

Emily Podany, MD

Genomic Alterations and Targeted Treatment by Race in Metastatic Breast Cancer Emily Podany, MD, Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program, Fellow Wellness Leader, WashU Division of Oncology, was recently spotlighted in JNCCN360 for her work on Genomic Alterations and Targeted Treatment by Race in Metastatic Breast Cancer. The study used a multi-institution consortium database that includes both clinical […]