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

Researchers at WashU Medicine have developed a nasal vaccine against the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus, or bird flu, which has jumped from wild birds to livestock to humans. When tested in rodents, the vaccine elicited a strong immune response and prevented infections in animals exposed to H5N1.

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 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 […]

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

An immunotherapy reduces plaque in the arteries of mice, offering a potential new strategy to treat cardiovascular disease, according to a study led by WashU Medicine researchers. An artery from an untreated mouse (top) shows more plaque (orange) than that of a mouse treated with the antibody-based immunotherapy (bottom).

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 […]

December 2025 Kudos and Awards

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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 […]

Breath carries clues to gut microbiome health (Links to an external site)

WashU Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia researchers found that an analysis of compounds exhaled in breath can be used to infer which microbes are living in the gut, paving the way for a rapid, non-invasive breath test to monitor and diagnose gut health issues.

The human gut is home to trillions of beneficial microbes that play a crucial role in health. Disruptions in this delicate community of bacteria and viruses — called the gut microbiome — have been linked to obesity, asthma and cancer, among other illnesses. 

Cao Awarded 2026 Young Physician-Scientist Award

Siyan "Stewart" Cao, MD, PhD

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)

Nigar Kirmani, MD Professor of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases

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 Gewin, MD

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)

David C. and Betty Farrell Professor of Medicine, Stuart A. Kornfeld, MD, assistant professor Wang-Sik Lee, PhD, and associate professor Balraj Doray, PhD, look over test results in the Clinical Sciences Research Building on April 10, 2019. MATT MILLER/WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE Half-century of research illuminates how cells work in health, disease - Kornfeld reflects on knowledge gained from longest running NCI grant - Stuart Kornfeld, MD, has led the field of glycobiology — the study of sugars bound to proteins — for decades, fueled by the same grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) that first supported his lab more than 50 years ago. He reflects on his career and the advances made possible by the NCI's longest running research grant.

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 […]

Matthew A. Ciorba, MD – William B. Kountz Professor of Medicine

Matthew A. Ciorba, MD

Colleagues, it is my great pleasure to announce the appointment of Dr. Matthew A. Ciorba as the William B. Kountz Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology at WashU Medicine. The Kountz Chair was previously held by Dr. Gus Schoenfeld, Dr. David Alpers and most recently Dr. Deborah Rubin, all exceptional physician scientists. Dr. Ciorba will continue this […]

WashU startups attract record-setting $1.7 billion in private-sector investment over past year (Links to an external site)

St. Louis-based biotech company Wugen, which is developing cell-based immunotherapies for hard-to-treat blood cancers, is among the WashU startups that collectively have attracted a record-setting total of $1.7 billion in private-sector investment over the past year.

Startup companies built on Washington University in St. Louis discoveries attracted a record $1.7 billion in private-sector investment over the past year, accelerating the commercialization of WashU innovations into life-changing diagnostics, therapeutics and medical devices. Among those innovations are a blood test to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease; immunotherapies to treat aggressive blood cancers; and an AI-based […]

Dr. Christina Kearse joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Christina Kearse joins the Department of Medicine joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Palliative Medicine as an Instructor as of January 2026. Dr. Kearse obtained her medical degree in 2019 from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). She then completed her internship and residency in internal medicine at MUSC. Prior […]

2025 Diabetes Day Symposium Recap (Links to an external site)

Diabetes Day Symposium

In honor of World Diabetes Day, the Diabetes Research Center of the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid Research hosted the 2025 Diabetes Day Symposium. The event took place on Thursday, November 6, at WashU Medicine’s Eric P. Newman Education Center. The symposium brought together scientists, trainees, and clinicians to showcase research, foster collaboration, and raise awareness of cutting-edge advances in diabetes research. 

Nussbaum family fuels pancreatic cancer research (Links to an external site)

WashU Medicine’s Kian-Huat Lim, MD, PhD, second from left, welcomed members of the Nussbaum family to his research lab. (Courtesy photo)

When Sam Nussbaum was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in his 70s, it was no surprise to his family that he chose WashU Medicine for his care. After all, Nussbaum had spent a significant portion of his distinguished career as a physician-scientist and health-care executive at the medical school and BJC HealthCare. And during that time, […]

Genetic analysis explains rare disease severity, points to possible treatment (Links to an external site)

Normal lung tissue is shown on the left. On the right is lung tissue from a person with primary ciliary dyskinesia with a CCDC39 mutation. A large mucus plug is visible in magenta, demonstrating the severe airway problems seen in such patients with these specific mutations. (Image: Brody lab/WashU Medicine)

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have uncovered why some patients with a rare genetic disorder called primary ciliary dyskinesia have worse lung problems than others with the same disorder. The discovery, published in Science Translational Medicine, suggests that gene therapy to restore a missing protein complex could help treat the […]

Couple make $6.5 million gift to WashU Medicine (Links to an external site)

Kyung Ja Shin Lee, MD, PhD, left, and Won Ro Lee, MD, right, paid their first visit to St. Louis in July to witness the installation of their daughter, Janet Lee, MD, as WashU Medicine’s Selma and Herman Seldin Distinguished Professor in Medicine. (Photo: Dan Donovan/WashU Medicine)

Won Ro Lee, MD, PhD, and Kyung Ja Shin Lee, MD, consider themselves fortunate people, despite having grown up in challenging circumstances. Kyung Ja escaped North Korea as a young child; both she and Won Ro grew up in poverty and lived through the Korean War. Their futures could have been significantly different had they […]

2025 Winston Fellows (Links to an external site)

Lila Dabill and David Turicek

The David and Deborah Winston Fellows in Diabetes Research was established in 2012 through a generous gift from David and Deborah Winston. Awarded annually by the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid Research, it supports graduate students engaged in diabetes and diabetes-related research who reside within laboratories of Diabetes Research Center members. 

$3.2 million grant funds research on computational AI in fistulizing Crohn’s disease (Links to an external site)

Parakkal Deepak, MBBS, MS, an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, and David H. Ballard, MD, an assistant professor of radiology at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology

Parakkal Deepak, MBBS, MS, an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, and David H. Ballard, MD, an assistant professor of radiology at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, both of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and Satish Viswanath, PhD, an associate professor in pediatrics and in biomedical engineering at Emory […]

Celebrating Millman and Lee: Bold Thinkers Driving Medical Progress

Jeffrey R. Millman, MD and Jin-Moo Lee, MD, PhD

Falk Catalyst Awards support pioneering stem-cell discovery and neuromodulation approaches to improve patient lives. WashU Medicine is proud to celebrate two distinguished faculty members — Jeffrey R. Millman, PhD, and Jin-Moo Lee, MD, PhD — as recipients of the Dr. Ralph & Marian Falk Medical Research Trust Catalyst Award. This competitive award supports bold, early-stage […]

November 2025 Kudos and Awards

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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. Nick Griffith: “I am a nurse coordinator who works with him in the Resident Clinic. I am nominating […]

Building the Future of General Medicine (Links to an external site)

Dr. McNairy presents keynote

On Thursday, November 20, 2025, Chief of the Divisions of General Medicine, Geriatrics and Hospital Medicine, Dr. Molly McNairy, conducted a keynote address in the Connor Auditorium of the Farrell Learning and Teaching Center. When Molly McNairy, MD, MSc, joined WashU Medicine, she took on the unique challenge of re-imaging the structure of general medicine, […]

Department of Medicine 2026 Fellowship Matches

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The Department of Medicine is proud to announce that we have 77 matched fellows. These physicians bring talent, curiosity and drive to their program built on teamwork and discovery. Please view the list below for more information about each. Fellowships Advanced Heart Failure & Transplant Cardiology Cardiovascular Disease Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Interventional Cardiology Structural Heart […]

Dr. Alaina Kessler joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Alaina Kessler joins the Department of Medicine joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Oncology as an Assistant Professor in June 2025. Dr. Kessler is a board-certified medical oncologist with a focus on breast cancer. She received her medical degree from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine as well as a […]

October 2025 Kudos and Awards

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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. Jessica Liebiech: “She is an intern is currently performing at the level of a 3rd year […]

Dr. Akhil Sood joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Akhil Sood joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology as an Assistant Professor in August 2025. Dr. Sood clinical and research interests focus on systemic lupus erythematosus, with an emphasis on understanding patterns of care and developing strategies to improve the quality of care and patient outcomes. During his fellowship in […]

Prabhu Coauthors ACC Scientific Statement on inflammation and cardiovascular disease (Links to an external site)

Sumanth Prabu, MD, Lewin Distinguished Professor of Cardiovascular Diseases and Chief of the WashU Cardiovascular Division

Sumanth Prabu, MD, Lewin Distinguished Professor of Cardiovascular Diseases and Chief of the WashU Cardiovascular Division, co-authored the 2025 scientific statement published by the American College of Cardiology on the role of inflammation in cardiovascular disease. The new statement reviews residual inflammatory risk, screening & management, and new anti-inflammatory strategies.

Inaugural Jack Sarver Prize honors groundbreaking research by WashU Medicine scientist (Links to an external site)

Zainab Mahmoud, MD

 Zainab Mahmoud, M.D., M.Sc., an assistant professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and Zhao Zhang, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, will receive the inaugural Jack Sarver Prize in Clinical Science and Jack Sarver Prize in Basic Science, respectively, at […]

Dr. Cameron Parker joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Cameron Parker joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in November 2025. He was born and spent his early years in Oklahoma before moving to and growing up in Northeast Alabama, where he developed an understanding of healthcare disparities. He attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham, […]

Dr. Lucas Gu joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Lucas Gu joins the Department of Medicine joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor as of October 2025. Dr. Gu is from Madison, Wisconsin. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from University of Wisconsin Madison in 2011. During his undergraduate training, he was awarded […]

Dr. Samuel Urrutia joins the Department of Medicine

Samuel Urrutia

Dr. Samuel Urrutia joins the Department of Medicine joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Oncology as an Assistant Professor as of September 2024. Dr. Urrutia is an assistant professor and clinical investigator in the Division of Oncology at Washington University. He completed his training at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer […]

Dr. Chunjie Li joins the Department of Medicine

Dr. Chunjie Li joins the Department of Medicine joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Oncology as an Assistant Professor as of July 2025. Dr. Li is one of the gastrointestinal medical oncologists at WashU. His main research interests focus on translational research and clinical studies to develop novel medications and therapies for […]