The Department of Medicine has over 253,000 square feet of dedicated state-of-the-art research space, over 160 principal investigators as well as 43 research cores and program project grants spanning basic, clinical and translational research.    

The pioneering researchers and innovative programs within the Department of Medicine are making new discoveries, developing new diagnostics and treatments to improve quality of life and survival across a broad variety of high-impact areas from cancer to heart, lung and kidney diseases, infectious disease and metabolism. For example:

  • Faced with our current global pandemic, researchers in the Infectious Diseases Division led Department and school wide responses by taking immediate action to coordinate basic, clinical and translational research specific to COVID-19. Infectious Diseases researchers are leading basic research in animal models, enrolling patients in vaccine trials, screening potential antiviral drugs, and created a biospecimen bank to facilitate additional COVID-19 research across Washington University.
  • Physician-scientists in the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Division are actively engaged in research on the inflammatory response in the lungs caused by COVID -19 and are developing innovative new therapies for severe respiratory disease such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  • And, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid Research scientists are using new techniques to convert human stem cells into insulin-producing cells to more effectively control blood sugar.

In collaboration with the Institute of Clinical Translational Sciences (ICTS), the department ensures that investigators have access to state-of-the-art research infrastructure, financial support and education. The ICTS also facilitates translational research, assists with interdisciplinary research collaborations, and helps move research findings from the bench to the bedside. ICTS research cores offer clinical and translational research support through a variety of services and programs.

Affiliated with the Department, the Washington University Institute for Public Health works to address the complex health issues and health disparities facing the St. Louis region and the world. Within the Institute for Public Health, centers such as the Center for Dissemination and Implementation work to ensure that the most effective services are delivered in healthcare, public health and community settings. Elvin Geng, MD, MPH, Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, serves as Director of the Center for Dissemination and Implementation, and oversees the uptake of proven clinical treatments, programs and policies into routine use in new settings.

Each division and our affiliated centers and institutes offer numerous research opportunities. For information on specific research opportunities, visit the appropriate division site or affiliated center/institute