The University’s Board of Trustees met March 2 at the School of Medicine, where they heard a special presentation by internationally recognized scientist Jeffrey I. Gordon, M.D., according to Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton.
Gordon, who is director of the Center for Genome Sciences and the Dr. Robert J. Glaser Distinguished University Professor of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, shared insights on the human digestive system in a presentation titled “Dining In With a Few Trillion Friends: Exploring the Microbial Part of Ourselves.” Gordon’s comments were based on his recently published research that shows gut microbes to be biomarkers, mediators and potential therapeutic targets in the war against the worldwide obesity epidemic.
Trillions of friendly microbes reside in the intestine, where they help digest food that the body can’t use on its own, such as the complex sugars found in grains, fruits and vegetables. As part of the digestive process, the microbes break down nutrients to extract calories that can be stored as fat.
As lead investigator in the studies published in the Dec. 20 issue of the journal Nature, Gordon and his fellow scientists reported the relative abundance of two of the most common groups of gut bacteria is altered in both obese humans and mice. By sequencing the genes present in gut microbial communities of obese and lean mice and by observing the effects of transplanting these communities into germ-free mice, the researchers showed that the obese microbial community has an increased capacity to harvest calories from the diet.
The trustees also heard a report from Wrighton on University progress, including another record-setting year for undergraduate applications for the fall 2007 incoming class. Wrighton noted that the potential and quality indicators of this class are extraordinarily strong.
He announced the speaker for the May 18 Commencement ceremonies: Tim Russert, host of NBC’s “Meet the Press” and Washington bureau chief for NBC News. Russert has hosted “Meet the Press” since 1991 and has covered each presidential election thereafter, including co-hosting the network’s presidential-election night coverage, as well as visits to WUSTL for presidential debates held on the campus in 1992, 2000 and 2004.
Wrighton reviewed plans for the 2007 meeting of the International Advisory Council for Asia (IACA) March 10-13 in Bangkok, Thailand. Joining the chancellor will be eight University deans and several prominent faculty members who will participate not only in IACA meetings, but also in academic seminars to be presented in collaboration with Thailand’s leading university, Chulalongkorn. The IACA agenda will include reports on the continuing success of the McDonnell International Scholars Academy.
Wrighton announced an International Symposium on Energy and the Environment May 4-7 at the University as part of the McDonnell Academy. A significant number of presidents from the 20 McDonnell Academy University Partners worldwide will participate in the event. Presenters will include the Honorable Thomas R. Pickering, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; Trustee Hugh Grant, chairman, president and CEO of Monsanto Co.; and Ralph J. Cicerone, Ph.D., president of the National Academy of Sciences.
Wrighton also announced that the University is seeking grants and support for the establishment of a bioenergy initiative called the Center for Advanced Renewable Energy under the leadership of Himadri B. Pakrasi, Ph.D., the George William and Irene Koechig Freiberg Professor of Biology in Arts & Sciences. Collaborating with the University in seeking a Department of Energy grant are the University of Missouri in Columbia and in St. Louis; Saint Louis University; the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center; Southern Illinois University Edwards-ville; Purdue University; University of Georgia; University of California, Los Angeles; and others.
In closing his remarks, Wrighton noted that both the men’s and women’s basketball teams won University Athletic Association championships and received invitations to the NCAA championship playoffs. In addition, the women’s swim team qualified for NCAA championship competition.
In other action, the trustees received reports from the Alumni Board of Governors and the following committees: Audit, Development, Educational Policy, University Finance, Medical Finance, Honorary Degree, Research-Graduate Affairs and Undergraduate Life.
As a special part of the trustee meeting, leaders of the medical school gave presentations about the future of medicine and the challenges facing medical education, health care and research.
The presentations are part of a University-wide Plan for Excellence process that will lead to an institutional strategic plan. Presenters included: Larry J. Shapiro, M.D., the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics, dean of the School of Medicine and executive vice chancellor for medical affairs; William Edwin Dodson, M.D., associate dean and associate vice chancellor for continuing medical education and for medical admissions and professor of pediatrics and of neurology;
Mary E. Klingensmith, M.D., program director in surgery, director, surgical skills laboratory and associate professor of surgery; Samuel L. Stanley, Jr., M.D., vice chancellor for research and professor of medicine and of molecular biology; David M. Holtzman, M.D., the Andrew B. and Gretchen P. Jones Professor and head of Neurology and professor of molecular biology and pharmacology;
Daniel P. Kelly, M.D., the Alumni Endowed Professor of Cardiovascular Diseases in Medicine, director of the Center for Cardiovascular Research and professor of pediatrics and of molecular biology and pharmacology; and Jonathan D. Gitlin, M.D., the Helene B. Roberson Professor of Pediatrics, scientific director of the Children’s Discovery Institute and professor of genetics and of Pathology and Immunology.