The Record

WashU’s economic impact totals $9.3 billion

WashU’s direct and indirect impact to the St. Louis economy in 2024 totaled $9.3 billion, an increase of $500 million. During fiscal year 2024, which concluded June 30, WashU spent $3.9 billion on salaries, construction and purchasing.

Study identifies benefits, risks linked to popular weight-loss drugs

Popular weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro are tied to decreased risks of dementia and addiction. But, WashU Medicine scientists find, patients may also face increased risks for pancreatitis and other illnesses.

May the force not be with you

Researchers at the McKelvey School of Engineering have turned an age-old assumption about cell force on its head. Their work, published in PLOS Computational Biology, has implications for how cancer spreads and wounds heal.

Are female politicians better advocates for their districts?

New research from political scientist Jaclyn Kaslovsky, in Arts & Sciences, found that women in the U.S. House of Representatives are more likely to emphasize their home districts.

Notables

Brad Jolliff, in Arts & Sciences, is part of the Artemis III geology team that is helping NASA to evaluate the nine potential lunar landing regions for their scientific potential.

Research Wire

WashU engineer David Peters has developed a fresh approach to reaffirm classical airfoil theory. The findings were published in the AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) Journal.

Notables

Alex Ullman, a postdoctoral fellow in WashU’s Center for the Humanities in Arts & Sciences, will receive a 2024 William Riley Parker Prize honorable mention from the Modern Language Association.

Announcements

Reminder of key university policies

Certain key university policies are published annually in The Record. These policies, intended to promote and support a positive working and learning environment, also are available on the Human Resources website.