The Record
Friday, March 20, 2026
Top stories
Enhanced brain cells clear away dementia-related proteins
WashU Medicine researchers engineered a new cellular immunotherapy that turns brain cells called astrocytes into super cleaners, efficiently removing amyloid beta plaques from the brains of mice.
Tracking single red blood cells as they move through the brain
Super-resolution functional photoacoustic microscopy — a new technique developed at McKelvey Engineering — allows researchers to image blood flow and oxygenation at single-cell resolution.
Wang named Robert C. Packman Professor
David Wang, an acclaimed microbiologist and virologist at WashU Medicine, is known for his work identifying new viruses and understanding their roles in human diseases.
Women’s track and field wins NCAA Indoor national championship
The No. 2 WashU women’s track-and-field team won the 2026 NCAA Indoor national championship March 14 in Birmingham, Ala. It’s the second indoor national championship for head coach Jeff Stiles.
Events
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MAR 23 |
Historic Preservation Lecture: Julia Watson11:30 a.m. Monday, March 23 |
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MAR 23 |
GeoAI and computation lightning talks11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Monday, March 23 |
Social Post of the WeekWashU, what were you like in the ’90s?
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WashU in the News
Heart benefits fade after stopping GLP-1 medications
CNN
Trump is going all in on the SAVE America Act; it could make voting harder for millions
Salon
WashU Olin launches three new master’s programs built around employer demand
poets & quants
Rural Missourians far more likely to be uninsured than urban ones
Missourinet
Campus and community news
McKelvey Engineering researcher Yifan Dai was named to Forbes’ “30 under 30” science list for contributions to global cellular physiology.
Marilee Karinshak, a senior in WashU Arts & Sciences, has received the highly selective Harris Social Impact Fellowship from the University of Chicago.
Perspectives
Why Branson’s bet on ‘faith, family and flag’ is a risky strategy
Joanna Dee Das, an associate professor of dance in Arts & Sciences, writes a commentary about Branson’s marketing strategy in the current political environment. She recently published a book about the southwest Missouri tourist destination.
the kansas city star
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Who Knew WashU? Question: How much did WashU invest in financial aid in fiscal year 2025? Answer: D) WashU invested $564 million in fiscal 2025, with programs including the WashU Pledge, no-loan policy and others. Learn more in the community impact report. Congrats to this week’s winner, Alex Espeseth, a staff member on the Workday Student support team, who will receive an “I Knew WashU” prize! |
In memoriam
Richard Roloff, former administrator and trustee, 96
Richard “Dick” Roloff, a former administrator and trustee of Washington University in St. Louis, died March 6. He was 96. A celebration of his life will be held later.