An enzyme secreted by the body’s fat tissue controls energy levels in the brain, according to new research led by Shin-ichiro Imai, MD, PhD, of the School of Medicine. The findings, in mice, underscore a role for the body’s fat tissue in controlling the brain’s response to food scarcity and suggest there is an optimal amount of body fat for maximizing health and longevity.

Washington University kicked off a yearlong initiative, “Gun Violence: A Public Health Crisis,” with a panel discussion April 21 at the Eric P. Newman Education Center. The initiative is bringing together scholars, medical professionals, community leaders and citizens to look at gun violence’s public health consequences.

National Book Award finalist “Citizen: An American Lyric,” ​by Claudia Rankine, has been chosen as the 2015 First Year Reading Program selection for incoming students. Jill Stratton, PhD, associate dean of undergraduate residential learning, says the book, which reflects on racism, is especially relevant given recent events in the St. Louis area.