Author: Chris Amelung

A Christian, a clown and a scientist — It may sound like the beginning of a bad joke, but it’s actually an accurate description of the life of WUSM professor Dana Abendschein. The following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article by Harry Jackson Jr. tells the story of how an overachieving researcher found fulfillment in a clown suit.

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is a long-time leader in medical research and clinical practice. The school employs a number of experts in many areas of expertise, including health care policy issues. Under the direction of former dean William Peck, the university has established the Center for Health Policy to: Identify key […]

Cervical cancer is one of the easiest cancers to detect early. It’s also one of the easiest to treat, if caught early. WUSM researchers even developed a method for gauging the effectiveness of treatment to determine the best therapy for each patient, but many insurance companies and Medicaid won’t pay for the process – a routine PET scan. Kay Quinn provides more details in the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.

It wasn’t a fashion show, but more than 120 incoming students donned new attire Aug. 13 during the Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine’s annual White Coat Ceremony. The ceremony welcomes incoming medical students, and the white coat is symbolic of their transition into the study of medicine and their role as care givers.

A test being developed by WUSM researchers could more definitively tell doctors whether or not a patient has Alzheimer’s disease. Read more about the procedure in this St. Louis Post-Dispatch article written by Kay Quinn.

Blood from umbilical cords can treat a wide range of life-threatening illnesses in children, from leukemia to sickle cell disease. Cynthia L. Price, a WUSM pediatric research coordinator at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, describes the benefits of donating cord blood in the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.

ManaryMark Manary, a WUSM pediatrician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, is saving the lives of children in Malawi with peanut butter. His revolutionary new method for treating starving children in malnourished regions could become a worldwide standard of care. Tina Hesman tells the story of Manary’s work in the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.

Ellis utilizes genetic analysis to guide cancer therapy.A new breast cancer drug that has shown promise fighting a particularly tough type of tumor may become a viable option for cancer patients. Matthew Ellis, a WUSTL physician at the Siteman Cancer Center, has studied the medication, Lapatinib, since it first showed promise against breast cancer tumors. He is now conducting the final phase of trials for the drug. KSDK reporter Kay Quinn provides more details in the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.

A recent study by James Fleshman, a colon and rectal surgery specialist at the School of Medicine, showed that minimally invasive colon cancer surgery allows patients to heal faster and experience less pain. KSDK reporter Kay Quinn tells more about the procedure in the following St. Louis Post-Dispatch article.

Everyone sweats, but it’s unlikely many people ever consider the social and economic impact of our bodies’ built-in air conditioning system. With summer’s hottest days likely still to come, Michael Heffernan, assistant professor of dermatology at the School of Medicine, helps St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer Jeff Daniels take a closer look at this hot topic.