Author: Jim Dryden

Robert W. Gereau IV, PhD, has been named the Dr. Seymour and Rose T. Brown Professor of Anesthesiology at the School of Medicine. He studies the molecular mechanisms involved in pain sensation, and his research includes optogenetics, which uses light signals to activate or deactivate nerve cells responsible for transmitting pain signals to the brain.

Researchers at the School of Medicine are comparing the long-term benefits and risks of four widely used diabetes drugs given in combination with metformin, the most commonly prescribed medication for treating type 2 diabetes. The principal investigator at the St. Louis clinical site is Janet B. McGill, MD, who is pictured discussing options with study patient Michael Gingrich.

People who smoke also tend to eat more high-fat foods. So do obese people. Now, a team of researchers, including M. Yanina Pepino, PhD, at the School of Medicine, has found that obese women who also smoke have a difficult time perceiving fat and sweetness in their food. And that could lead them to eat even more fatty foods.

Although tobacco companies are barred by law from advertising their products to children, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine have found that many teens and pre-teens are getting tobacco advertisements and promotions through social media outlets or text messaging on mobile phones. More than one in 10 children under 18 reported receiving tobacco coupons or promotions on their Facebook or MySpace pages or in text messages.

With a five-year, $3.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, Washington University orthopedic researchers and engineers are working to enhance rotator cuff repair surgery.

A study led by researchers at the School of Medicine suggests a procedure called hip resurfacing may be a better option than total hip replacement for some patients, particularly those who are young and active.

A panel of experts, including researchers from the School of Medicine, is recommending that depression be added to obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and smoking as a cardiac risk factor.​

Although many health professionals who treat people with psychiatric problems overlook their patients’ smoking habits, new research at the School of Medicine shows that people who struggle with mood problems or addiction can safely quit smoking and that kicking the habit is associated with improved mental health.

Laura Jean Bierut, MD, has been named the Alumni Endowed Professor of Psychiatry at the School of Medicine. Her work focuses on the genetic and environmental influences that contribute to addiction and other psychiatric disorders.

Scientists at the School of Medicine have discovered what appears to be a potent stimulator of new bone growth. The finding could lead to new treatments for osteoporosis and other diseases that occur when the body doesn’t make enough bone.