Author: Julia Evangelou Strait

In a new analysis, researchers at the School of Medicine have shed light on the hereditary elements across 12 cancer types — showing a surprising inherited component to stomach cancer and providing some needed clarity on the consequences of certain types of mutations in well-known breast cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2.

New research, led by Li Ding, PhD, shows that current genome analysis approaches systematically miss detecting a certain type of complex mutation in cancer patients’ tumors. A significant percentage of these complex mutations are found in well-known cancer genes that could be targeted by existing drugs, potentially expanding the number of cancer patients who may benefit.

A new center has been formed at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis to facilitate research that explores the regenerative properties of cells and tissues. The Center of Regenerative Medicine is headquarted in the recently opened 4515 McKinley Research Building, along with several other School of Medicine centers and divisions.

The Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship has awarded Bear Cub grants to two Washington University researchers. The award recipients are David T. Curiel, MD, PhD, and Nancy Tye-Murray, PhD.

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund has recognized two researchers at the School of Medicine for their studies in pulmonary medicine and cardiology. The two — among 14 scientists selected nationally to receive the BWF 2015 Career Award for Medical Scientists — are Jennifer Alexander-Brett, MD, PhD, and Kory J. Lavine, MD, PhD.

In children whose colds tend to progress and lead to severe wheezing and difficulty breathing — such that they are given oral corticosteroids as rescue therapy — researchers have shown that giving a common antibiotic at the first sign of symptoms can reduce the risk of the episode developing into a severe lower respiratory tract illness.

Scientists have shown how a parasitic worm infection common in the developing world increases susceptibility to tuberculosis. The study demonstrated that treating the parasite reduces lung damage seen in mice that also are infected with tuberculosis, thereby eliminating the vulnerability to tuberculosis (TB) that the parasite is known to cause.

Scientists have identified two chemical scents in the urine of female mice that arouse sexual behavior in males, a discovery that shines a spotlight on how mouse pheromones control behavior.

Angela L. Brown, MD, associate professor of medicine, leads the Hypertension Clinic at Washington University School of Medicine. Brown has devoted her career to helping patients control their hypertension and to training medical professionals in how to care for such patients.

Jay F. Piccirillo, MD, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been named editor-in-chief of JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, one of 10 specialty journals in The Journal of the American Medical Association’s (JAMA) network of publications.