Author: Talia Ogliore

Garland (“Gar”) Edward Allen III, a professor emeritus of biology in Arts & Sciences, died peacefully in Palm Springs, Calif., Feb. 10. He was widely known for his work in the history of genetics and was an international leader on the history of eugenics.

Scientists led by Emily Wroblewski, in Arts & Sciences, discovered that bonobo populations differ in a key immune trait depending on the presence of malaria infection. Infected populations have a higher frequency of an immune variant that protects against developing severe disease, a pattern that mirrors what is observed among human populations.

Cells migrate to different tissues for a variety of reasons, including organ development, tissue repair and the spread of cancer. Researchers led by Amit Pathak at the McKelvey School of Engineering have found unexpected activity in the nucleus of healthy cells that provides new insight into cell mechanics.

Using a planetary simulation chamber built at Washington University, scientists led by Alian Wang in Arts & Sciences discovered that electricity in dust storms could be the major driving force of the Martian chlorine cycle.

With collaborators from Missouri University of Science & Technology and GTI Energy, Xinhua Liang at the McKelvey School of Engineering plans to develop an economical process to convert carbon dioxide and solid waste into carbon-negative concrete products.

At least 20 Washington University students participated in a Living Earth Collaborative project and a related camera trap effort to provide evidence that the Djéké Triangle deserves legal protection.

A team of researchers at the McKelvey School of Engineering has developed an energy-efficient way to consolidate long-term memories on a tiny chip. Shantanu Chakrabartty and members of his lab developed a device that mimics the dynamics of the brain’s synapses.

Thinking beyond COVID-19, a team led by Srikanth Singamaneni at the McKelvey School of Engineering developed a new point-of-care diagnostic test that is 1,000 times more sensitive than conventional rapid tests and can quantify concentrations of proteins.

With a three-year $630,000 grant from the Office of Naval Research, researchers in the laboratory of Vijay Ramani at the McKelvey School of Engineering will develop, scale and test highly efficient unitized regenerative fuel cells to be used by the U.S. Navy.

Funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will help Meredith Jackrel, an assistant professor of chemistry in Arts & Sciences, and her team study Matrin-3, a poorly understood protein linked to several neurodegenerative disorders.