Campus & Community

Angela Coonce, chief of the WashU Police Department, will be inducted as an inaugural member of the new Harris-Stowe State University Athletic Hall of Fame. She was selected for excellence and leadership on and off the basketball court at her alma mater.

Thomas Ciesielski, MD, an associate professor in the John T. Milliken Department of Medicine at WashU Medicine, has been named the 2026–27 Presidential Fellow in Healthcare Safety and Quality by Joint Commission, a national accrediting organization.

A movie trailer, local TV spot and documentaries produced by WashU Medicine Marketing & Communications recently won medals in the Telly awards, an international contest honoring excellence in TV and video production.

Four members of the WashU community have been selected for Focus St. Louis’ fall 2026 Emerging Leaders cohort.

Gregory Zipfel, MD, head of the Taylor Family Department of Neurosurgery at WashU Medicine, has been elected president of the Society of Neurological Surgeons. His election continues a tradition of WashU Medicine leadership of the society dating back to 1920.

Marilyn and Gary Ratkin are the recipients of the 2026 Jane and Whitney Harris St. Louis Community Service Award. The award recognizes couples who contribute to the culture and welfare of the greater St. Louis community in an outstanding manner.

Timothy J. Ley, MD, a professor of medicine and of genetics at WashU Medicine, led the team that sequenced the first cancer genome. The American Philosophical Society is the nation’s oldest learned society, founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1743.

Aaron Y. Lee, Cecilia S. Lee and Scott A. Handley, all at WashU Medicine, were recognized for their work to improve the speed and reproducibility of clinical research.

Li Zou, international director at the WashU Brown School’s Center for Social Development, has been appointed to represent the International Consortium for Social Development at the United Nations.

Jeffrey I. Gordon, MD, the Dr. Robert J. Glaser Distinguished University Professor at WashU Medicine, has received the Gabbay Award from Brandeis University in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of gut microbiome research.