Immune system affects mind and body, study indicates
School of Medicine researchers have discovered that a molecule produced by the immune system acts on the brain to change the behavior of mice. The findings help illuminate a surprising mind-body connection.
Older people with early, asymptomatic Alzheimer’s at risk of falls
Older people without cognitive problems who experience a fall may have undetected neurodegeneration in their brains that puts them at high risk of developing Alzheimer’s dementia, according to a study from Washington University School of Medicine.
Imaging agent developed at Washington University spotlights inflammation
School of Medicine scientists have created a PET imaging agent that detects signs of inflammation. Such a tracer could aid diagnosis and study of diseases ranging from cardiovascular disease to cancer to COVID-19.
COVID-19 course moved beyond the science to explore virus’s impact on society
More than 1,200 students enrolled in “The Pandemic: Science and Society,” an online two-credit course featuring experts from across disciplines and across the country. The entire university may benefit from the lessons learned.
Global trial to test whether MMR vaccine protects front-line health-care workers against COVID-19
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is the clinical coordinating center for an international trial aimed at evaluating on a large scale whether the MMR vaccine can protect front-line health-care workers against COVID-19.
$10 million in grants aimed at preventing organ rejection after transplantation
Transplant surgeons and researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received two grants totaling $10 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study how immune cells contribute to organ rejection, with the aim of improving the viability of organs after transplant.
Divided Bodies
Lyme Disease, Contested Illness, and Evidence-Based Medicine
In Divided Bodies, Abigail A. Dumes offers an ethnographic exploration of the Lyme disease controversy that sheds light on the relationship between contested illness and evidence-based medicine in the United States.
College students access eating disorders therapy via phone app
Studying college women with eating disorders, a team led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that a phone-based app that delivers a form of cognitive behavioral therapy was an effective means of intervention in addressing specific disorders.
Study provides insight on how to build a better flu vaccine
Repeated exposure to influenza viruses may undermine the effectiveness of the annual flu vaccine. A team of researchers led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has developed an approach to assess whether a vaccine activates the kind of immune cells needed for long-lasting immunity against new influenza strains. The findings could aid efforts to design an improved flu vaccine.
Genetic mutations may be linked to infertility, early menopause
Researchers at the School of Medicine have identified a gene that plays an important role in fertility across multiple species. The study could have implications for understanding human infertility and early menopause.
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