Preemies’ gut bacteria may depend more on gestational age than environment
The population of bacteria in premature infants’ guts may depend more on the babies’ biological makeup and gestational age at birth than on environmental factors, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found. They discovered that bacterial communities assemble in a choreographed progression, with the pace of that assembly slowest in infants born most prematurely.
New culprit identified in metabolic syndrome
A new study suggests uric acid may play a role in causing metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors that increases the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The work also demonstrates the importance of the intestine in removing uric acid from the body, opening the door to potential therapies for preventing or treating type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Growing human GI cells may lead to personalized treatments
A method of growing human cells from tissue removed from a patient’s gastrointestinal (GI) tract eventually may help scientists develop tailor-made therapies for inflammatory bowel disease and other GI conditions. Pictured are Kelli L. VanDussen, PhD, and Matthew A. Ciorba, MD, members of a School of Medicine team that developed the method.
Vandeventer Avenue exit re-opens
The Vandeventer Avenue exit from eastbound Interstate 64/Highway 40 will reopen about noon Friday, Aug. 8.
Washington University part of group awarded $20 million for climate variability research
As part of a multi-institutional $20 million effort, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis will conduct several studies, including one that uses medical imaging on plants to see what’s broken or about to break inside (pictured). Four university researchers will receive funding from the National Science Foundation to support work aimed at helping Missouri plants and crops adapt to climate variability.
Washington People: Susan Bayliss
Susan Bayliss, MD, is director of pediatric dermatology at the School of Medicine. She uses humor and kindness in connecting with her patients. Most of them are in the St. Louis region, but she also treats children she meets while on medical missions overseas. Wherever she is, her passion for her work is evident.
Study reveals one reason brain tumors are more common in men
New research at the School of Medicine helps explain why brain tumors occur more often in males and frequently are more harmful than similar tumors in females. Pictured is the study’s senior author, Joshua Rubin, MD, PhD.
Wahl to become head of radiology
Richard L. Wahl, MD, has been named the Elizabeth E. Mallinckrodt Professor and head of radiology at the School of Medicine. He also will serve as director of the
Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology.
Unintended consequences: More high school math, science linked to more dropouts
Washington University researchers have found that courses intended to better prepare high school graduates for college also drive some students to drop out. They report that policies increasing the number of required math and science courses are linked to a higher dropout rate.
Birth weight and breastfeeding have implications for children’s health decades later, study finds
Young adults who were breastfed for three months or more as babies have a significantly lower risk of chronic inflammation associated with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, according to research from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.
Older Stories