Drug users switch to heroin because it’s cheap, easy to get
A nationwide survey of heroin users indicates they are attracted to the drug not only for the “high” but because it is less expensive and easier to get than prescription painkillers. Shown is the study’s principal investigator, Theodore J. Cicero, PhD, of the School of Medicine.
Alzheimer’s disease, other conditions linked to prion-like proteins
A new theory about disorders that attack the brain and spinal column has received a significant boost from scientists at the School of Medicine. The theory links these conditions to corrupted proteins known as prions, which appear bright green in this image of brain cells from a patient with Alzheimer’s disease.
Two teams share $25,000 Discovery Competition top prize
A project to provide low-cost eyeglasses for people in the developing world and one to develop a cell-death detector will share $25,000 to further develop their projects as winners of the 2014 Discovery Competition. Washington University in St. Louis’ School of Engineering & Applied Science created the competition in 2012.
Soil bacteria may provide clues to curbing antibiotic resistance
Bacteria that naturally live in the soil have a vast collection of genes to fight off antibiotics, but they are much less likely to share these genes than infectious bacteria, a new study by researchers at the School of Medicine has revealed. Shown is senior author Gautam Dantas, PhD.
Medical School WUSTLnomics forum May 27
Faculty and staff at Washington University School of Medicine are invited to a WUSTLnomics forum and brown-bag lunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 27. The forum, the focus of which will be the university’s efficiency efforts, will be in Moore Auditorium, on the first floor of the North Building.
Washington People: Brian Nussenbaum
Brian Nussenbaum, MD, the Christy J. and Richard S. Hawes III Professor of Otolaryngology, is a surgeon dedicated to caring for patients with life-threatening head and neck cancers. Passions for teaching, research and patient safety have steered his career.
Optical brain scanner goes where other brain scanners can’t
Scientists have advanced a brain-scanning technology that tracks what the brain is doing by shining dozens of tiny LED lights on the head. The technique compares favorably to other approaches but avoids the radiation exposure and bulky magnets the others require, according to new research at the School of Medicine.
MRI for prostate biopsies increases odds of finding aggressive tumors
Prostate biopsies performed using magnetic resonance imaging are more likely to find aggressive tumors than those that rely on ultrasound, suggests a new study led by Gerald Andriole, MD, chief of urology at the School of Medicine.
Study finds limited benefit for vitamin D in asthma treatment
Adding vitamin D to asthma treatment to improve breathing only appears to benefit patients who achieve sufficient levels of the supplement in the blood. Overall, the ability to control asthma did not differ between a study group that received vitamin D supplements and a group that received placebo. Mario Castro, MD, (left) led the study.
Painkillers may decrease susceptibility to recurring urinary infections
Women plagued by repeated urinary tract infections may be able to prevent them with help from over-the-counter painkillers, new research in mice shows. School of Medicine scientists found that inhibiting an immune protein that causes inflammation eliminated recurrent urinary tract infections in mice.
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