Medicine & Health

Scientists have identified a genetic mutation that may underlie common behaviors seen in some people with autism, such as difficulty communicating and resistance to change. The mutation disrupts levels of serotonin, a chemical messenger produced by a limited number of neurons (red) in the brain.

Cancer drugs should kill tumors, not encourage their spread. But new evidence suggests that an otherwise promising class of drugs may actually increase the risk of tumors spreading to bone, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

On Monday, Feb. 18, alumna Susannah Cahalan will read from her new memoir, Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, as part of the Assembly Series. The book focuses on her ordeal with a rare and terrifying disease. A panel discussion will follow. The event, free and open to the public, will be held at 5 p.m. in Simon Hall’s May Auditorium.

Four researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are being honored as outstanding scientists by the Academy of Science of St. Louis.

A Washington University retina specialist is one of 10 U.S. scientists selected by the National Eye Institute for an innovative project to improve or restore vision. The winning proposal from vitreoretinal surgery fellow Rajesh C. Rao, MD, was chosen from nearly 500 entries. Rao was the youngest winner in the national competition.

Kathy Ryan, program coordinator in the School of Medicine’s Career Counseling Office, helps students navigate the long, arduous and high-stakes process of national residency matching.

The School of Medicine’s 9th Annual Art Show opened Jan. 22 and will run through Feb. 17 in the Farrell Learning and Teaching Center. The show features artwork by more than 60 artists within the School of Medicine. Shown is “Tree of Life,” a sculpture carved from black walnut by Gerald W. Dorn II, MD, the Philip and Sima K. Needleman Professor. Admiring it are first-year medical students Linda Ma (left) and Shruti Mishra.​

The call for poster abstracts for Washington University School of Medicine’s third annual Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) Symposium is open through Feb. 15. Registration also is open, through April 1. The symposium will be April 16 and 17 at the Eric P. Newman Education Center. Its theme this year is “Comparative Effectiveness Research: From Study […]

People who grew up in states where it was legal to drink alcohol before the age of 21 are more likely to be binge drinkers later in life. Washington University researchers found that people who lived in states with lower minimum drinking ages weren’t more likely to consume more alcohol overall, but when they did drink, they were more likely to drink heavily.

Two new studies from the School of Medicine suggest ways to improve surgical treatment for a debilitating condition caused by compressed nerves in the neck and shoulder. The condition, neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, causes pain, numbness or tingling in the shoulder, arm or hand and is perhaps best known for affecting baseball pitchers and other athletes.