Medicine & Health

For older adults with clinical depression that has not responded to standard treatments, adding the drug aripiprazole to an antidepressant they’re already taking is more effective than switching from one antidepressant to another, according to a study led by the School of Medicine.

Timothy Miller, MD, PhD, the David Clayson Professor of Neurology at the School of Medicine, has been named a winner of the Rainwater Annual Prize for Outstanding Innovation in Neurodegenerative Disease Research.

School of Medicine researchers have identified a possible treatment strategy for some bone marrow failure syndromes. These syndromes lead to an increased risk of developing dangerous infections, anemia and an increased risk of blood cancers.

Jennie H. Kwon, DO, an assistant professor of medicine at the School of Medicine, has been named head of the Society of Healthcare Epidemiologists of America Research Committee.

William A. Peck, MD, a former executive vice chancellor and dean of the School of Medicine, died peacefully, surrounded by family, Feb. 22 at his home in St. Louis County, Mo. He was 89.

A vast database of cancer genomics knowledge started by Washington University scientists has been named a Global Core Biodata Resource by the Global Biodata Coalition. It’s led by twin brothers Malachi Griffith and Obi Griffith, both associate professors of medicine.

Cells migrate to different tissues for a variety of reasons, including organ development, tissue repair and the spread of cancer. Researchers led by Amit Pathak at the McKelvey School of Engineering have found unexpected activity in the nucleus of healthy cells that provides new insight into cell mechanics.

Benjamin A. Garcia, the Raymond H. Wittcoff Distinguished Professor and head of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at the School of Medicine, was named best Latinx department head as part of Vanderbilt’s recent recognition of Hispanic and Latinx heritage month.

Jeffrey I. Gordon, MD, explores the “vast, mysterious world” of the microbiome to find solutions to promote healthy growth in malnourished children. In recognition of his groundbreaking work, Gordon received the 2022 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research.

Medicaid expansion may improve outcomes for children with cancer, finds a new analysis from the Brown School and the School of Medicine. Researchers found there was a 1.5% increase in overall survival after 2014 in states that expanded access to Medicaid compared with states that did not.