Newsroom Stories

The School of Medicine will host the Sixth Annual Art Show from Jan. 14-Feb. 11, 2010, in the Farrell Learning and Teaching Center Atrium.

Seven entrepreneurs enter the final round of the Olin Cup business plan competition this month as they vie for $75,000 in seed money. Ken Harrington, managing director of the Skandalaris Center, co-sponsor of the Olin Cup, emceed the recent “Elevator Pitch” event where 17 semi-finalists had two minutes each to present their business plans. The teams presented privately in front of 16 judges, then presented publicly in front of an audience. Harrington said, “the judges, audience, and I were very impressed with the quality of this year’s pitches and ideas. We look forward to the next phase in the competition and seeing their full business plans.” Winners will be announced in February. Video report on the competition included.

Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (1732-99) was one of the great self-made men of 18th century Europe, a watchmaker who rose through the ranks of French nobility. Yet Beaumarchais is probably best remembered for his semi-autobiographical Figaro plays, two of which — The Marriage of Figaro (1778) and The Barber of Seville (1773) — would form the basis for celebrated operas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91) and Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868), respectively.

A team of scientists led by The Genome Center at the School of Medicine has published the completed corn genome that will speed efforts for better crop varieties.

The enthusiasm of the medical school’s Energy Awareness Committee has led the group to now focus on the broader realm of sustainability.

With stimulus funds, School of Medicine scientists will look for compounds that enhance the body’s natural virus-killing mechanisms to overcome the flu.

School of Medicine researchers have linked mutations in a gene to a benign pediatric brain tumor.

Photo by Robert BostonAn official from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security spoke about the H1N1 flu pandemic at the School of Medicine.

A record number of aspiring entrepreneurs entered 45 ideas for new ventures in the annual Olin Cup business plan competition this fall. As the race toward $75,000 in seed money enters its last stage, seven finalists are crunching numbers and honing their plans for the crucial final presentation to judges in January.

Washington University’s Department of Music in Arts & Sciences will present its annual sing-along of George Frideric Handel’s oratorio Messiah at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, in Graham Chapel. John Stewart, director of vocal activities, directs the program.