Newsroom Stories

The School of Medicine’s commencement recognized the achievements of 117 students who were awarded degrees: 88 students earned the doctor of medicine degree; 27 earned a dual doctor of medicine/doctor of philosophy degree (M.D./Ph.D.); and two earned the doctor of medicine/master of arts degree (M.D./M.A). Julie Gerberding, MD, MPH, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was the commencement speaker.

A unique genetic signature can alert physicians to high-risk breast tumors that are masquerading as low-risk tumors, according to research at the School of Medicine and collaborating institutions. Although these tumors are apparently estrogen-receptor positive — meaning they should depend on estrogen to grow — they don’t respond well to anti-estrogen therapy.

Raymond E. Arvidson, Ph.D., the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor and chair of the earth and planetary sciences department in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, and a number of his student and personnel have major roles in the Phoenix mission to Mars. The space craft lands in the northern plains on May 25, 2008, and Arvidson is a key operations manager during the critical first week of operations. (Video available)

Researchers at the School of Medicine have defined a new type of immune response that is activated in patients with severe asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Their discovery could dramatically improve diagnosis and treatment of patients with chronic inflammatory lung disease.

Transcript of Chris Matthews’ Commencement address to the class of 2008.

Be a person of your times but also of your country, said Chris Matthews to the Class of 2008 during Washington University’s 147th Commencement ceremony. The journalist, political commentator and host of MSNBC’s “Hardball” wove in a message of self-creation and optimism for America, telling the audience of more than 14,500 that the future of this country lies sketched out in the minds and hearts of the 2,655 graduates sitting before him. A slideshow of Commencement images is included.

Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton addressed more than 14,000 people gathered in the Brookings Quadrangle for Washington University’s 147th commencement on Friday, May 16. In his remarks, he congratulated the 2,655 new graduates on their many accomplishments, reaffirmed the University’s commitment to diversity and inclusiveness, described some of the University’s aspirations for the future, and closed with a quotation from Albert Einstein: “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.”

Be a person of your times but also of your country, said Chris Matthews to the Class of 2008 during Washington University’s 147th Commencement ceremony. The journalist, political commentator and host of MSNBC’s “Hardball” wove in a message of self-creation and optimism for America, telling the audience of more than 14,500 that the future of this country lies sketched out in the minds and hearts of the 2,655 graduates sitting before him. A slideshow of Commencement images is included.

A design proposal by 10 architecture students from the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts has won the 2008 JP Morgan Chase Community Development Competition. The first-place award of $25,000 will provide seed money for renovation of the Franz Building in New Orleans, which is scheduled to begin later this year.

A memorial service for Carlton Cuyler Hunt, M.D., who headed the Department of Physiology at the School of Medicine from 1967-1983, will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 31 in the Farrell Learning and Teaching Center.