Newsroom Stories

RichardsWhether it happens this summer or some time in the future, there will eventually be changes in the personnel of the U.S. Supreme Court. Neil Richards, former law clerk for Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and associate professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis, is available to comment on the possible retirement of current Justices and the future of the Supreme Court. “Recent speculation has centered largely on the potential effect of a retirement by one of the Justices,” he says.”The course of the Court’s jurisprudence may well be at stake depending on the justice or justices who step down from the bench.”

While the effects of autism are well documented, the underlying causes remain a mystery to scientists. A group of researchers at the School of Medicine are conducting a study to gain a better understanding of the genetic influences on the the disorder. Read more from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

If you are a healthy male who is 65 years of age or older, you may be eligible for a study at the School of Medicine in St. Louis. The study is examining the benefits of restoring testosterone and growth hormone to youthful levels to determine if the therapy can improve muscle mass and strength, body fat, physical function and quality of life.

PomegranateExpectant mothers at risk of premature birth may want to consider drinking pomegranate juice to help their babies resist brain injuries from low oxygen and reduced blood flow, a new mouse study from the School of Medicine suggests.

People’s bodies respond to exercise in different ways, and their genetic makeup is partly responsible.

Scientists have found a new role for a previously identified enzyme that may make it a target for anti-inflammatory treatments.

In patients with vaginal cancer, PET scans detected twice as many primary tumors and cancerous lymph nodes as did CT scans, according to researchers at the School of Medicine. At this time, however, Medicaid, Medicare and many private insurers specify CT (computed tomography) for diagnosing and monitoring this cancer.

Diane D. Jacobsen, Ph.D., a resident of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., was one of five alumni of Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis to receive the 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award during a ceremony May 20 on campus. Edward S. Macias, Ph.D., executive vice chancellor, dean of Arts & Sciences and the Barbara and David Thomas Distinguished Professor in Arts & Sciences, presented the awards to five individuals who have attained distinction in their academic or professional careers and have demonstrated service to their communities and to the university. Jacobsen received a master of liberal arts in 1995, a master of arts in 2000 and a doctorate in international affairs in 2003 from Washington University.

Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis recognized the achievements of six alumni during a May 20 ceremony on campus. Edward S. Macias, Ph.D., executive vice chancellor, dean of Arts & Sciences and the Barbara and David Thomas Distinguished Professor in Arts & Sciences, presented Distinguished Alumni Awards to five individuals who have attained distinction in their academic or professional careers and have demonstrated service to their communities and to the university. The five alumni who received the 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award are: John P. Dubinsky (A.B. ’65, M.B.A. ’67); Flint W. Fowler, Ph.D. (A.B. ’80, M.A.’81); Henrietta W. Freedman (A.B. ’75); Diane D. Jacobsen, Ph.D. (M.L.A. ’95, M.A. ’00, Ph.D. ’03); and William B. Pollard III, J.D. (A.B. ’70). Macias also presented the Dean’s Medal to John H. Biggs (Ph.D. ’83), former chairman and chief executive officer of TIAA-CREF, one of the world’s largest pension systems, for his support and dedication to Arts & Sciences.

James RichardsThe Gateway Festival Orchestra will launch its 42nd season of free summer concerts with “Midwest Musical Masters,” highlighting composers and young artists from Missouri and Illinois, at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 10, in Washington University’s Brookings Quadrangle. The orchestra is conducted by James Richards, professor of orchestral studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Subsequent concerts take place at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 17, 24 and 31.