Newsroom Stories

David W. Piston, PhD, has been named the new head of the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Renowned for his groundbreaking work with fluorescent imaging techniques, Piston comes to WUSTL from Vanderbilt University.

Larry J. Shapiro, MD, dean of the School of Medicine, recently surprised three staff members with service awards. Pam Gassner was awarded the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award; Peggy Frisella, the Research Support Award; and Amy Stabenow, the Operations Staff Award.  Pictured are Lynn Cornelius, MD, Gassner and Shapiro.

The Institute for Public Health serves as an important bridge across campus, connecting all seven schools to strengthen Washington University in St. Louis’ impact on public health. Currently, the institute’s sole facility is on the Medical Campus, but thanks to alumnus and university trustee Harry Seigle (AB ’68) (center) and his wife, Susan, the institute soon also will have a home on the Danforth Campus — in the new Brown School building slated for completion next year.

Laurie Maffly-Kipp, PhD, a professor in the humanities in Arts & Sciences and in the John C. Danforth Center on Religion & Politics at Washington University in St. Louis, received the 2014 James W.C. Pennington Award for her research on African-American religion and history.

Walking, biking or taking public transportation for work and errands can increase physical activity and offers other health benefits — but adults older than 60 are much less likely to regularly use public transit, finds a new study of St. Louisans from the Brown School.

Washington University in St. Louis’ Teaching Center brought together faculty from Arts & Sciences and the School of Engineering & Applied Science for the inaugural Summer STEM Faculty Institute on Teaching (STEM FIT), held June 17-19 in Seigle Hall. Faculty developed strategies for incorporating evidence-based teaching practices to improve student learning and encourage undergraduates to persist in STEM majors.

This spring and summer, Washington University in St. Louis is adding 379 kilowatts of solar energy throughout all campuses, a move that will increase its solar output by more than 1,150 percent over previous levels. (Pictured) Tyson Research Center now has a 50-kW ground-mounted array.

Emre Toker has been appointed managing director of the Skandalaris Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Washington University in St. Louis. Toker most recently served as entrepreneurship senior mentor-in-residence at the University of Arizona’s Eller College of Management. The appointment is effective Aug. 15, according to H. Holden Thorp, PhD, provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs.​

Studying the most common type of lung cancer, researchers from The Cancer Genome Atlas have uncovered new mutations in a cell-signaling pathway that plays a role in forming tumors. The new knowledge may expand treatments for patients because drugs targeting some of these genetic changes already are available or are in clinical trials.

While tight budgets are constraining regulatory spending at many federal agencies, those that garner funding from industry fees are using these revenue streams to fund substantial increases in regulatory programs and staffing, according to an annual report that examines the U.S. budget. The report was released by the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government and Public Policy at Washington University in St. Louis and the George Washington University Regulatory Studies Center.