Newsroom Stories

During winter break, 19 students and two alumnae from the Program in Physical Therapy at the School of Medicine​ traveled throughout Guatemala to help patients who otherwise might not receive physical therapy and other health care. Shown is student Leslie Wallace receiving a kiss from a grateful Guatemalan woman.

This spring, the Supreme Court will consider whether freedom of religious expression applies to for-profit businesses, as well as individuals, in Hobby Lobby’s challenge to the Affordable Care Act’s contraception mandate. Elizabeth Sepper, JD, associate professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis, says that discrimination based on a person’s religious or sexual preferences is a serious harm to society.

Washington University in St. Louis students joined Bon Appétit staff in preparing maple syrup and other locally collected foods for brunch this month at Ibby’s Bistro, all for their class with biology senior lecturer Stan Braude, PhD. The students tapped Danforth Campus maple trees and collected berries on the South 40 and acorns in nearby Forest Park.

Chronic kidney disease sufferers are more likely to die of heart disease than kidney problems. However, it hasn’t been clear how kidney disease causes heart disease or what could be done to stop it. But a new study at the School of Medicine led by Keith A. Hruska, MD, has pinpointed the cause of a kidney-related syndrome linked to heart disease and found how to neutralize a protein that spurs heart disease.

A study led by researchers at the School of Medicine suggests a procedure called hip resurfacing may be a better option than total hip replacement for some patients, particularly those who are young and active.

Business student Marc Bernstein and architecture student Miriam Alexandroff, both juniors, won the top prize in this year’s Olin Sustainability Case Competition. The question was: Can WUSTL strengthen the local economy and limit its carbon footprint by sourcing more locally grown food, while still providing nutritionally balanced and diverse food options?

Charlie Robin, director of Edison Theatre, recommends the dancer-athletes of Diavolo. Diavolo is performing at the Touhill Center this Friday, Feb. 28, and Saturday, March 1.

Half of parents in the United States would consent to have their children receive the flu vaccine in school, according to a survey from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. It is among the first to provide national data on parent preferences on school-administered flu shots. “This study shows the potential to use schools for large-scale influenza vaccination programs in the U.S.,” said Derek S. Brown, PhD, assistant professor at the Brown School and lead author of the study.

Neuroscientist Richard Davidson, PhD, a leading expert on the impact of practices such as meditation on the brain, will give the annual Witherspoon Lecture on Religion and Science. The Assembly Series address, “Change your Brain by Transforming your Mind,” will be at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, in Graham Chapel.

A great party is no easy feat. In “Chacun à son goût (To each his own),” the decadent young charmer Prince Orlofsky reveals the secrets to choreographing a successful evening. On Feb. 28, soprano Kelly Pappageorge and the Washington University Symphony orchestra will perform Strauss’ famous aria, along with music of Bernstein and Dvořák.