Newsroom Stories

Amanda Moore McBride, PhD, associate dean of the Brown School, was on hand Nov. 11 to congratulate two Brown School students on receiving commissions in the United States Air Force as part of the Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program. The Brown School was the only school with two recipients — only 11 were given nationwide out of 152 applicants. “The military is the No. 1 employer of social workers, and this is real tribute to both our students and the Brown School that it has found the best and the brightest right here,” McBride said.

The School of Medicine now offers genetic testing to help diagnose and treat patients with heart disorders that can lead to sudden death. The new test, offered though the school’s Genomics and Pathology Services (GPS) and developed in collaboration with Washington University cardiologists, analyzes genes linked to arrhythmias and cardiomyopathies.

Nick Offerman, who plays Ron Swanson on the television show Parks and Recreation, offered Washington University in St. Louis students “tips for a prosperous life” during a free comedy show Nov. 10 at Edison Theatre. Tips included “Eat red meat” and “Go outside … remain there.” Student Union’s Social Programming Board hosted the show.

The U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America and the Washington University in St. Louis Wind Ensemble will mark the anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination with a free concert Nov. 22 in the 560 Music Center.

Nonviolent protest or armed resistance? In My Children! My Africa!, acclaimed South African playwright Athol Fugard illustrates the choice with an arresting image. Mr. M — a beloved teacher in a poor black township — lifts a dictionary in one hand. The other grips a rock someone has thrown through his window. Mr. M is played by Ron Himes, founder of The Black Rep. 

WUSTL students danced for 12 hours to raise funds for St. Louis Children’s Hospital and SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center.

Friendly microbes in the intestinal tracts of healthy American children have numerous antibiotic resistance genes, according to results of a pilot study by scientists at the School of Medicine. The genes are cause for concern because they can be shared with harmful microbes, interfering with the effectiveness of antibiotics in ways that can contribute to serious illness and, in some cases, death. Pictured is the study’s senior author, Gautum Dantas, PhD.

The air chills, the leaves fall, the crops are collected and stored for winter. From India to Estonia, from Holi to Thanksgiving, virtually every culture celebrates the harvest. On Nov. 24, the WUSTL Concert Choir and Chamber Choir will honor fall’s bounty with Thanksgiving, featuring music that stretches from Renaissance Italy to contemporary Senegal.

Chef Nephi Craig, founder of the Native American Culinary Association, conducts a traditional Native American cooking demonstration in the Danforth University Center Nov. 3. Craig’s presentation, sponsored by the Buder Center for Native American Studies, was titled “Maatibi. Imokwayli. Ittanahli. Hunt. Fish. Gather.” He talked about Native American foods and their resurgence in American cooking culture.

To better understand and one day provide improved treatments for depression, addiction and anxiety, School of Medicine researchers are using tiny, electronic devices to identify and map neural circuits in the brain. The work has been awarded a rare grant called EUREKA (Exceptional, Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration), which provides funding for high-risk/high-reward projects.