Scientists map genetic evolution of leukemia
By mapping the evolution of cancer cells in patients with myelodysplastic
syndromes who later died of leukemia, Timothy Graubert, Matthew Walter and their Washington University colleagues have found clues to suggest
that targeted cancer drugs should be aimed at mutations that develop
early in the disease.
Researchers identify unexpected player in intestinal immunity
With every meal, immune cells in the intestine stand like sentries at a citadel, turning away harmful bacteria but allowing vitamins and nutrients to pass. Now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified the cells that chaperone food antigens, or proteins, in the intestine so that the immune system doesn’t mount an attack. Their discovery provides scientists with a potential target for therapies against inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease and food allergies.
Creativity, learning expert Sawyer next up for Assembly Series
Keith Sawyer, PhD, associate professor of education in Arts & Sciences, will deliver the annual Phi Beta Kappa Lecture for the Assembly Series at 4 p.m. Monday, March 26, in College Hall on the university’s Danforth Campus. His talk, “Group Genius: The Creative Power of Collaboration,” is free and open to the public.
Habif center now offers on-site diagnostic imaging
Through a new partnership between the Habif Health and Wellness Center and the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, students now can have diagnostic X-rays taken right on the South 40. WUSTL has invested in equipment and human resources to make quality medical care even more accessible to nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
Social Security’s ‘Chained COLA’ not ready for prime time
Social Security’s cost of living adjustments (COLA) are designed to protect against the erosion of retiree purchasing power when prices go up, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). “Now Social Security self-styled ‘reformers’ seek to lower COLA every year based on their claim that COLA overstates inflation,” says Merton C. Bernstein, LLB, a nationally recognized expert on Social Security. The proposed substitute for the current CPI formula, ‘Chained COLA,’ is based on the assumption that benefit recipients substitute lower-priced goods as prices go up. “This the assumption is unrealistic for those millions who only have access to convenience stores that typically offer fewer choice and higher prices,” says Bernstein, the Walter D. Coles Professor Emeritus at Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. “And, further, it is not reasonable to assume that most consumers can outwit the wiles of merchandising experts.”
Green Cup winners celebrate
Sophomore Lucas Tcheyan (left) of Sigma Chi Fraternity and freshman Avital Mandil of South 40 Lee/Beaumont Residential College accept the Green Cup award on behalf of their team members at the Green Cup Awards ceremony March 7 at Ursa’s Fireside on the South 40. The Green Cup recognized the South 40 residential college, North Side team and fraternity that reduced its energy use by the highest percentage during the four-week competition, which ended Feb. 29.
Altered gene linked to fatal neuroblastoma in adolescents, young adults
Researchers, including Richard Wilson, PhD, director of The Genome Institute, have identified the first gene mutation associated with a chronic and often fatal form of neuroblastoma that typically strikes adolescents and young adults. The finding provides the first clue about the genetic basis of the long-recognized but poorly understood link between treatment outcome and age at diagnosis.
Sex, drugs, rock ’n’ roll revisited in 1968 mini-colloquium March 28 and 29
Todd Gitlin, PhD, a noted 1960s cultural scholar and book
author, will visit Washington University in St. Louis Wednesday and Thursday, March 28 and 29, to keynote a two-day
mini-colloquium exploring the counter-cultural movements of the year
1968, including a special focus on the many literary, social, political
and artistic theories spawned by these movements.
Lifestyle changes for obese patients linked to modest weight loss
A program that helps obese patients improve healthy behaviors is associated with modest weight loss and improved blood pressure control in a high-risk, low-income group, according to Graham A. Colditz, MD, DrPH, at Washington University School of Medicine. Compared to those receiving usual care, the lifestyle
intervention slowed increases in weight and blood pressure in this
population of high-risk patients.
Michael Van Valkenburgh to speak March 19
“The goal of our work is to create parks that are intrinsically urban — not places to escape from the city, but places to escape within the city.” So observes landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh, currently leading the design team charged with reimagining the 91-acre park surrounding St. Louis’ iconic Gateway Arch. On March 19, Van Valkenburgh will discuss his work as part of the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts’ spring Public Lecture Series.
View More Stories