Newsroom Stories

Archeobotanists argue that plant domestication involved much trial and error in many different geographic regions over a long period of time. A genetic technique that allows domesticated and wild strains of the same plant to be compared shows that domestication requires only simple genetic changes. Yet the findings don’t contradict the archeobotanical data.  

Former astronaut and camp founder Bernard A. Harris Jr., MD, visits the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp held at Washington University June 20-July 2. Harris helped the 44 middle school campers from St. Louis-area schools with a hands-on engineering challenge. The free residential camp gives students the opportunity to get ahead in math and science, meet inspiring role models and experience college life.

A treatment plan used to prevent potentially dangerous blood clots in recovering surgical patients can also benefit some patients immobilized by acute medical illness, doctors have found in a multi-institutional study. In women, patients age 75 or older, and patients strictly confined to 24-hour bed rest, a month of extended treatment with a blood thinner significantly reduced the chances of blood clots while only slightly increasing the risk of bleeding. 

Of note Susan Deusinger, PhD, executive director of the Program in Physical Therapy and professor of physical therapy and of neurology, and Bob Deusinger, PhD, associate professor of physical therapy and of orthopaedic surgery, received the Charles M. Magistro Distinguished Service Award from the Foundation for Physical Therapy. The award honors an individual or individuals […]

On July 1, the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace & Structural Engineering in the School of Engineering & Applied Science changed its name to the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science. The change was made to reflect the department’s continued emphasis on the development and study of advanced materials.

“Scotch” comes from a word meaning water of life, and the industry is the life blood of the Scottish economy. That makes scotch whiskey an excellent case study for Olin Business School students. A10-day research trip to visit Scotland’s distilleries got off to an adventureous start as the students had to skirt volcanic ash and airline strikes to reach their destination.

Although clubfoot is one of the most common congenital birth defects, few genetic causes have been found. Now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found what they believe to be the most common cause of inherited clubfoot yet discovered.  

Hillary A. Sale, JD, securities law expert and professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis, talks with Steve Chiotakis of Marketplace Public Radio about whether it’s difficult to prosecute derivatives trading and what she’s watching closely about cases coming down the pike.

Liviu Mirica, PhD, assistant professor of chemistry in Arts & Sciences, and Yinjie Tang, PhD, assistant professor of chemical engineering, receive Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Achievement Awards on June 14 from Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton.

Sports updates for the month of July 2010.