Record

Breast cancer expert Matthew Ellis, MD, PhD, works with the Genome Institute at Washington University to sequence entire breast cancer genomes — the billions of “letters” making up a person’s DNA. The goal is to unlock the mysteries of breast cancer and tailor treatments to individual patients.

Thanks to the generosity of Washington University’s faculty, staff and retirees, thousands in the St. Louis community will receive hot meals, job training and warm clothes for the winter. The WUSTL community has raised more than $686,000 in its United Way of Greater St. Louis campaign, surpassing the university’s stated goal of $650,000.

The Campus Y at Washington University is celebrating its 100th year on campus in 2011 and kicking off its “Strong Community Campaign” from 4:30-6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, at Whittemore House. The celebration is open to the public. The annual campaign helps support 28 community service programs. More than 900 students and 92 student leaders are involved with these programs.

Stuart S. Sagel, MD, professor of radiology and former director of the chest radiology section at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, died Friday, Nov. 11, 2011, of leukemia. He was 71.

Telecommunications Facilities Corp. (TFC) is currently working to replace the voice mail system used by the School of Medicine. In preparation for the Nov. 18-20 change, employees are asked to make some changes before Friday, Nov.18 at 9 a.m.

The following are among the new faculty members at Washington University in St. Louis: Colin Burnett, PhD; Marie Griffith, PhD; Musa Gurnis-Farrell, PhD; Ron Mallon, PhD; Jacob Montgomery, PhD; Carl Sanders, PhD; Leigh Schmidt, PhD; Rebecca Wanzo, PhD; and Hayrettin Yücesoy, PhD. Others will be introduced periodically.

Graduate and professional students within the McDonnell International Scholars Academy are sharing their respective cultures with the general public in an interactive fair at the Saint Louis Science Center. The program, “Planet Passport: Your Journey to Our Multicultural World,” will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, in the center’s May Hall on the ground floor. Free and open to the public, the hands-on learning fair is suitable for children, teens and families.

Perceptions and identity play a pivotal role in people’s access to and use of health and mental health care. “Helping people to be comfortable with the health-care service environment so that they seek it out when they know that they need those services is key,” says Vetta L. Sanders-Thompson, PhD, associate professor of public health at the Brown School.

LuAnn Oros, community consultant on hunger and homelessness in the Community Service Office, will lead a discussion about the challenges homeless individuals face during extreme temperatures. This open forum will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, in the Danforth University Center Millstone Visitors Center on the first floor.

John P. Boineau, MD, professor of surgery, of medicine and of biomedical engineering, died Monday, Nov. 7, 2011, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital after a long battle with leukemia. He was 78.