Washington People

Allison King, whose mom worked in a renal lab at the School of Medicine, grew up in and around Washington University. Now, this associate professor of occupational therapy, of pediatrics and of medicine is a leading national expert on sickle cell disease in children and young adults.

Martin Israel, professor of physics in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, received the Dean’s Medal this spring. Israel discusses his background and his career in this video from Arts & Sciences. 

Sarah C.R. “Sally” Elgin, of Arts & Sciences, knew from an early age that she wanted to be a scientist. In her time at Washington University, the Viktor Hamburger Professor has worked to make sure kids like her would be encouraged to pursue science.

Aytakin Huseynli grew up in Azerbaijan. Seeing war and chaos around her, she knew she wanted to help others but didn’t know how to go about it. She eventually made her way to the Brown School, earned a master’s in social work and returned to her home country to establish the profession there. Today she is back on campus working toward a doctorate.

Meet Gerry Rohde, who works in the Department of Biology in Arts & Sciences. He is a stockroom manager and lab safety officer by day and a St. Louis Public Radio host by night.

The history of medicine is “embedded in the DNA of contemporary medical science and medical practice,” said Rebecca Messbarger, director of medical humanities in Arts & Sciences. In this video, Messbarger discusses the importance of medical humanities as well as her own research into the life and work of Anna Morandi Manzolini, one of the most important anatomists of the European Enlightenment.

Whether in person or through evidence-based decision tools, the School of Medicine’s Mary Politi, a health psychologist and associate professor of surgery, works with patients to empower them and help optimize their care.

Michael Avidan, MBBCh, anesthesiologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, works every day with colleagues in the so-called Anesthesiology Control Tower to identify risks to people undergoing surgery and consider measures to optimize patient outcomes.

How do you restore community? Do you honor local context? Or do you bulldoze everything and try to start again? In this video, Patty Heyda, associate professor in the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, discusses the history, isolation and current revival of Botanical Heights, the St. Louis neighborhood formerly known as McRee Town.

Will Ross, MD, knows he should be dead. Instead, he achieved success despite the odds. He has designed a program to expose first-year students at the School of Medicine to blighted St. Louis neighborhoods — similar to those in which he grew up. His experiences shaped the nephrologist’s work as a physician and professor.