Perspectives

If a country sees itself as a robust, vibrant, thriving, and growing country—as certainly the US of myth and nationalistic narrative suggests it to be—it requires a strong academic health research enterprise to allow it to inhabit that vision of itself. That should make academic health research as core to the national identity as our vision of a democratic country that permits and encourages self-determination. Academic health research makes all the rest of it possible, writes Sandro Galea.

The universities we oversee have drawn a line against politicization so that we can continue contributing to the nation’s competitiveness and strength abroad, and to stability and prosperity here at home. All American research universities should do the same, writes Chancellor Andrew D. Martin.

Patty Heyda, a professor at the Sam Fox School, writes an article on the Arts & Sciences “Human Ties” blog about her latest book “Radical Atlas of Ferguson, USA.” Maps are instruments of power — and of resistance, she said.

In this time of high political dudgeon, it is our job to make the right political choice, to choose health. Perhaps this choice can help shore up our commitment to local and global impact in this moment—because health is interconnected and creating a healthier world for some means creating a healthier world for all, the ultimate lesson of the COVID years, writes Sando Galea.

As we look to the future, our commitment to the families, businesses and institutions that form the heart of St. Louis will only grow stronger. Together, we’re building a more vibrant, equitable, and prosperous region for all, writes Chancellor Andrew D. Martin.

We should continue being patient in this moment, to do all we can to channel the energies of this political era into the creation of a better world, even when this means working with those with whom we disagree. But, in doing so, we should not tolerate — we should not extend patience towards — the cruelty inherent in some of what has been done, writes Sandro Galea.

One of the most well-known of these tragedies was the airplane crash that killed rock and rollers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson (the Big Bopper) outside of Clear Lake, Iowa, on February 3, 1959.   As Don McLean referred to in his song American Pie, it was the “day the music died.”  But on that day, luck and chance were also front and center, writes Mark Rank.

Greater integration and collaboration across disciplines has the potential to improve the validity, impact, and cohesiveness of the Violence against Women and Girls research field and contribute to evidence-based policies and practices, writes Lindsay Stark.

Now, research from my lab and others suggests that GLP-1 drugs could help treat dozens of other ailments as well, including cognitive issues and addiction problems. However, my colleagues and I also found previously unidentified risks, writes Ziyad Al-Aly.

Seemingly impossible linguistic, cultural and digital divides can be crossed when people approach each other with respect, sincerity, a touch of humor – and perhaps the aid of AI translators, writes Jianqing Chen.