Washington People: Ron Himes

In 1976, as a business major at Washington University in St. Louis, Ron Himes began staging theatrical performances. Thirty-eight seasons later, Himes remains founder and producing director for The Black Rep, one of the nation’s largest and most respected African-American theater companies.

Marathon winner Andrea Karl says running makes her a better scientist​​

Washington University in St. Louis graduate student Andrea Karl found herself thrust into the national spotlight this month at the St. Louis GO! Marathon when an imposter at the finish line denied Karl her first-place accolades. She got to recreate the finish at Busch Stadium. Karl is working towards a PhD in molecular genetics and genomics in the Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences (DBBS) at the School of Medicine. DBBS is in the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences.

Meyer receives grant for rotator-cuff research

Gretchen Meyer, PhD, an instructor in physical therapy and in neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received a $35,000 grant from the university’s Musculoskeletal Research Center for research titled “Promoting Rotator-cuff Muscle Regeneration With Paracrine Adipose Signaling.”

Arts & Sciences presents Distinguished Alumni Awards, Dean’s Medal

Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis recognized five alumni during its 17th annual Arts & Sciences Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony, held March 19 at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis. Barbara A. Schaal, PhD, dean of the faculty of Arts & Sciences and the Mary-Dell Chilton Distinguished Professor, hosted the awards dinner.

Miles to be Genentech Research Fellow

George E. Miles, MD, PhD, a clinical fellow in molecular genetic pathology, in July will become the first Genentech Research Fellow in the Department of Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Kemper Art Museum displays new acquisitions

“Rotation 1: Contemporary Art from the Peter Norton Gift” opens Friday, May 1 at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum. The exhibition will offer St. Louis museum-goers their first chance to view highlights from a major recent gift by the renowned arts philanthropist and software entrepreneur.

Finding points to a cause of chronic lung disease

Scientists have long suspected that respiratory viruses play a critical role in the development of chronic lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Studying mouse and cell models of this process, researchers now have shown how immune cells dispatched to the lung to destroy a respiratory virus can fail to disperse after their job is done, setting off a chain of inflammatory events that leads to long-term lung problems.

Kevin Hays blows Rubik’s record out of the water​​​​

Junior Kevin Hays has set a new record for standard Rubik’s Cubes solved while underwater: eight. Hays beat the previous record of five while sitting in a dunk tank April 19 on the Washington University in St. Louis campus at the annual Thurtene Carnival. The attempt took two minutes and five seconds.

Macias receiving honorary degree from Colgate University

Edward S. Macias, PhD, provost emeritus and the Barbara and David Thomas Distinguished Professor in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, will receive an honorary degree from his alma mater Colgate University in May.