Page 1085 – The Source | Washington University in St. Louis

Lewis Wall helps tackle problem of Ethiopian girls lacking sanitary pads

While in Ethiopia as a Fulbright scholar, L. Lewis Wall, MD, DPhil, met a woman who is trying to change the experience of adolescent girls in rural Ethiopia by providing them with reusable sanitary pads and education about menstruation. Wall and his wife, Helen, decided they had to do something to support the mission.

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.

Arts & Culture

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.

Medicine & Health

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.

Campus & Community

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.

Medicine & Health

Bacterial flora of remote tribespeople carries antibiotic resistance genes

Scientists, including researchers from Washington University School of Medicine, have found antibiotic resistance genes in the bacterial flora of a South American tribe that never before had been exposed to antibiotic drugs. The findings suggest that bacteria in the human body have had the ability to resist antibiotics since long before such drugs were ever used to treat disease.

Events held to celebrate Earth Day

Various events are being held at Washington University in St. Louis from Monday, April 20, through Thursday, April 23, to celebrate Earth Day, from pledges to eat less meat to bike tuneups, a farmers’ market and a sustainability lecture.

Campus & Community

Graduate students recognize faculty mentors

Erin McGlothlin, PhD (right), associate professor of German and of Jewish studies in Arts & Sciences, was among eight faculty to receive an Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award. She is pictured with one of her graduate students who nominated her for the award, Ervin Malakaj, a PhD candidate in German.