Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report they have developed an agent that protects cells from the lethal effects of radiation, regardless of whether it is given before or after exposure. Using this agent in mice, the investigators found that the treatment helped shield rapidly dividing cells that are most vulnerable to radiation-induced death, providing proof in principle that it is possible to fend off radiation damage.
DXA scans of a male patient with osteoporosisAlthough women are four times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis, or porous bone, one in 12 men also suffer from the disease, which can lead to debilitating – or even life-threatening – fractures. In women, low estrogen levels after menopause have been considered an important risk factor for this disorder. Now research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has shown that low amounts of active estrogen metabolites also can increase the the risk of osteoporosis in men.
Using an innovative statistical approach, a research team from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of California, Los Angeles, has identified two regions of DNA linked to autism. They found the suspicious DNA with a much smaller sample of people than has been used traditionally in searches for autism genes.
Women with estrogen-responsive breast cancer are often prescribed a drug that reduces their estrogen levels. But because estrogen is important to bone health, there is widespread concern about how the estrogen-reducing drugs – called aromatase inhibitors – affect bones. A study at the School of Medicine will investigate bone loss in women taking aromatase inhibitors, and researchers are calling for interested women to volunteer.
Proclaiming that “energy and environmental issues represent the greatest challenges of this century,” Washington University Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton today joined presidents of six other premier research universities in calling for universities worldwide to marshal their resources for a global effort to secure a brighter, sustainable future. Plans for collaborative academic programs involving education, research, university operations, social sciences and policy studies are detailed in a statement issued May 7.
This year, determining when to arrive for the staff recognition ceremony and whether to go on a walk or play bingo at the 32nd annual Staff Day celebration May 21 is only a click away at staffday.wustl.edu.
Washington University Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton will announce a call to action for research universities worldwide to focus on the energy and environment as the greatest challenge of this century. The announcement, which comes as part of a conference involving the presidents of 12 premier research universities from Asia and the Middle East, will be made at noon May 7 in Whitaker Hall Auditorium, Washington University’s Danforth Campus.
Charles F. Knight, chairman emeritus of Emerson, received the 2007 Search Award at the 40th annual William Greenleaf Eliot Society event April 26 in recognition of his contributions as an outstanding citizen of the University who has made significant advancements in teaching, research and service to society.
Success isn’t always measured in dollars and cents. So, does a company’s non-financial performance measures reveal anything about the future bottom line? That’s the question a professor at the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis addressed in a recent study. The finding: there’s definitely a link — but only when the competition is stiff. More…
On May 3, the winners of the second annual Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition (SEIC) were announced at the Awards Ceremony on Washington University’s Danforth Campus. Six awards totallyin $125,000 were presented to four local nonprofits and two students. The winning groups are: The Bridge St. Louis, One World Neighborhood Cafe, the Miriam Center, the Nest, MOAR for Life and Cents City.