Page 62 – The Source | Washington University in St. Louis

West appointed provost at Washington University in St. Louis

Mark D. West, a renowned legal scholar and former dean of the University of Michigan Law School, has been appointed provost of Washington University in St. Louis, effective August 1, according to Chancellor Andrew D. Martin.

Mental Health

Early intervention changes trajectory for depressed preschoolers

A specialized approach to treating childhood depression developed by WashU Medicine researchers leads to long-term remission and other benefits, according to a new study.

Campus & Facilities

WashU PD active shooter drill July 9

WashU Police Department shield on window

The Washington University Police Department will conduct its biannual active shooter training exercise July 9 on the South 40 area of the Danforth Campus.

Appointments & Promotions

Friend named chair of mechanical engineering, materials science

James Friend, of the University of California, San Diego, has been named chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science in the McKelvey School of Engineering. His appointment will begin in 2026.

Medicine

Region’s first patient receives sickle cell gene therapy

The first sickle cell disease patient in the St. Louis region has been successfully treated by WashU Medicine physicians at St. Louis Children’s Hospital with a gene therapy newly approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Medicine

Ornitz receives NIH grant to study lung development

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded David M. Ornitz, MD, PhD, of WashU Medicine, $740,000 annually for four years to support research aimed at understanding respiratory complications associated with premature birth.

Awards & Notables

Brown named to Business Journal’s ‘influential women’ class

Rebecca Brown, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and university governance at Washington University in St. Louis, has been named to the St. Louis Business Journal’s “Most Influential Business Women” class of 2025.

Obituaries

Frank A. Podosek, planetary scientist, 83

Frank A. Podosek, a professor emeritus of earth, environmental and planetary sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, died June 8 in Florida. He was 83 years old.

Engineering

Sleep data from wearable device may help predict preterm birth

An interdisciplinary research team at Washington University in St. Louis has found that variability in sleep patterns in people experiencing pregnancy can effectively predict preterm birth.