McKelvey School of Engineering

Washington University in St. Louis researchers have developed a test that quickly detects the presence of Zika virus in blood.

Sophisticated techniques for testing hypotheses about the brain by activating and silencing genes are currently available for only a handful of model organisms. Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis are working on a simplified toolkit that will allow scientists who study animal behavior to manipulate the genomes of many other animals with the hope of accelerating progress in our understanding of the brain.

Brett Teng Gao, an incoming senior at Washington University in St. Louis, recently was part of a team that won the Google-sponsored Artificial Intelligence Genomics Hackathon.

With the aim of streamlining the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, a Washington University student-led team has designed an online app to help doctors more quickly evaluate patients. The app is being tested at the School of Medicine.

Missael Garcia, a doctoral student in computer engineering, recently won two best-paper awards at the IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems conference in Baltimore.

Robyn S. Klein, MD, PhD, a physician-scientist recognized internationally for her work on the brain’s immune system, has been named vice provost and associate dean for graduate education for the Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences. She will begin her new post Jan. 1.

Irregular heartbeat — or arrhythmia — can have sudden and often fatal consequences. A biomedical engineering team at Washington University in St. Louis examining molecular behavior in cardiac tissue recently made a surprising discovery that could someday impact treatment of the life-threatening condition.

Mike Keymer, BS ’98, founded Topspin Labs, which works at the cutting edge of data and technology. Keymer, through Topspin, partners with ­organizations to find other applications for their technology and create a startup around that new use.

Elastin and collagen serve as the body’s building blocks. Any genetic mutation short-circuiting their function can have a devastating, and often lethal, health impact. For the first time, new research led by engineers at Washington University in St. Louis takes a closer look at both genetic and mechanical attributes, to better understand a disorder that affects how elastin and collagen function.

Chemical engineer Jay Turner, of the School of Engineering & Applied Science, has spent his career studying air quality, working to identify risks and solutions to improve the air from St. Louis to Hong Kong. He also recently became engineering’s vice dean for education.