School of Medicine

Elliot Elson, of Washington University School of Medicine, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Election to the academy is considered one of the highest honors that can be awarded to a U.S. scientist or engineer.

David D. Limbrick, MD, PhD, the T. S. Park, MD, Professor of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the School of Medicine, has been appointed to the St. Louis Regional Health Commission as the representative from the School of Medicine.

New research in mice has shown that some investigational Alzheimer’s therapies are more effective when paired with a treatment geared toward improving drainage of fluid and debris from the brain, according to a study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine.

A first-of-its kind device that helps people disabled by stroke regain significant control over their arm and hand function by using their minds has received market authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. The system developed by Neurolutions Inc., a WashU startup, relied on innovative multidisciplinary research at the university.

The School of Medicine received a $1.3 million grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust to support the work of Parakkal Deepak, MBBS, and Alfred H.J. Kim, MD, PhD. They will study antibody responses after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and other autoimmune diseases.

In the first clinical trial of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), School of Medicine researchers have found that the compound previously demonstrated to counteract aspects of aging and improve metabolic health in mice also has clinically relevant effects in people.

A new study from the School of Medicine shows that even mild cases of COVID-19 increase the risk of death in the six months following diagnosis. The comprehensive study also catalogues the wide-ranging and long-term health problems often triggered by the infection, even among those not hospitalized.

Chancellor Andrew D. Martin and four other faculty members of Washington University were elected members of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the academy announced April 22. The others are Deanna Barch, John Baugh, Pascal Boyer and Holden Thorp. Founded in 1780, the academy honors exceptional scholars, leaders, artists and innovators.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine have shown that personalized cancer vaccines made using DNA can program the immune system to attack malignant tumors, including breast and pancreatic cancers.

Dolores B. Njoku, MD, a noted clinician, researcher and mentor, has been named director of pediatric anesthesiology at the School of Medicine and anesthesiologist-in-chief at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. She also will be the new Rudolph L. and Mary Frances Wise Endowed Chair in Pediatric Anesthesiology.