School of Medicine

School of Medicine scientists have identified rogue cells – namely brain and muscle cells – lurking in kidney organoids, an indication that the “recipes” used to coax stem cells into becoming kidney cells inadvertently are churning out other cell types. The researchers also demonstrated they could prevent most of those wayward cells from forming, an approach that could be adopted by scientists working with other organoids, such as those of the brain, lung or heart.

WashU physician Jen Silva, MD, has co-founded a startup that will enable doctors to see real-time 3D holograms of the heart during cardiac procedures.

Jennifer Silva, MD, a pediatric electrophysiologist at the School of Medicine, treats children with abnormal heart rhythms. She has co-founded a startup that is developing technology to help doctors see real-time 3D holograms of the heart during procedures to fix erratic heart rhythms.

Washington University’s newly launched Cordell Institute for Policy in Medicine & Law has signed on as one of the early signatories of French President Emanuel Macron’s “Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace,” announced Nov. 12 as part of the peace forum commemorating 100 years since the ending of World War I.

Lei Liu, professor of biostatistics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been elected a fellow of the American Statistical Association, the country’s preeminent professional statistical society.

School of Medicine researchers are beginning to understand the link between autoimmune disease and the cardiovascular system. A new study in mice shows that immune cells that arise during autoimmune disease cause cholesterol to become trapped inside blood vessels.

Brian Froelke, MD, of Washington University School of Medicine, has been recognized by the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases as a state legislative advocate for patients with rare diseases.

Extending its standing as one of the top leukemia programs in the U.S., the School of Medicine has been awarded an $11.5 million NIH grant to further high-level investigations into leukemia and related blood cancers. The grant funds a prestigious Specialized Program in Research Excellence (SPORE) in leukemia.

Christine Pham, MD, professor of medicine and of pathology and immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been named director of the Division of Rheumatology in the Department of Medicine.

Walter R. Bosch, DSc, associate professor of radiation oncology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been elected a fellow of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine. He was recognized for, among other contributions, his work involving data standards and interoperable exchange of radiotherapy information.