School of Medicine

Leisha Elmore, MD, a general surgery resident at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, has been selected to represent the Society of University Surgeons at the Society of Academic & Research Surgery’s annual meeting in January 2017 at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

New research from David Gutmann, MD, PhD, may help doctors determine which medical issues are likely to manifest in patients with the inherited cancer syndrome neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). The findings indicate that varying mutations in the NF1 gene may lead to different clinical outcomes.

A study from the School of Medicine suggests that bacteriophages made of RNA – a close chemical cousin of DNA – likely play a much larger role in shaping the bacterial makeup of worldwide habitats than previously recognized.

New research from the School of Medicine indicates that much of that diabetes-related vision loss may result from nerve cell injury that occurs long before any blood vessels are damaged. The finding may lead to new approaches to treating it.

Gastroenterologist C. Prakash Gyawali, MD, uses complex tools to learn what’s behind patients’ symptoms and treat them more effectively.

From analyzing vast DNA sequences to handling electronic medical records, the importance of big data in medicine has increased dramatically in recent years. To support the growing need to manage and harness big data, the School of Medicine is launching an Institute for Informatics and has named Philip R.O. Payne its first director.

Patients with a rare, genetic form of diabetes often are misdiagnosed as having type 2 diabetes because the two share symptoms. But new research at the School of Medicine suggests that treating such patients with therapies designed for type 2 diabetes is potentially harmful and guidelines need to change.

Washington University student group IDEA Labs received the Spirit of St. Louis Award at the St. Louis Regional Chamber’s 2016 Arcus Awards for advancing the city’s rich history and global reputation as a hub of innovation and forward-looking vision.

New research at the School of Medicine indicates that initial levels of omega-3 fatty acids in a heart patient’s blood have a significant impact on whether that person will respond to omega-3 supplements to treat depression.

Two Washington University researchers, Elaine Mardis and Ann Gronowski, have been recognized by the American Association for Clinical Chemistry for exceptional research and service in the field of laboratory medicine.