School of Medicine

Cigarette smokers are more likely to commit suicide than people who don’t smoke, a relationship that has been attributed to the fact that numerous people with psychiatric disorders, who have higher suicide rates, also tend to smoke. But a new study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis finds that smoking itself may increase suicide risk and that policies to limit smoking reduce suicide rates.

David W. Piston, PhD, has been named the new head of the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Renowned for his groundbreaking work with fluorescent imaging techniques, Piston comes to WUSTL from Vanderbilt University.

Larry J. Shapiro, MD, dean of the School of Medicine, recently surprised three staff members with service awards. Pam Gassner was awarded the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award; Peggy Frisella, the Research Support Award; and Amy Stabenow, the Operations Staff Award.  Pictured are Lynn Cornelius, MD, Gassner and Shapiro.

Kevin Hardcastle has been appointed chief information security officer for Washington University in St. Louis, reporting to John Gohsman, vice chancellor for information technology and chief information officer.

To help commemorate the Central Institute for the Deaf’s centennial, the Bernard Becker Medical Library has a new exhibit featuring rare books, early hearing aids, photos and other items related to the institute.

Studying the most common type of lung cancer, researchers from The Cancer Genome Atlas have uncovered new mutations in a cell-signaling pathway that plays a role in forming tumors. The new knowledge may expand treatments for patients because drugs targeting some of these genetic changes already are available or are in clinical trials.

Emil Unanue, MD, the Paul and Ellen Lacy Professor of Pathology and Immunology, has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Immunologists. The award is the organization’s highest honor.

William Thomas Thach Jr., MD, professor emeritus of neurobiology, died Tuesday, July 1, 2014, in Town and Country. He was 77. A neuroscience researcher and clinical neurologist, Thach was a renowned expert and pioneering researcher on the cerebellum.

Bradley L. Schlaggar, MD, PhD, head of the Division of Pediatric and Developmental Neurology at the School of Medicine, has been awarded the Frank Hatch “Sparkplug” Award for Enlightened Public Service by The John Merck Fund.

Louis Gilula, MD, a faculty member at the School of Medicine for more than 30 years, died July 2, 2014, of pancreatic cancer. Gilula was a pioneer in wrist imaging. Landmarks in the wrist that radiologists use to check for normal alignment are still known as “Gilula’s arcs.”