Recycling in the eye promotes good vision

Researchers have found that seeing well as we age depends, at least in part, on a recycling process in the eye that mops up cellular debris and recycles light-sensitive proteins. The findings suggest that disruptions in that process may harm vision and play a key role in the development of eye diseases related to aging. Inside the retinal pigment epithelium cells pictured are structures used for recycling (green) that engulf and digest spent parts of photoreceptor cells (red).

School supply drive runs through Aug. 7

Washington University School of Medicine again is sponsoring its annual school supply drive to benefit Adams Elementary School students. The school supply drive runs from July 15-Aug. 7. A list of suggested items is below.

Construction to close one northbound lane of Kingshighway Aug. 12

On Aug. 12, a northbound lane on Kingshighway Boulevard and the adjoining sidewalk north of Children’s Place will close in preparation for demolition related to revitalization of Washington University Medical Center’s north campus. At the same time, barriers will go up around the former Jewish College of Nursing and the Kingshighway, Yalem and Steinberg buildings — all of which will come down as part of the first phase of the Campus Renewal Project.

Daydreaming simulated by computer model

Scientists have created a virtual model of the brain that daydreams like humans do. They hope the model will help them understand why certain portions of the brain work together when a person daydreams or is mentally idle. Shown is the study’s senior author, Maurizio Corbetta, MD.
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