School of Medicine

School of Medicine 2013 commencement speakers

John Exton, MD, PhD, the author of “Crucible of Science” — a book about the history of a unique laboratory at Washington University and of Carl and Gerty Cori, the biochemists who established it — will make opening remarks at the Carl and Gerty Cori Lecture on May 8.

Paul Shaw, PhD, a researcher at the School of Medicine, has used what he learns in fruit flies to look for markers of sleep loss in humans. But now he has reversed the process in a new paper, taking what he finds in humans back to the flies and identifying a human gene that is more active after sleep deprivation.

Richard H. Gelberman, MD, a world-renowned expert in hand and wrist microsurgery, and James V. Wertsch, PhD, founding director of one of the most successful and innovative global scholarship programs in the world, will receive Washington University’s 2013 faculty achievement awards, Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton announced. They will receive their awards and give presentations of their scholarly work during a Dec. 7 program.

A consortium of researchers led by the School of Medicine has identified virtually all of the major mutations that drive acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a fast-growing blood cancer in adults that often is difficult to treat. The dark lines in the image pictured show all of the major mutations for AML that occurred in one patient with the disease.

The most in-depth look yet at endometrial cancer shows that adding genomics-based testing to the standard diagnostic workup could change the recommended course of treatment for some women. The new research is published in the journal Nature. Pictured are endometrial cancer cells under a microscope.

Susan E. Lanzendorf, PhD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of the in vitro fertilization lab, died April 2 from complications of pancreatic cancer. She was 54.

Timothy Eberlein, chairman of the Department of Surgery, has been named the inaugural winner of the Pillar of Support Award. The award was created by the Academic Women’s Network at the School of Medicine to recognize outstanding support of female faculty.

The Women’s Society of Washington University handed out awards at its annual meeting April 17. Harriet Switzer, center, visits with the two seniors who received a leadership award named in her honor. They are Jennifer Head, far left, and Melany Lopez.

To highlight career flexibility benefits, the Office of Faculty Affairs is hosting faculty forums on family resources, work-life fit and career paths from noon-1 May 6-8 in Schwarz Auditorium. The program is free for School of Medicine faculty and includes lunch. Shown, Bess Marshall, MD, associate professor of pediatrics, used the flexibility benefit to work part time when a relative suffered a heart attack.