School of Medicine

Courtesy Edward LifesciencesIn a nationwide clinical trial, physicians are testing an investigational device that allows them to insert replacement aortic valves without opening the chest or using a heart-lung machine, making the procedure available to high-risk and formerly inoperable patients. The School of Medicine has been selected as a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigative site in the trial evaluating this technique, which uses a far less invasive procedure than the standard open-heart surgery.

The executive faculty of the School of Medicine unanimously approved changing the name of the Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology to the Department of Developmental Biology. The change reflects a shift that has already occurred in the department’s research focus and coincides with the search for a department head.

The School of Medicine and BJC HealthCare are going wireless to allow users to connect to either network without plugging in.

Whole-body PET scans done three months after completion of cervical cancer therapy can ensure that patients are disease-free.

School of Medicine researchers are seeking volunteers to see whether it’s possible to reduce the progression of atherosclerosis with the malaria drug chloroquine. The human study follows a mouse study that found chloroquine could blunt the progression of plaque buildup in mice that had a genetic predisposition to atherosclerosis.

School of Medicine researchers are seeking volunteers with Parkinson’s disease for studies investigating the effects of two drugs.

Demolition of the old Kingshighway Boulevard bridge Dec. 7-10 and Dec. 14-17 will require closure of Interstate 64/40 at Kingshighway over the two weekends.

Robert BostonThirty-seven second-, third- and fourth-year medical students were recognized with awards at the Student Awards luncheon Nov. 28.

Metabolism researchers at the School of Medicine have found that although it does not extend maximum lifespan in mice, activating a protein in muscle tissue increases average lifespan and prevents some age-related diseases. The researchers believe a similar approach may someday help people avoid age-related problems such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, hypertension and even some cancers.

Pratim Biswas has a method that controls the size of the nanoparticles he makes, opening up possibilities for new nanotechnology applications and different techniques.In a world that constantly strives for bigger and bigger things, WUSTL’s Pratim Biswas, Ph.D., the Stifel and Quinette Jens Professor and chair of the Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, is working to make things smaller and smaller. Biswas conducts research on nanoparticles, which are the building blocks for nanotechnology. For the first time, Biswas has shown that he can independently control the size of the nanoparticles that he makes, keeping their other properties the same. He’s also shown with his technique that the nanoparticles can be made in large quantities in scalable systems, opening up the possibility for more applications and different techniques.