School of Medicine

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.

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.

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

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.

Psychiatry researchers at the School of Medicine have found that a clinical diagnosis of alcohol dependence in young adults is associated with having a high number of sex partners. Their study, published in the December issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, also found links between a conduct disorder diagnosis and high numbers of sexual partners as well as between problem drinking and more partners.