School of Medicine

An abdominal MRI scan showing the locations of subcutaneous and visceral fatAs scientists learn more about the key role of inflammation in diabetes, heart disease and other disorders, new research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that fat in the belly may be an important promoter of that inflammation. It’s well known that excess fat is associated with disease, but the researchers have confirmed that fat cells inside the abdomen are secreting molecules that increase inflammation. It’s the first evidence of a potential mechanistic link between abdominal fat and systemic inflammation. More…

Parag Parikh and Kristen Lechleiter set up the 4D Phantom to simulate the motion of tumors in the lung.Tumors that move, such as those in the lung — which can change position during each breath — are a special problem for radiation oncologists. A group at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has studied the way lung tissues move during breathing in hopes of improving radiation as a treatment for lung cancer. More…

Photo by Ray MarklinSchool of Medicine students teach area high-schoolers about preventing HIV and AIDS at an annual Wellness Day.

If you’re particularly good with puzzles or chess, the reason may be in your genes, a team of scientists led by School of Medicine psychiatric geneticists finds.

School of Medicine research raises hopes for a new drug that could prevent small aortic aneurysms from enlarging to the point where surgery is necessary.

Registration is now open for the spring session of Mini Medical School, which begins the week of March 19 at the Eric P. Newman Education Center.

A compound that halts nerve cell activity when exposed to light glows in this image of two nerve cells.Brain activity has been compared to a light bulb turning on in the head. Scientists at the School of Medicine have reversed this notion, creating a drug that stops brain activity when a light shines on it. The new compound activates the same receptor used by many anesthetics and tranquilizers, making it harder for a brain cell to respond to stimulation. The drug may some day be used to treat epilepsy.

Jeffrey F. Peipert, M.D., has been named the Robert J. Terry Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

A School of Medicine group used birth data to analyze autism prevalence among children in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

A School of Medicine study will look at the effects of combining exercise training with hormone therapy to improve physical function in older men.