School of Medicine

VirginHerbert W. “Skip” Virgin has been named head of the Department of Pathology and Immunology at the School of Medicine. Virgin came to the department in 1990 as an instructor and became a professor in 2002. As the new department head, he becomes Edward Mallinckrodt Professor of Pathology and Immunology.

Computer screens are replacing X-rays and paper files.Surgeons and staff no longer wonder where’s the chart in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine. That’s because the division switched from using paper files to a fully electronic medical record system. Electronic records are thought to improve the quality of care, reduce errors and improve efficiency. The federal government has set a goal for widespread adoption of e-records in medical practices within the next 10 years.

A School of Medicine study showed that germ-free mice that received two prominent human gut microbes got fatter.

J. William Harbour, M.D., a specialist in diagnosing and treating eye tumors, was named the Paul A. Cibis Distinguished Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences.

School of Medicine researchers will study whether putting a normal-weight person on calorie restriction will change markers of aging,

The new Diabetes Center at the Center for Advanced Medicine will provide a new group-care and patient-education approach.

A stitch in time Using a cow’s heart, Kory Lavine (left) learns to do sutures from fellow student Andrew Harger at clinic orientation for new third-year students June 19. Other students (from left) are Michelle Moniz, Alistair Kent and Jeffrey Lau. Photo credit: Ray Marklin

Photo by Robert BostonJean Audrain in the Department of Internal Medicine receives the Dean’s Distinguished Service Award from Larry J. Shapiro, M.D., executive vice chancellor and dean of the School of Medicine.

The opening is part of a long-term plan to make Euclid Avenue a more pedestrian-friendly zone.

Honored were: Marshall E. Bloom, Willard B. Walker, Clay F. Semenkovich, Gregory A. Storch, William H. McAlister, Alan L. Schwartz, and Samuel L. Stanley.