WUSTL chancellor Mark S. Wrighton is trying to establish meaningful relationships with foreign universities, in hopes of engaging large numbers of WUSTL students and faculty members, encouraging robust research collaborations, and cultivating a more global campus.

References:

1. Feb. 27, 2009 — U.S. Colleges Get Serious With Partners Overseas in the The Chronicle of Higher Education

Arch Coal Inc., one of the world's biggest coal producers, reports earnings for the fourth quarter and full-year 2008 before the market opens Friday. Last month, Arch Coal and Peabody announced they are combining with Ameren Corp. and WUSTL to try and make St. Louis the nation's center for clean coal research and education.

References:

1. Jan. 29, 2009 — Arch Coal set to release 4Q earnings in the Associated Press State & Local Wire

and 3 others.

In a Dec. 8th news conference in Hong Kong, twenty-five premier research universities from around the world, including WUSTL, announced the establishment of the Consortium for Clean Coal Utilization to promote research and applications of clean coal technology.

References:

1. Dec. 9, 2008 — Story on the establishment of the Consortium for Clean Coal Utilization in the Xinhua News Agency (China)

and 11 others.

Two major coal companies and one of the Midwest's largest utilities are combining with WUSTL to try and make St. Louis the nation's center for clean coal research and education.

References:

1. Dec. 2, 2008 — Effort would make St. Louis clean coal focal point in the Associated Press State & Local Wire

and 13 others.

Anticipating a national rule on mercury removal from coal flue gas, technology providers jockey for position in this new market. Pratim Biswas, who chairs the department of energy, environmental, and chemical engineering at WUSTL, says titanium dioxide shows promise as an efficient mercury-removal mechanism.

References:

1. Nov. 24, 2008 — Getting Rid Of Mercury in the Chemical & Engineering News

The Beijing Olympics begin in just over three weeks, and the Chinese are trying to clear the air. In a recent test, Beijing's air failed to meet international health guidelines six days out of seven. WUSTL chemical engineering professor Jay Turner comments.

References:

1. July 15, 2008 — China trying different things to improve air quality for Olympics in the CBS Evening News

With ethanol looking less and less like the ideal alternative to fossil fuels, companies are rushing to come up with better options, such as biobutanol. WUSTL chemical engineering professor Lars Angenent is experimenting with using corn waste from ethanol plants to make butanol.

References:

1. June 30, 2008 — Betting on a Biofuel in the The Wall Street Journal

WUSTL engineers, including WUSTL chemical engineering professor Muthanna Al-Dahhan, using imaging technology have found that vigorous mixing helps microorganisms turn farm waste into alternative energy.
The goal is to produce a simple method that farmers can use to treat their waste and generate energy.

References:

1. April 16, 2008 — New study advances method to make energy from farm waste in the Associated Press

and 81 others.

WUSTL medical school scientists examined a group of healthy, overweight but not obese, middle-aged men and women and found that a yearlong regimen of either calorie restriction or exercise increase had positive effects on their heart function. WUSTL professor and study senior author Sandor Kovacs comments.

References:

1. Jan. 11, 2008 — Eat less for a youthful heart in the Hindustan Times (India)

and 5 others.

WUSTL chemical engineering professor Pratim Biswas has a method that controls the size of the nanoparticles he makes, opening up possibilities for new nanotechnology applications and different techniques.
Biswas described the technique and his work in a recent issue of Nanotechnology.
He is currently collaborating with WUSTL radiology professor Sam Achilefu, who is working to selectively deliver chemotherapy drugs in cancer patients.

References:

1. Dec. 3, 2007 — Technique controls nanoparticle size, creates large numbers in the Nanotechnology Now online

and 2 others.

You may have one of the biggest risk factors for heart attack, and your doctor doesn't even know it. While doctors screening for heart problems know to monitor smoking, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, few pay attention to a potentially more serious foe: depression. "In cardiology there have been dozens of studies done on hypertension," said Kenneth Freedland, professor of psychiatry at the School of Medicine, who has been studying the link between depression and heart disease since the 1980s. "We need to make sure the public and medical community understand that this is an important problem, too."

References:

1. Feb. 23, 2004 — Depression: hidden cause of heart attack? in the The Wall Street Journal

and 2 others.