WUSTL in the News

Washington University faculty and staff make news around the world and a sampling of this news coverage is summarized below. Click on the headline for more information on a story and for links (when available) to the story as it appeared online in an external publication.

• Archived News Clips

May 2008

Which Genetic Tests are Really Worth Getting? The Wall Street Journal May 1, 2008 -- With Congress poised to eliminate a big barrier to genetic testing for risk of certain diseases, consumers still face challenges in figuring out which ones offer useful information. Despite heavy marketing by some genetic-test makers, the wide use of genetic tests has been held back by a variety of factors, including questions about the tests' usefulness and concerns that results could be used by employers and insurers to discriminate against people. Critics argue that many tests can't accurately identify which people are at risk for various illnesses. WUSTL medical researcher Brian Gage comments. Includes Web links to learn more about genetic testing.

April 2008

Medical Advances -- Through Your iPhone? BusinessWeek.com and 30 others April 30, 2008 -- Researchers are beginning to understand how mobile phones can cut costs, help solve rural health-care problems, and even reduce medical errors. Of some 30 health-care-related projects at various universities recently funded by Microsoft Research, 17 involve cell phones. One team, at WUSTL, is attempting to take ultrasound readings using a cell phone and a TV.

The roots of alcoholism . . . in the genes? Los Angeles Times April 30, 2008 -- WUSTL psychiatry professor and lead author Carolyn Sartor comments on a new WUSTL study that says: Young people often begin drinking alcohol because of environmental factors, such as peer pressure. But genes appear to be a significant factor in determining whether drinking progresses to problem drinking and alcoholism.

The Vatican on Muslims and Jews U.S. News & World Report online April 30, 2008 -- Article looks at how Pope Benedict XVI is trying to mend fences within the church, with other churches, and with Muslims and Jews. WUSTL religious studies professor Frank Flinn comments.

Genes Explain Race Disparity in Response to a Heart Drug The New York Times and 5 others April 29, 2008 -- Doctors who treat patients with heart failure have long been puzzled that many black patients seem to not respond to a class of drugs called beta blockers. Now researchers at WUSTL and U. Maryland have found that these nonresponsive patients have a slightly altered version of a gene that muscles use to control responses to nerve signals. The discovery raises questions about whom to treat with beta blockers and how to decide, researchers say. But, they add, its implications go beyond heart failure. WUSTL cardiologist and principal investigator Gerald Dorn comments.

Negative rhetoric seen beyond campaign trail Associated Press and 58 others April 28, 2008 -- Scorching rhetoric and negative campaigning aren't confined to the long presidential contest. They're spilling over into other segments of public life. "It's partly this environment where we can't let things slide," said Wayne Fields, director of the American Cultural Studies program at WUSTL. "There's big bucks to be made. These former leaders are going to protect their positions of expertise so they can keep selling books and keep getting speaking engagements."

Wabash Fault holds high earthquake risk United Press International April 28, 2008 -- Scientists said the Wabash Valley Fault in Illinois may pose a higher risk to St. Louis than the better-known New Madrid Fault. The magnitude 5.2 earthquake that originated last week on the Wabash Valley Fault was about 120 miles east of St. Louis. WUSTL seismologists Douglas Wiens and Michael Wysession comment.

Genetic link to alcoholism in women discovered XETC-TV FOX 6 News at 6 a.m. (San Diego CA) and 7 others April 25, 2008 -- Story on the WUSTL medical school research on the genetic link to alcoholism in women. Includes video link to the news story.

Give a leg up The Times Education Supplement (London UK) April 25, 2008 -- So you thought testing was just assessment and either neutral or actively harmful to learning? Well, think again. New research from the U.S. suggests that, far from being a recipe for a blighted childhood, repeated testing is one of the best ways to learn. The active retrieval of facts from the memory that occurs during testing is far more helpful for consolidating knowledge than passive studying. This research was conducted by Purdue's Jeffrey Karpicke and WUSTL psychology professor Henry Roediger.

Study Details New Molecular Approach to Preventing Alzheimer's The Washington Post and 7 others April 25, 2008 -- German researchers are reporting a new approach to the possible prevention of the molecular "debris" that's associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease. WUSTL neurology professor James Galvin called the German research "a novel idea."

Cutting Phosphate May Protect Kidney Patients From Heart Trouble The Washington Post and 11 others April 24, 2008 -- Readily available phosphate-binding drugs could help prevent heart disease in people with chronic kidney disease, a new study in the the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology finds. WUSTL researchers led by pediatric nephrology specialist Keith Hruska and pediatrics instructor Suresh Mathew comment.

Longevity quest moves slowly from lab to life MSNBC.com and 2 others April 23, 2008 -- Human studies plus laboratory work with yeast, worms, flies and rodents are propelling scientists closer to understanding what causes aging, how to delay it -- and how to translate such progress from the lab to real life. One of the studies mentioned was the first calorie restriction clinical trials conducted by WUSTL and LSU.

Dental work claim challenges antiquity of hobbit skeleton Scientific American online April 23, 2008 -- Most paleoanthropologists believe that the 18,000 year old Flores, Indonesia hobbit belongs to a new species of human, But now comes word that the specimen used to define the species appears to have had some dental work. If so, it would mean that the hobbit was just a modern human with a growth disorder, which is what critics have argued all along. Paleoanthropologist and WUSTL radiology professor Charles Hildebolt examined the CT scans and said that it is unlikely that any type of filling material is in the tooth.

May We Scan Your Genome? Newsweek April 22, 2008 -- As personal genetic testing takes off, some worry that marketing is getting ahead of science. With each new marketing push comes new criticism. Some say DNA testing doesn't belong in virtual clinics: One key issue is regulation. WUSTL pediatrics and genetics specialist Thomas Morgan worries that the business is getting ahead of the science. "I might scare myself or reassure myself falsely based on the very limited knowledge that we have."

Computer 'Recreates' Neanderthal Speech FoxNews.com April 17, 2008 -- No one is really sure what Neanderthals sounded like, or even if they could speak. But one Florida researcher thinks he can guess, by using ancient skeletons to reconstruct an approximation of the Neanderthal vocal tract -- and then having a computer recreate the sounds it would make. Neanderthals' inability to produce these vowels would have severely limited their ability to form and understand a complex language, McCarthy argues, though WUSTL anthropologist Erik Trinkaus, one of the world's leading experts on Neanderthals, disagrees. "Ultimately what is important is not the anatomy of the mouth, but the neuronal control of it," Trinkaus.

New study advances method to make energy from farm waste Associated Press and 81 others April 17, 2008 -- 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.

Neanderthals speak out after 30,000 years New Scientist (UK) and FoxNews.com April 16, 2008 -- An anthropologist has used new reconstructions of Neanderthal vocal tracts to simulate the voice. He says the ancient human's speech lacked the "quantal vowel" sounds that underlie modern speech. WUSTL anthropologist Erik Trinkaus comments.

Backed patent bill in trouble in U.S. Senate The Guardian (UK) and 10 others April 15, 2008 -- A long-negotiated patent overhaul bill sought by technology companies and opposed by big pharmaceutical makers ran into trouble in the U.S. Senate. Scott Kieff, WUSTL law professor and patent law expert, comments.

Gut Check: Why Doctors Say Not All Fat Is Created Equal The Wall Street Journal and 2 others April 15, 2008 -- The recent report that having a pot belly in your 40s roughly triples your risk of dementia in later life is just the tip of an ominous iceberg. WUSTL research on liposuction in which found no change in the women's cholesterol levels, triglycerides, insulin sensitivity or other health risks. "If they had lost that much fat by dieting, they would have substantially improved their metabolic profile, but they didn't," says Samuel Klein, director of WUSM's Center for Human Nutrition and the study's principal investigator.

A Climate 'Policy Wonk' in the Making NPR Morning Edition April 14, 2008 -- WUSTL junior Kelley Greenman is featured is today's Morning Edition program on climate change with Richard Harris. Greenman is interested in cliimate change policy issues. The story included a segment about an advising appointment with career counselor Karen Morton and Kelley. Includes an audio link to the story.

Mary Jo Bang Examines Grief's Poetic Form, the Elegy PBS: The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and 1 others April 11, 2008 -- In Thursday night's installment of its Poetry Series, WUSTL writer Mary Jo Bang examines grief's poetic form, the elegy. She is professor of English and director of the Creative Writing Program at WUSTL. Her fifth book, "Elegy," which won of the National Book Critics Circle Award, examines the pain and grief following the death of her son. She shares two poems from the collection. Includes a video link to this story.

NASA Spacecraft Fine Tunes Course For Mars Landing ScienceDaily.com and 21 others April 11, 2008 -- NASA engineers have adjusted the flight path of the Phoenix Mars Lander, setting the spacecraft on course for its May 25 landing on the Red Planet. ...

Researchers zero in on Alzheimer's plaque origin Agence France Presse and 13 others April 10, 2008 -- WUSTL researchers have found that a key ingredient for the formation of Alzheimer's plaques is produced by a brain cell activity. WUSTL neurology professor and the study's first author John Cirrito comments.

Autism Cases on the Rise; Reason for Increase a Mystery WebMD.com April 3, 2008 -- The number of children diagnosed with autism or related disorders has grown at what many call an alarming rate. Some of the increase in reported cases is because of "diagnostic substitution," says WUSTL social work professor Paul Shattuck, an autism researcher.

Genetic Link Tied to Smoking Addiction Associated Press and 256 others April 3, 2008 -- The discovery by three separate teams of scientists makes the strongest case so far for the biological underpinnings of nicotine addiction and sheds more light on how genetics and lifestyle habits join forces to cause cancer. This finding could someday lead to screening tests and customized treatments for smokers trying to kick the habit. "This is really telling us that the vulnerability to smoking and how much you smoke is clearly biologically based," said WUSTL psychiatry professor Laura Bierut, a genetics and smoking expert who did not take part in the studies. She praised the research as "very intriguing."

Hillary Clinton's expectations contradict United Press International April 2, 2008 -- The challenge facing Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton is that people have contradictory expectations of women leaders. WUSTL business professor Judi McLean Parks says the character traits associated with people in leadership positions are stereotypically masculine -- being assertive or competitive.

Consumer Debt, Not Housing Bubble, May Be Root of Economic Woes ConsumerAffairs.com April 2, 2008 -- WUSTL's Steven Fazzari, economics professor, comments on rising consumer indebtedness and it's role in the economic slowdown. Fazzari sees fundamental changes in the economy that are reducing the effectiveness of consumer spending as an economic driver.

Reverse Your Risk Good Housekeeping April 1, 2008 -- WUSTL researcher Kathryn Diemer, clinical director of WUSTL's Bone Health Program, talks about bone-mineral density and other fracture risks in aging women.

March 2008

Commentary: Can insomnia kill? Los Angeles Times March 31, 2008 -- Commentary on insomnia mentions sleep studies of twins by WUSTL psychiatry professor Andrew Heath.

George W. Bush: The bygone American The Globe and Mail (Canada) March 31, 2008 -- All presidents in the final year of a final term are lame ducks, but the media now is mostly ignoring Bush and focusing more on the battling candidates. WUSTL economics professor Murray Weidenbaum comments.

Angioplasty's golden era may be fading USA Today and 1 others March 27, 2008 -- Three major studies published in the past two years indicate that using the angioplasty to open blocked arteries to treat chest pain, or angina, may be riskier and no more beneficial than medication. WUSTL cardiologist Michael Rich comments on the study.

McCain works to answer age and health questions Boston Globe and 5 others March 27, 2008 -- David Carr, clinical director of WUSTL's division of geriatrics and nutritional science, said the fact that McCain has gone five years without a melanoma recurrence is good news.

Fed Bank Appoints Bullard as President The Wall Street Journal March 26, 2008 -- The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, has appointed as president James Bullard, an 18-year veteran of the bank's research staff and an adjunct faculty memeber at WUSTL.

Staying in shape 'hard for women' BBC News (UK) and 1 others March 26, 2008 -- Differences in the way male and female bodies metabolise food means older women do not use protein as effectively to maintain muscle, a new study by University of Nottingham and WUSTL researchers found. The study was published in the journal PLOS One.

NASA Cut Means No Roving for Mars Rover Associated Press and 92 others March 25, 2008 -- Scientists plan to put one of the twin Mars rovers to sleep and limit the activities of the other robot to fulfill a NASA order to cut $4 million from the program's budget, mission team members said Monday. The cut comes at a time when the robots are in the midst of an extensive exploration campaign, said deputy principal investigator and WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ray Arvidson.

Study: Neanderthals Not Doomed by Skull Shape FoxNews.com and 1 others March 25, 2008 -- WUSTL's Erik Trinkaus comments on a study that tries to refute the idea that natural selection caused skull differences between Neanderthals and modern humans.

Order in the jungle - Economics and the rule of law The Economist March 17, 2008 -- Article refers to the theory of WUSTL economist Douglass North and his view that stable, predictable laws encourage investment and growth.

Antarctica's unique space rocks BBC News (UK) March 14, 2008 -- A pair of meteorites discovered in Antarctica are in a class all of their own, a major space conference has been told. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor Ryan Zeigler comments.

Finding Industry Funding Science Magazine March 14, 2008 -- WUSTL's Karen Wooley, professor of chemistry, comments on the difficulties and approaches academic researchers use to garner industry funding.

New Study Raises Questions on Anesthesia Monitoring System The Washington Post and 1 others March 14, 2008 -- The horrifying experience of anesthesia awareness happens to between 20,000 and 40,000 Americans every year. A WUSTL study in the New England Journal of Medicine led by WUSTL anesthesiology professor Michael Avidan is raising questions about a monitor used by about 60 percent of U.S. operating rooms in an effort to prevent these frightening cases.

Dementia Diagnosis May Relieve Patients Associated Press and 110 others March 13, 2008 -- Doctors often hesitate to tell patients they likely suffer from Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia, fearing the news will overwhelm them. Not only did the diagnosis not increase anxiety or depression among patients and their caregivers, but most were relieved to have symptoms explained and a way to find help. But a WUSTL medical study suggests physicians need not worry. Researchers amd WUSTL psychology professor Brian Carpenter and neurology proessor John Morris comment. The study, which appears in the March issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, gauged depression and anxiety two days before and two days after an evaluation and diagnosis.

Monitors Don't Stop Patients From Waking Associated Press and 138 others March 13, 2008 -- Article on anesthesia awareness. Patients say they wake up during surgery, unable to move or scream. Some experts have said special brain-wave monitors were the best way to prevent anesthesia awareness. Now, in a big setback for efforts to prevent it, the first large, independent test of the monitors shows they are no better than older technology. WUSTL medical school researchers led by anesthesiology professor Michael Avidan comments. The study was published in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Getty Museum Buys a Seldom-Exhibited Gauguin The New York Times March 12, 2008 -- The J. Paul Getty Museum announced Tuesday that it had acquired "Arii Matamoe," an 1892 painting by Paul Gauguin that has been in a private collection in Switzerland for decades and has been exhibited publicly only once since 1946. Elizabeth Childs, a Gauguin scholar who is chairwoman of WUSTL's art history and archaeology department, comments.

Commentary: Let The Markets Regulate Microsoft Forbes.com March 12, 2008 -- WUSTL law professor Scott Kieff writes a commentary about regulating Microsoft. He is also a research fellow at Stanford University' s Hoover Institution, where he runs the Hoover Project on Commercializing Innovation, which studies the law, economics and politics of innovation.

The Crew of STS-123 The New York Times March 11, 2008 -- Article profiles the seven men who make up the crew of the shuttle Endeavour's mission to the International Space Station. The youngest member of the crew is WUSTL alum Robert Behnken. He will conduct three spacewalks, and will operate the space station's robotic arm during the other spacewalks.

Which Democrat Has Bigger Coattails? CBS News.com and 1 others March 11, 2008 -- Democrats now hold slim majorities in the House and Senate, and the party is expected to make gains in both chambers in November. Clinton's presence on the ticket could make it harder for Democrats in tight races, some suggest. But Steven Smith, political science professor at WUSTL, questions the notion that Obama would necessarily give Democrats a bigger boost than Clinton would.

Wild ass tamed, buried with Egyptian king MSNBC.com and 14 others March 11, 2008 -- One of the earliest Egyptian kings carried his "beasts of burden" into the afterlife. Paleoscientists discovered the skeletons of 10 donkeys nestled in three mud graves dating back 5,000 years ago when Egypt was just forming a state. WUSTL anthropologist Fiona Marshall comments. The new findings are reported online in the March 10 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Stress Can Help Trigger Stroke The Washington Post and 8 others March 4, 2008 -- The notion that stress can help bring on a stroke may have merit, British researchers say. WUSTL neurology professor Mark Goldberg comments.

Nurturing Our Microbes Science News Online March 3, 2008 -- Cover story on the impact gut bacteria have on our health includes the research of WUSTL microbiologist Jeffrey Gordon.

Experts Study Neuroscience Use in Courts Associated Press and 82 others March 3, 2008 -- Brain scans have emerged as potentially powerful tools in court battles over defendants' sanity. More defense attorneys are seeking scans showing brain damage or abnormalities that might have made it difficult for their clients to control violent impulses. Marcus E. Raichle, researcher of neurology and radiology at the School of Medicine, comments.

February 2008

Analysis: Debate Unlikely to Change Race Associated Press and 66 others Feb. 27, 2008 -- WUSTL's Wayne Fields comments on final pitches by Democratic presidential candidates as they head into the last weeks of primary elections.

Drake, Washington U. stars set pace for Academic All-Americans ESPN.com Feb. 27, 2008 -- WUSTL senior forward Troy Ruths heads the 2008 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America men's basketball teams. Ruths is the Academic All-American of the Year for the second straight year in the college division and carries a 4.0 grade-point average in computer science.

Extracurriculars That Count BusinessWeek.com Feb. 26, 2008 -- Nanette Tarbouni, WUSTL undergraduate admissions director, talks about the importance of extracurriculars in undergraduate applications.

Group says it has mapped corn genome Associated Press and 76 others Feb. 26, 2008 -- Richard Wilson, director of WUSTL's Genome Sequencing Center, comments on the successful mapping of the corn genome.

Latest thinking on avoiding heart disease Chicago Tribune Feb. 25, 2008 -- Connie Diekman, president of the American Dietetic Association and director of nutrition at WU comments on the latest recommendations on diet exercise and hearth health.

Stanford Set to Raise Aid for Students in Middle The New York Times and 4 others Feb. 21, 2008 -- WUSTL has need-based loans with grants for students from families earning less than $60,000. many prominent universities are moving to expand financial aid to the middle class.

Fossett Remembered for Daredevil Spirit Associated Press and 197 others Feb. 18, 2008 -- Self-made business tycoon And WUSTL business alum Steve Fossett, whose thirst for adrenaline drove him to fly around the world solo in a balloon, climb mountains and aim for speed records, has been declared dead, 5 months after his small plane vanished. He was 63.

Clemens Autograph Seekers May Have Broken Federal Law The New York Times Feb. 14, 2008 -- WUSTL 's Kathleen Clark, law professor, comments on members of the House oversight committee who asked Roger Clemens for an autograph during his tour of the Capitol. The requests may have violated a federal law against soliciting things of value from people with interests before the committee,

Program offers hourly car rentals in downtown St. Louis Associated Press and 13 others Feb. 14, 2008 -- Enterprise Rent-A-Car and St. Louis have partnered to make nine hybrid cars available for rental in downtown St. Louison an hourly basis. In January, Enterprise launched a similar WeCar program at WUSTL.

Exercise: Parkinson's Patients Benefit From Tango The New York Times Feb. 12, 2008 -- A new study reports that when Parkinson's patients took tango classes, their balance improved.The lead author is Madeleine E. Hackney of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Parents learn how to let go in the technological age NPR Morning Edition Feb. 8, 2008 -- When kids head off to college, parents are forced to separate themselves from what has been a constant hands-on job for years. Parents and students comment on "Letting Go: A Parents' Guide to Understanding the College Year," by WUSTL's Karen Levin Coburn.

Drug Informant Fights Deportation NPR Day to Day Feb. 8, 2008 -- A Nigerian immigrant here facing deportation says he's going to be tortured and killed if he is, in fact, sent back home. Frank Enwonwu was caught smuggling heroin 22 years ago. Since then he's lived the dangerous life of an informant for federal drug authorities. He claims part of the deal was a promise to allow him to stay in the U.S. and escape revenge from the Nigerian drug dealers. Professor Stephen Legomsky, an immigration law expert at Washington University in St. Louis, comments.

Missouri vote signals complex national mood Chicago Tribune Feb. 7, 2008 -- Missouri has an uncanny ability to choose presidential winners, going with the loser only once in the past century (Adlai Stevenson in 1956). The state is effectively an intersection of cultural forces — urban and rural, north and south, east and west — and it periodically swings with prevailing national moods. WUSTL American culture studies director Wayne Fields comments.

LUNCHTIME LIVE! Today: Q & A with political analyst Steve Smith KARE 11 News (MN) Feb. 5, 2008 -- Steve Smith answers questions on the Minnesota caucuses for KARE 11, LUNCHTIME LIVE!. Smith is the director of the Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, and Public Policy at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

January 2008

Clot-Busting Drug Offers New Approach to DVT U.S. News & World Report online and 5 others Jan. 29, 2008 -- When it comes to treating deep vein thrombosis, injecting the clot-busting drug alteplase (rTPA) directly into clots in the legs reduces the risk of complications and recurrence, a small U.S. study suggests. WUSTL radiology and surgery professor Suresh Vedantham thinks that this method of dissolving clots could eventually become an outpatient procedure.

Looks are important in the campaign NPR Marketplace Morning Report Jan. 29, 2008 -- NPR reports on a study that suggests what a candidate looks like has a lot to do with their chances of getting elected. Scott Jagow of Marketplace talks to study head and WUSTL marketing professor Michael Lewis about how appearance factors into the campaign.

Women who undergo breast reconstruction after cancer surgery are twice as likely to develop an infection The Times (London) Jan. 29, 2008 -- News item on WUSTL medical research -- Women who undergo breast reconstruction after cancer surgery are twice as likely to develop an infection at the surgical site if they are given a prosthetic implant instead of their own tissue. The study appeared in the January issue of Archives of Surgery.

1,000 Genomes Project St. Louis Post-Dispatch Jan. 28, 2008 -- The 1,000 Genomes Project, an international research effort that includes WUSTL scientists, will sequence the genomes of one thousand people from different parts of the globe. Elaine Mardis, co-director of WUSTL's Genome Sequencing Center, comments.

Building a Spenser collection for the ages Los Angeles Times and 1 others Jan. 28, 2008 -- Joseph Loewenstein, a Renaissance literature expert at WUSTL, is leading a team of graduate and undergraduate students to compile, edit, annotate and digitize Spenser's complete oeuvre.

First shoes are 40,000 years old The Sun (UK) and 13 others Jan. 23, 2008 -- The first shoes were designed at least 40,000 years ago. Scientists made the toe-curling discovery while examining bones from the feet of a 40,000-year-old skeleton found in a cave near Beijing in China. The study by WUSTL's Erik Trinkaus professor of anthropology and research scientist Hong Shang was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

Study Says Implants Double Risk of Infection After Breast Reconstructive Surgery The New York Times and 27 others Jan. 22, 2008 -- More than one in 20 patients undergoing breast surgery later developed infections at incision sites, according to a new study, a complication that was more common than thought. Study co-authors WUSTL infectious diseases professor Margaret Olsen and WUSTL plastic and reconstructive surgery professor Keith Brandt comment.

Blonde Ambition: Iconic Blondes Shape History ABC News -- Good Morning America Jan. 22, 2008 -- The art exhibit "Beauty and the Blonde: An Exploration of American Art and Popular Culture," is being presented by WUSTL's Kemper Art Museum. It is curated by Catharina Manchanda, and it includes the famous silkscreens of Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe and Roy Lichtenstein's pop art images of blondes in comics.

The New Theology Chicago Tribune magazine Jan. 22, 2008 -- The Chicago Tribune magazine story on the conflict between Darwin and theology. Ursula Goodenough professor of biology comments on the conflict.

A Shaky Season for Student Loans Business Week Online Jan. 18, 2008 -- Student financial aid season is getting off to a shaky start. The industry is experiencing jitters as the fallout from the subprime credit crisis trickles down to lenders who make private loans, as well as companies that also issue federal loans. Bill Witbrodt, director of WUSTL student financial aid services, says he has not seen students directly affected yet, but expects that could change.

Car sharing makes its area debut St. Louis Post-Dispatch and 3 others Jan. 16, 2008 -- WUSTL parking and transportation director Lisa Underwood comments on a new collaboration with Enterprise Rent-A-Car on a new car-sharing program, called WeCar, on campus.

A Growing College Rivalry: The Fight for Faculty Stars The Washington Post Jan. 14, 2008 -- Dealmaking is constant, delicate and increasingly competitive as schools hunt for ways to attract top educators and keep their own stars from straying. The benefits to playing the faculty shuffle are many; academic prestige and grant money often come with new recruits. Some universities play down faculty member moves, calling them part of the recruitment process in higher education. Others refer to many of the raids on star faculty members by competing universities as poaching or outright theft. "Top-talent people who are happy and successful and thriving as academicians are free agents," said Mark Wrighton, chancellor at WUSTL.

A few tips to lead a 'greener' lifestyle DailyIndia.com (FL) and 3 others Jan. 14, 2008 -- Matt Malten, WUSTL assistant vice chancellor for campus sustainability, offers a few tips on how to lessen your impact on the environment without spending a lot of bucks. "The old adage of reduce, reuse, recycle remains apropos. We must remind ourselves that the first step is always to reduce our demand of natural resources," Malten said.

A faith-based stop for the president Chicago Tribune and 1 others Jan. 11, 2008 -- WUSTL American culture studies Professor Wayne Fields comments on President Bush's recent Mideast trip. "President Bush believes in a religion of dramatic revelations — his conversion and 9/11 being the most notable — in which a person's life is transformed or the world is changed," said WUSTL American culture studies professor Wayne Fields. "These moments ... are the sources of the important 'truths' which inform his understanding of life and shape his behavior as well as his rhetoric."

Eat less for a youthful heart Hindustan Times (India) and 5 others Jan. 11, 2008 -- 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.

Mimicking plant evolution proves fruitful MSNBC.com Jan. 11, 2008 -- By mimicking plant evolution, a team of Illinois researchers has improved upon nature's design to build a leafy energy-producing powerhouse — or at least a virtual one on a supercomputer. In a study published within the journal Plant Physiology, WUSTL biology and chemistry professor Robert Blankenship comments on the Illinois study.

Maine program brightens college prospects -- at birth The Christian Science Monitor Jan. 10, 2008 -- The new Harold Alfond College Challenge is a first-in-the nation philanthropic program that will give families statewide a $500 starter grant — and assistance with paperwork — to set up 529 college savings accounts for infants. About 80 percent of account owners who receive matching grants in Maine continue to make contributions, according to a study by WUSTL.

Plant-like protein underpins common parasites' ability to infect DailyIndia.com (FL) and 7 others Jan. 10, 2008 -- WUSTL researchers led by WUSTL molecular microbiology professor David Sibley have revealed that Toxoplasma gondii, a common human parasite, uses a plant-like protein for signalling when to increase its numbers and when to be dormant. T. gondii is found in one in every four humans causing serious disease in patients with weakened immune systems.

Insights Into Cell Movement Likely to Aid Immune Study, Cancer Research ScienceDaily.com and 5 others Jan. 9, 2008 -- WUSTL School of Medicine scientists have used yeast cells to better understand a collection of proteins associated with the formation of actin networks, which are essential to cell movement. WUSTL cell biology and physiology Professor and senior study author John Cooper, WUSTL physics professor Anders Carlsson, and Brian Galletta, a postdoctoral scholar in Cooper's lab, comment.

Ancient cave bears were as omnivorous as modern bears DailyIndia.com (FL) and 6 others Jan. 8, 2008 -- An International team of researchers has suggested that Pleistocene cave bears from the Carpathian region in Europe, were as omnivorous as modern bears. For the past 30 years, studies of their bones and teeth, and especially the nitrogen isotopes in their bone protein, had led to the conclusion that these ancient bears were largely vegetarian. Erik Trinkaus, WUSTL professor of anthropology, was part of this study.

Why smoking behind the bike sheds could harm your grades New Scientist (UK) Jan. 8, 2008 -- Parents may now have another reason to worry about their children smoking. Nicotine may cause the teenage brain to develop abnormally, resulting in changes to the structure of white matter — the neural tissue through which signals are relayed. WUSTL School of Medicine's Richard Todd comments.

Huckabee oratory deemed 'low-key,' Obama's classic The Boston Globe Jan. 7, 2008 -- WUSTL political rhetoric specialist Wayne Fields is one of the experts commenting on victory speeches following the Iowa presidential caucuses.

Pundit Says Iowa's Power to Pick the President May Be Over All Headline News online Jan. 7, 2008 -- This year's Iowa caucus may be the last time the largely rural, sparsely populated and predominately white conservative Midwestern state exerts a huge influence on the U.S. presidential nomination process, a political expert predicted. WUSTL political science professor Steven Smith comments.

Winners of the 2008 Awards for Distinction Announced ArtDaily.org Jan. 7, 2008 -- Ronald Leax, WUSTL professor of art, received a CAA award as part of their eleven Awards for Distinction for 2008. These annual awards honor outstanding member achievements and reaffirm CAA's mission to encourage the highest standards of scholarship, practice, and teaching in the arts.

Evolution Book Sees No Science-Religion Gap The New York Times and 6 others Jan. 4, 2008 -- In 1984 and again in 1999, the National Academy of Sciences, the nation's most eminent scientific organization, produced books on the evidence supporting the theory of evolution and arguing against the introduction of creationism or other religious alternatives in public school science classes. Barbara A. Schaal, a vice president of the academy and an evolutionary biologist at WUSTL, comments on the third volume recently published.

Dwarf Gene Discovery: Explanation for Hobbit Species? ABC News Jan. 4, 2008 -- In a discovery that could help boost understanding of a rare type of dwarfism, researchers announced today that they have found a genetic culprit for the condition. WUSTL genetics professor Anne Bowcock and WUSTL radiology professor Charles Hildebolt comment.

Smoking link to hearing problems BBC News online and 3 others Jan. 3, 2008 -- Teenagers who smoke, or whose mother smoked in pregnancy, are at higher risk of hearing problems and understanding what is being said, a Yale University study says. WUSTL psychiatry professor Richard Todd comments.

December 2007

Washington U. studies creation of public health school St. Louis Business Journal and 3 others Dec. 28, 2007 -- WUSTL is exploring the possibility of increasing its involvement in the health of the region by establishing its own school of public health. As part of a strategic planning process currently under way at the university, WUSTL medical school dean Larry Shapiro and social work dean Edward Lawlor are investigating how the university can expand its focus on public health, according to Rob Wild, assistant to the chancellor.

The Cataracts Are Gone -- and So Is the Need for Glasses U.S. News & World Report Dec. 17, 2007 -- For the millions of baby boomers who will eventually need cataract surgery, here's some cheering news: New types of implantable lenses promise to restore your youthful vision. Unlike the standard single-power lenses doctors have been implanting for 30 years, the newer multifocal intraocular lenses and accommodating lenses allow patients to see near, far, and in between--and even to shed their glasses. WUSTL ophthalmology professor Jay Pepose talks about one of the options.

Synopsis of Fossett disappearance Chicago Daily Herald and 103 others Dec. 17, 2007 -- News coverage of the disappearance of WUSTL board member Steve Fossett. Coverage mentions Fossett as member of board of trusties as well as alumnus of the University. F. Gilbert Bickel III, a senior vice president at Morgan Stanley who worked with Fossett on Washington University's board of trustees was quoted.

Clustering High Tech Firms Advances Economic Development Nanotechnology Now online and 3 others Dec. 14, 2007 -- It is a common economic development strategy to locate similar firms close to each other. WUSTL business professor Barak Aharonson shows the tactic is most effective when companies are within 500 meters of each other. After that, the benefits of proximity quickly lose its power.

Jupiter's Moon Europa: What Could Be Under The Ice? ScienceDaily.com and 3 others Dec. 14, 2007 -- Jupiter's moon Europa is just as far away as ever, but new research is bringing scientists closer to being able to explore its tantalizing ice-covered ocean and determine its potential for harboring life. WUSTL earth and planetary sciences professor William McKinnon is discussing some of these recent findings and new opportunities for exploring Europa in a news briefing today at the meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco.

Technique controls nanoparticle size, creates large numbers Nanotechnology Now online and 2 others Dec. 4, 2007 -- 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.

September 2007

Analysis: Bush recasts war rationale Associated Press and 38 others Sept. 17, 2007 -- WUSTL English professor Wayne Fields, who is an expert on presidential rhetoric, comments on President Bush's speech on Iraq.

When the limits push back The New York Times Sept. 17, 2007 -- The public appetite for the psychological intricacies of risk is being served by the release of two new movies about people who sought out extreme environments, then died in them. WUSTL psychiatry professor Robert Cloninger says not all risk takers are the same. He is the author of Feeling Good: The Science of Well-Being. Cloninger comments about Steve Fossett and others.

Oil Prices Retreat After Reaching New Highs Voice of America Sept. 14, 2007 -- Americans are accustomed to seeing gasoline prices drop in the months of September and October, but that may not happen this year, according to some analysts. What effect does expensive gasoline have on ordinary Americans? Researchers at WUSTL say they have found that when gasoline prices go up, obesity rates in the United States go down. In addition, higher energy costs leave Americans with less cash to spend at restaurants and at the grocery store.

Retirement Cash: Will You Have Enough? Readers Digest (NY) Sept. 7, 2007 -- There's a gap between the dream of retirement and the reality Americans face. A recent study from WUSTL School of Social Work estimates that 4 out of 10 people over age 60 will fall below the poverty line at some point in their later years. Countless more will watch their dream retirement fade as they discover that their savings barely cover their immediate needs. But the prospect of fiscal free fall has yet to alter most Americans' behavior, and baby boomers are saving a scant third of what they'll need.

Clinton getting kid glove Chicago Daily Herald Sept. 4, 2007 -- If the Democratic presidential primary was always going to boil down to a who-can-beat-Hillary contest, it seemed somewhat odd that opponents were letting her glide along largely unscathed. WUSTL political science professor emeritus James Davis comments.

August 2007

Dr. Louis Arrone discusses new research showing some obesity may be caused by virus NBC Today Show Aug. 23, 2007 -- Matt Lauer hosts this segment and speaks with nutrition experts about new research that suggests that some types of obesity may be linked to a common virus. WUSTL nutrition researcher Samuel Klein is one of the experts commenting.

Resources for students looking to start a business Chicago Tribune Aug. 20, 2007 -- There is a growing number of college students interested in starting a business. Experts point to a growing skepticism about job security as one of the motivations. The Internet also has helped, making it possible to set up and run a business from a dorm room at a fraction of the cost of renting office space. Article offers some pointers, such as using college resources. For example, WUSTL runs an entrepreneurial program that gives students access to advisers, storefront space and other useful tools, including information on raising money and paying taxes.

Two plead guilty in dogfighting case tied to vick The New York Times and 4 others Aug. 17, 2007 -- Two more individuals who pleaded not guilty last month along with Michael Vick to charges stemming from a dog fighting ring agreed to plea agreements with the government. He faces three felony charges related to dog fighting and could face up to five years in prison and as much as a $250,000 fine if found guilty. Christopher Bracey, a professor of law and African American Studies at WUSTL, comments in a telephone interview.

In milestone, FDA pushes genetic tests tied to drug The Wall Street Journal Aug. 16, 2007 -- A case featuring a St. Louis woman and the powerful blood thinner called warfarin shows the advances in personalized medicine, where treatment is tailored to an individual's genetic makeup. But, in a possible harbinger of battles to come, the warfarin tests have also led to a clash between the FDA and some doctors. WUSTL medical researcher Brian Gage comments.

A most unlikely father and son CBS Evening News / Assignment America and 6 others Aug. 13, 2007 -- This past Friday, on the CBS Evening News, Steve Hartman's "Assignment America" segment featured the special relationship between WUSTL architecture professor Bob Hansman and his adopted son Jovan.

July 2007

The new safeties The New York Times July 30, 2007 -- With more students applying each year, many colleges that were traditionally considered safeties, including WUSTL, have shed that label, sending applicants scrambling to find replacements.

Second Acts: Stage to Social Work The New York Times July 30, 2007 -- Many actors -- most, in fact -- eventually end up in other fields, especially as they age out of their roles. But the search for greater fulfillment in a second career is not restricted to show business types. An increasing number of adults exchange lucrative, glamorous jobs for the helping professions, notably social work and the nonprofit sector. Washington University in St. Louis actively recruits older adults for its program. The dean, Edward F. Lawlor, appreciates their motivation. ''They know why they're here, because they made an active choice to change careers,'' he says.

Gene behind itch sensation identified Hindustan Times (India) July 27, 2007 -- Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have for the first time identified the gene that is responsible for the itch sensation. Led by Dr. Zhou-Feng Chen, the researchers gave itchy stimuli to mice. They found that rodents who lacked GRPR scratched much less than their normal cage-mates.

Patients take action on early Alzheimer's USA Today and 1 others July 25, 2007 -- Say "Alzheimer's" and most people think of a confused, disoriented older person slumped in a wheelchair, says John Morris, a neurologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. People with mild forms of the disease do have some forgetfulness, but they usually can perform most daily activities without help, he says.

GMA medical alert; does soda create heart risk? ABC News July 25, 2007 -- We've known that all those calories and sugar in regular soda can be a problem. But now a new study says even diet soda could put you in harm's way. Specifically, soda drinkers are at a 31% increased risk of obesity, a 30% increased likelihood of an expanding waistline, and a 25% increased risk of have been abnormal sugar levels. WUSTL's Connie Diekman says the study does not conclusively show the risk.

Straightening bent fingers, no surgery required The New York Times July 24, 2007 -- Needle aponeurotomy, which leaves only superficial puncture wounds, was developed 30 years ago by a group of French rheumatologists and is now being practiced in the United States by fewer than a dozen physicians. Thousands of patients are flocking to these doctors every year, many against the advice of hand surgeons who say open hand surgery is more effective. ''Surgery has a lower recurrence rate,'' said Dr. Richard Gelberman, chairman of the department of orthopedics at Washington University in St. Louis, and president of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.

When it comes to walking, we've got the jump on chimps Los Angeles Times and 18 others July 17, 2007 -- A new study has found that walking on two legs is 75% easier for you than it is for a chimpanzee. David Raichlen and Herman Pontzer, professors at the University of Arizona and WUSTL, respectively, investigated the costs of walking upright and on all fours in chimps and humans.

Joke comprehension may decrease with age, study at St. Louis university suggests International Herald Tribune (France) and 206 others July 11, 2007 -- It's no laughing matter: a new study suggests older adults have a harder time getting jokes as they age. The research indicates that because older adults may have greater difficulty with cognitive flexibility, abstract reasoning and short-term memory, they also have greater difficulty with tests of humor comprehension. The research conducted by WUSTL graduate student Wingyun Mak and WUSTL psychology professor Brian Carpenter. Findings were published earlier this month in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society.