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Groundbreaking genome-editing technique holds promise for treating Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease

Scientific advances in the last century have changed our world significantly. For example, the world of genetics has opened doors to a myriad of possibilities: augmented human capabilities, cures for diseases, and even changes to the course of evolution.

19 Dec 2023

Radiation therapy could improve cardiac function in heart failure

Cardiologists and radiation oncologists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis pioneered the use of radiation therapy -; a strategy typically used against cancer -; to treat patients with a life-threatening abnormal heart rhythm called ventricular tachycardia.

28 Nov 2023

Reducing cholesterol esters protects the brain against Alzheimer's-like damage

In Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, cognitive decline is driven by the overaccumulation of a normal brain protein known as tau.

22 Nov 2023

Study finds suboptimal follow-up and fall prevention for older adults after fall-related head injury

Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries in the United States for adults ages 65 and older. With 1 in 4 older adults falling annually, 27,000 deaths, 8 million emergency department (ED) visits, and 800,000 hospitalizations have occurred.

20 Nov 2023

Experts shed light on how autism affects the diagnosis, treatment of epilepsy and vice versa

Compared with the general population, epilepsy is more common in people with autism-;and autism is more common in people with epilepsy. How can autism affect the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy, and vice versa? Joy Mazur spoke to Dr. Colin Reilly and Dr. Stéphane Auvin.

17 Nov 2023

Study finds more mature gut microbiome in malnourished Nigerien children after antibiotic treatment

Malnutrition threatens the lives of millions of children under age 5, causing about 500,000 deaths per year in low- and middle-income countries.

19 Oct 2023

Researchers receive NCI grant for the development of new pancreatic cancer therapies

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received an NCI grant that will provide about $10.9 million to research programs for the development of new therapies for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the deadliest form of pancreatic cancer.

17 Oct 2023

ME/CFS and Long COVID: A closer look at the similarities and differences

While myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and Long COVID are not the same disease, they appear to have features of overlapping biological and symptomatic presentations.

23 Aug 2023

Aspirin underutilized for preventing heart attack, stroke

For people who have experienced a heart attack or stroke, taking a daily aspirin has been shown to help prevent a second one.

22 Aug 2023

Fallout from COVID-19 may persist even two years after infection

In the spring, the U.S. government and the World Health Organization declared an end to the COVID-19 global health emergency.

22 Aug 2023

A new Medicare proposal would cover training for family caregivers

Even with extensive caregiving experience, Patti LaFleur was unprepared for the crisis that hit in April 2021, when her mother, Linda LaTurner, fell out of a chair and broke her hip.

18 Aug 2023

Scientists identify key proteins driving cancer across multiple tumor types

Scientists have completed a deep analysis of the proteins driving cancer across multiple tumor types, information that can't be assessed by genome sequencing alone.

14 Aug 2023

New pathway for HIV to enter nucleus of healthy cells identified

A study published on August 10, 2023 in the journal Nature Communications has identified a new pathway that human immune deficiency virus (HIV) uses to enter the nucleus of a healthy cell, where it can then replicate and go on to invade other cells.

10 Aug 2023

EULAR releases new recommendations for non-pharmacological management of SLE and SSc

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by multisystem involvement. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) or scleroderma is another rheumatic autoimmune disease that affects blood vessels, skin, and visceral organs.

7 Aug 2023

$11 million NIH grant focuses on cognitive function in Down syndrome-associated Alzheimer’s

Neurologist Beau Ances, MD, PhD, talks with his patient, Adam Kloppenberg, who has Down syndrome, at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. People with Down syndrome are at very high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Ances is involved in a project led by Jason Hassenstab, PhD, an associate professor of neurology, to develop tools to measure cognitive function in people with Down syndrome-associated Alzheimer's disease.

3 Aug 2023

New device can detect COVID-19 in less than a minute

Benjamin Sumlin, PhD, a senior scientist at Washington University in St. Louis, blows into a device designed by researchers at the university. The device — a breath test that uses a biosensor — could become a tool for use in doctors' offices to quickly diagnose people infected with the virus that causes COVID-19.

1 Aug 2023

Arthritis affects 220,000 children and teens, according to a new CDC study

In a recent MMWR published by the United States CDC, researchers combine survey data from the NSCH collected over a five-year period to estimate the prevalence of arthritis.

26 Jul 2023

New method could make post-stroke motor rehabilitation more effective and affordable

The longest nerve in the human body starts in the brain and meanders its way down the neck and into the chest, where it splits into separate branches, winding its twisting tendrils to touch each internal organ.

19 Jul 2023

New kidney tissue atlas could advance understanding of kidney injury and disease

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis helped lead a major study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), that uncovered rich cellular and molecular diversity in healthy and diseased kidneys, creating a kidney tissue atlas that will help further understanding of kidney injury and disease.