Recent Highlights
Center seeks to solve unsolvable problems in medicine
Eric C. Leuthardt, assistant professor of neurosurgery, worked with engineers such as Daniel Moran, associate professor of biomedical engineering, to achieve a goal that was formerly the stuff of science fiction: developing implantable technology that lets the human brain "talk" to computers. A few years ago, they validated their new approach to engineering these interfaces by showing that a patient with a temporary brain implant could use it to control a video game without ever touching the game's controls. Leuthardt, also assistant professor of neurobiology and anatomy and of biomedical engineering, realized he was enjoying working with experts from other fields. "When you bring people from different backgrounds to think about a common problem, what that invariably does is force people to think outside of the box," says Leuthardt. "It's very empowering and in its own way fun and engaging because what was once a source of frustration becomes an opportunity for brainstorming and problem-solving." To share that feeling of empowerment, Leuthardt established the Center for Innovation in Neuroscience and Technology (CINT) with support from the Department of Neurosurgery and the School of Engineering & Applied Science. "CINT is about bringing people together from many different backgrounds, such as medicine, engineering, the sciences, business, and law, to maximize our ability to solve formerly unsolvable medical problems," he says.
Washington University awarded $80 million in stimulus grants
Washington University has been awarded nearly $80 million in funding from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to support research across a broad range of projects, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, renewable energy, diabetes, and climate change. Some $73 million came from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), ranking Washington University among the top 10 academic institutions in NIH stimulus funds. Other awards were received from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. "The research funding we have been able to attract to Washington University will lead to new discoveries that will have direct benefit to people throughout our region and, indeed, across the world," says Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton. "Our successful competition for this funding is in large measure due to our many talented and experienced faculty who have distinguished themselves as world-class researchers. I am proud of the extra effort that many in our community made to bring this funding to St. Louis."
WUSTL Hosts Symposium on America’s Energy Future
America has the potential to solve its energy crisis over the next decade, but doing so will require immediate investment in clean energy technologies, says Mark S. Wrighton, chancellor of Washington University and vice chair of a National Resource Council (NRC) report on America's energy challenges. The report was the topic of a symposium held on November 2 on the Danforth Campus. Titled "America's Energy Future: Technology and Transformation," the capstone report summarizes findings from the America's Energy Future project, an ongoing research effort sponsored by the National Research Council, the operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering. According to the report, what happens in the next decade will determine our energy future. Wrighton delivered the opening speech summarizing the report's findings. "The United States needs abundant, affordable energy to assure sustained economic growth and development," he said. "Global growth in use of energy raises serious concerns regarding supply of energy. In addition, scientists have come to the consensus that the Earth's future is threatened by the accumulation of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) leading to global warming from use of fossil fuels including coal, oil, gasoline, and natural gas. Adverse consequences of global warming are difficult to assess quantitatively, but the risk is so great that we must succeed in meeting this challenge."
New treatments improve outlook for pancreatic cancer patients
A team of surgeons and oncologists at the Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital is aggressively tackling pancreatic cancer—one of the deadliest forms of cancer—and conducting clinical trials of innovative treatment regimens. "The perception of a lot of people is that once you get a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer there's not much that can be done, but that's not true," says pancreatic cancer surgeon David Linehan. "We're attacking this very difficult disease from multiple angles—it's a team effort. One of our areas of focus is ways to manipulate the immune system so that it can fight the tumor." Their latest clinical endeavor yielded very promising results by including the immune-system stimulator interferon along with chemotherapy and radiation in patients who had surgery to remove their pancreatic tumors. In a recent study, the team reported that after three years, 41 percent of the patients on this regimen were still alive. In comparison, typical three-year survival rates are about 30 percent. Linehan, associate professor of surgery, and his Washington University colleagues are part of the largest regional surgical referral center for disorders of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and GI tract.
Simulation suggests rocky exoplanet has bizarre atmosphere
The exoplanet COROT-7b, discovered last February by the COROT space telescope, is close enough to its star that its "day-face" is hot enough to melt rock. Theoretical models suggest the planet has an atmosphere of the components of rock in gaseous form and lava or boiling oceans on its surface. According to research by scientists at Washington University, when "a front moves in" in COROT-7b's atmosphere, pebbles condense out of the air and rain into lakes of molten lava below. "As you go higher the atmosphere gets cooler and eventually you get saturated with different types of "rock" the way you get saturated with water in the atmosphere of Earth," says Bruce Fegley, Jr., professor of earth & planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences. "But instead of a water cloud forming and then raining water droplets, you get a "rock cloud" forming and it starts raining out little pebbles of different types of rock."
Students gain real-world business experience through StEP program
Historically, the number of new, entrepreneurial ventures rises during periods of recession. If jobs aren’t available in the traditional market, the argument goes, why not start your own company? Thanks to a program on campus, WUSTL students are doing just that, creating, purchasing, and selling on-campus businesses as undergraduate students. It’s called the Student Entrepreneurial Program (StEP), and it helps uniquely position students to get hands-on experience as entrepreneurs while they still are in school. “The students see this as an experience that will carry them forward, whether or not they are working in business after graduation,” says Mary Zabriskie, coordinator for special projects in Campus Life and chair of the StEP advisory board. To open a new business, students must present a business plan. Students interested in purchasing an existing StEP business are required to attend a “Buying a Business” workshop, taught by Clifford Holekamp, senior lecturer in entrepreneurship at Olin Business School and a member of the StEP advisory board. Currently, nine student-run businesses operate on the Danforth Campus, seven of which have storefronts in the main level of Gregg House in the South 40. Businesses include a bicycle rental shop, a store for Greek goods and custom apparel, water cooler rental and monthly water delivery, and a laundry service, among others. University Trucking/Res Fridge, the oldest business, has been in operation since 1977. For more information, visit step.wustl.edu.
New green roof at Washington University promotes sustainability, adds green space
An environmentally friendly "green roof"—containing grass, native plants, and approximately 110,000 pounds of soil—recently opened at the South 40 House on the University's Danforth Campus. The roof shelters a loading dock, kitchen, and other areas of the South 40 House's southern lower level. Installing a green roof rather than a typical black rubber roof benefits the environment in numerous ways, says Matt Malten, assistant vice chancellor for sustainability. The green roof will help the University improve its water management. Ninety percent of rainwater that falls on a green roof is absorbed by the soil and vegetation, reducing the amount of runoff that flows to sewers and increasing the amount of rainfall naturally recycled through the atmosphere. The vegetation on the roof is either native or has adapted to the region, and the programmable irrigation system determines how much water is needed to keep the plants alive, minimizing unnecessary watering. The green roof also acts as insulation, keeping the building underneath cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, which reduces energy usage. The grass also reflects heat back into the atmosphere rather than absorbing it, creating a cooler exterior environment. Herbs also will be planted on the roof, reducing the amount of ingredients the South 40 House kitchen will need to have transported in.
WUSTL joins university research news site, Futurity.org
Washington University has joined a group of leading research universities in launching Futurity (futurity.org), an online research channel covering the latest discoveries in science, engineering, the environment, health, and more. Washington University is one of 35 partners supporting the project. All the current partner universities are members of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a nonprofit organization of leading public and private research universities. “Washington University, like the other research universities involved in this exciting new communications venture, has continued to search for new avenues through which it can share with the public the stories of its intellectual capital,” says Steve Givens, associate vice chancellor for public affairs. “In the face of decreasing coverage of science and research in traditional media outlets, futurity.org will play a important role in educating the public about the importance and impact of America’s great research universities. While this site can never replace objective and independent science and research journalism, it goes a long way toward raising the awareness of the important work that is being done.” The site is designed to encourage interaction. Stories include links to published reports and supplemental materials that allow readers to explore topics in more detail. The site is available in a mobile friendly version, and visitors can comment on stories and sign up for a daily e-mail update.
Registry to track children with infantile spasms
Researchers have launched an online registry that ultimately aims to help children with a severe type of epilepsy that strikes in the first months of life. It is believed to be the first worldwide registry of children with infantile spasms and is a collaboration between Washington University School of Medicine and the University of Chicago. Researchers plan to use the registry to look for similarities among children with the disorder to help lead to improved treatments, says Alexander Paciorkowski, instructor of neurology and medical geneticist at the School of Medicine and a staff physician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Paciorkowski developed the registry, at infantilespasms.wustl.edu, with Christina Gurnett, assistant professor of neurology, of pediatrics, and of orthopedic surgery at the School of Medicine; Liu Lin Thio, assistant professor of neurology, of pediatrics, and of anatomy and neurobiology at the School of Medicine and director of the Pediatric Epilepsy Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital; and William B. Dobyns, professor of human genetics, of neurology, and of pediatrics at the University of Chicago Medical Center. In addition to collecting data through the registry, the researchers plan to ask parents to volunteer DNA samples from their children with the disorder to look for genes that might be playing a role. “Currently, we know about a few genes, but there are probably more,” says Paciorkowski. “If we are able to identify the genes that cause infantile spasms, we hope to develop better medicines to help stop them.”
WUSTL research finds individual cells isolated from the biological clock can keep daily time, but are unreliable
The biological clock, a one-square millimeter area of the brain called the suprachiasmic nucleus, or SCN, just above the roof of the mouth and atop the crossing of the optic nerves, comprises about 20,000 neurons. These cells, remarkably, contain the machinery to generate daily, or circadian, rhythms in gene expression and electrical activity. These features make the SCN a flexible clock that can reset to stay in synch in an ever-changing environment. Erik Herzog, associate professor of biology in Arts & Sciences; James Huettner, associate professor of cell biology and physiology in the School of Medicine; Alexis Webb, a graduate fellow in the Neuroscience PhD program; and Nikhil Angelo, an undergraduate biology major have demonstrated that individual cells isolated from the biological clock can keep daily time all by themselves. However, by themselves, they are unreliable. The neurons get out of synch and capriciously quit or start oscillating again. The underlying sloppiness is probably what allows us to adjust to local time when we cross time zones and to vary our sleep cycles with the season, say the WUSTL researchers. “We’ve known for more than 15 years that unicellular organisms like cyanobacteria can keep 24-hour time, and isolated cells from the marine snail eye can as well,” says Herzog. “But nobody was sure whether individual cells in vertebrates are circadian pacemakers.”