A new grant for researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis will fund research investigating the role of the immune system in heart failure. Finding ways to harness beneficial immune cells could lead to new therapies that encourage the heart to heal after injuries. The research will build on work led by […]
Category: PSTP Alumni
José Saenz, MD, PhD, awarded the 2022 Young Physician Scientist Award on behalf of the ASCI

Dr. José Sáenz trained as a physician-scientist at the Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine where he learned to frame basic science questions in a broader clinical context. While his initial research interests were varied, he ultimately became drawn to microbial pathogenesis and the ability of bacteria to manage and exploit interactions with […]
Kory Lavine, MD, PhD, elected to the ASCI

Dr. Kory Lavine, an associate professor of medicine in the Cardiovascular Division, is a cardiologist whose research is focused on understanding the role of the body’s immune system in the development and treatment of heart failure. He is developing new methods to image heart inflammation and crafting therapeutic strategies aimed at limiting damaging inflammation and promoting […]
Shawn Demehri, MD, PhD, elected to the ASCI

Mass General Cancer Center physician-scientist Shawn Demehri, MD, PhD, has been elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) as part of ASCI’s new class of members for 2022. Dr. Demehri is the Director for the High Risk Skin Cancer Clinic, he is a board-certified dermatologist and a principal investigator at the Center for Cancer Immunology, and Cutaneous Biology […]
NIH funding to School of Medicine hits all-time high

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis were awarded $575.8 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in federal fiscal year 2021, according to the School of Medicine’s 2021 State of the School Report, an increase of nearly $88 million over FFY2020. This is an all-time high for the […]
Dr. Kian-Huat Lim identifies drug compound that makes pancreatic cancer cells more vulnerable to chemotherapy.

Pancreatic cancer is extremely difficult to treat. By the time it is detected, the cancer often has reached an advanced stage, and patients usually do not survive longer than one year after diagnosis. An aggressive chemotherapy regimen is the first-line treatment, but the side effects can be severe, and many tumors stop responding to treatment. […]
Dr. Jeff Henderson authors study showing blood cancer patients with COVID-19 fare better with convalescent plasma

Dr. Jeff Henderson authors a new study that shows that such plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients can dramatically increase the likelihood of survival for blood cancer patients hospitalized with COVID-19. A large, retrospective, multicenter study involving Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis indicates that convalescent plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients can dramatically improve […]
Stuart Kornfeld to receive honorary degree from Washington University in St. Louis

Stuart Kornfeld, MD, PhD, has been selected to receive an honorary degree from Washington University in St. Louis during the University Commencement ceremonies later this month. As our Chancellor describes it, these awards are given to individuals who “have exemplified Washington’s University’s mission to improve lives in service of the greater good.” Dr. Kornfeld established […]
Michael Paley awarded grant for arthritis research
Al Kim launched the COVaRiPAD study, a multi-departmental effort (Medicine, Neurology, Molecular Microbiology, Pathology & Immunology, Genetics) to examine COVID-19 vaccine responses in patients with autoimmune diseases (Links to an external site)
Rachel Presti conducts study that is a game changes for HIV prevention (Links to an external site)
Joel Shilling receives Benico Barzilai Teaching Award
Deborah Lenschow receives COVID-19 Research Funding (Links to an external site)
Deborah was awarded a COVID-19 Research Funding Program grant from The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the ICTS titled “Evaluation of SARS-CoV2 Papain-like Protease Inhibitors as a Novel Treatment for COVID-19.”
Rachel Presti receives COVID-19 Research Funding (Links to an external site)
Rachel Awarded a COVID-19 Research Funding Program grant from The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the ICTS titled “Clinical Predictors of Longitudinal Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2.”
Kory Lavine receives a NIH Award
Kory and Daniel Kreisel, MD, PhD: Were awarded a $2.5 million grant over four years from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Jennifer Alexander Brett receives NIH R01
Jennifer receives a R01 from the NHLBI starting July 1, 2020 for her project titled “Non-Classical Cytokine Secretion in Chronic Airway Disease”.
On the front lines: Jeffrey Henderson, Infectious diseases specialist describes how COVID-19 plasma therapy works (Links to an external site)

Infectious diseases specialist Jeffrey Henderson, MD, PhD, an associate professor of medicine and of molecular microbiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, explains plasma therapy and how it is being used in patients with COVID-19.