Letter from the Chair
A year has come to an end, and we are given the opportunity to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. I am so proud of the many ways that together we have advanced our tripartite mission in 2023. Continually adapting to new challenges and improving our clinical operations, research portfolio, and educational programs is the core of our mission. Over the course of the upcoming year, I am looking forward to seeing continued progress. There were many accomplishments in the Department of Medicine in 2023.
A few highlights are:
- Our new wet lab space in the BJCIH vertical expansion, McDonnell Medical Science Building and the CSRB is almost ready and we are planning for moving faculty into this great new space. This new lab space comes at an opportune time as our basic science research continues to grow both in terms of numbers of PIs and NIH dollars, and our Blue Ridge Ranking is now up to #11! Clinical research is also thriving and our clinical programs continue to grow. We are expanding our Physician Scientist Training Program by an additional slot this year to recruit the best and brightest MD PhDs to train here.
- We successfully completed our fellow recruitment season and look forward to welcoming our talented new fellows in 2024. Residency recruitment is underway and we expect another outstanding class of residents.
- Martin Kerrigan, MD, and Saiama N. Waqar, MD, MDDS, MSCI, were inducted into the Academy of Educators and honored with education awards. Thomas De Fer, MD, MACP, Professor of Medicine, Chief of the Division of General Medicine & Geriatrics, received this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
- The Academy of Science honored Will R. Ross. MD, with the Trustee Award, which recognizes individuals whose exceptional leadership and communication cross geographic boundaries and enrich private, public and academic sectors to promote the understanding and appreciation of science.
- Eva Aagaard, MD and William G. Powderly, MD were honored at Washington University Founders Day which celebrates remarkable members of the WashU community. Dr. Aagaard received the Distinguished Faculty Award and Dr. Powderly the Carl and Gerty Cori Faculty Achievement Award.
- ICTS announced their sixteen inaugural cohorts for PROUD-MED. PROUD-MED is a new initiative supported by the ICTS and Washington University School of Medicine to enhance underrepresented in medicine (URiM) faculty development by providing mentored clinical research training, dedicated Research Development Program (RDP) resources, senior faculty support, and group mentorship as a community to integrate with institutional programs.
Reflecting back on 2023 makes me so appreciative for everyone in our Department of Medicine community. Thank you for your continuing dedication, service, and support that continues to drive us to achieve great things. As always…best wishes to you and yours for a happy, healthy 2024 and I thank you for your support of the Department of Medicine.
Please take a moment to learn more about the many Department of Medicine accomplishments detailed within this edition. We have much to be proud of and much to look forward to in 2024!
Best Regards,
Vicky Fraser, MD, Adolphus Busch Professor of Medicine, Chair, Department of Medicine
Clinical News
David G. DeNardo, PhD, leading researcher for three new clinical trials of immunotherapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma at Siteman Cancer Center. Learn more.
Thomas Hoyt, MD, was the first to utilize Tele-Critical Care Consult. Learn more.
Research News
Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, shared study that ‘Long flu’ has emerged as a consequence similar to long COVID. Learn more.
Richard Bach, MD, FACC, published an editorial in JAMA entitled “Traditional Chinese Medicine Meets Evidence-Based Medicine in the Acutely Infarcted Heart".
Alan C. Braverman, MD, published an editorial in JACC entitled “Aortic Dissection in Marfan Syndrome: Protect the Tube of Life".
Chris Brown, BA, and Fumihiko Urano, MD, and colleagues publish an article on a potential treatment for human, preclinical Wolfram syndrome cases. Read more.
Grant A. Challen, PhD, published in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics. Read more.
Ying Maggie Chen, MD, PhD and the Ying Maggie Chen Lab Collaborators Uncover Biotherapeutic Properties of MANF Protein in their published article in Nature. Read more.
Sharon Cresci, MD, and Richard Bach, MD, FACC, published On EXPLORER-HCM Study. Learn more.
Michael S. Diamond, MD, PhD, had two studies published in Cell – 1) Identifies way to block alphavirus infection. Learn more. 2) Reveals clues to how Eastern equine encephalitis virus invades the brain.
Learn more.
Ali Javaheri, MD, PhD, published study in the Journal of Med that radiation therapy may be potential heart failure treatment. Learn more.
Kory J. Lavine, MD, PhD, published study in Nature Cardiovascular Research that explores a new, noninvasive imaging technique that helps scientists visualize immune cells in the human heart. Learn more.
Patricia Litkowski, MD, and Yash Shah, MD, presented new research at the Society for Hospital Medicine Research Day. Learn more.
Read more.
Linda Peterson, MD, published an editorial in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging entitled “Sarcopenia and Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction- Attention Must Be Paid”.
Thomas Maddox, MD, MSc, featured in Forbes Article on Medical AI. Read article.
David Vermette, MD, published an article in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The paper was a multisite survey of internal medicine residents aimed at exploring trainee well-being from a more holistic perspective using the lens of flourishing. Read more.
Education News
Office of Vice Chair of Education
Over the past few months, recruitment has been top of mind for all those involved in the world of medical education. We are so pleased to congratulate our fellowship programs on a highly successful match and look forward to welcoming 64 new fellows to the Department of Medicine in July! As residency recruitment enters its final stages, we wish our students and residency leaders the best of luck in their upcoming match on March 15th!
We encourage our educators to take advantage of the following upcoming opportunities:
- Roads to Success – Enhancing Medical Education in the Department of Medicine
- Program Director Bootcamp
Learn more about leadership changes, accomplishments and other exciting education and scholarship news in the latest update from the Office of the Vice Chair of Education, Abby Spencer, MD.
DOM Office of Faculty Development (OFD)
Visit the OFD website to learn about existing resources and to view upcoming events.
- Financial Literacy Series - Investment Basics for Physicians from a Diverse Panel of Experts
- The Department of Faculty Development presents another session in our Financial Literacy Series. Learn more.
- Interfolio - The Office of Faculty Development will host an upcoming informational session on Interfolio. More details to come.
DOM Health and Wellness Program
Visit the DOM Health and Wellness Program webpage for a list internal and external of Health and Wellness resources including websites, phone apps, books, podcasts, and articles.
IDEAS at DOM and Vice Chair of Health Equity
- Healing Equity & Reflection room (HEaR) Initiative - IDEAS at DOM is pleased to introduce the HEaR Initiative to the Department of Medicine. The HEaR Initiative (Healing Equity and Reflection) aims to provide a safe space for individuals to process micro-aggressions and community trauma, to reflect on personal biases, to explore allyship, and to engage in wellness and resilience activities. Learn how to reserve the HEaR room.
- The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) & Office of Diversity Programs along with IDEAS at DOM hosted the 7th annual Diversity Residents Showcase on January 26, 2024. The Virtual Showcase hosted over 140 prospective applicants for residency programs across the School of Medicine. Read more.
Mentorship to Enhance Diversity in Academia Program (MEDA)
The MEDA program in collaboration with the WU Black Postdoc Society hosted Dr. Lori Setton (WU) and Dr. Ukpong Eyo (University of Virginia) for their November and December Career Seminar Series. Learn more.
Office of Vice-Chair for the Advancement of Women’s Careers
Read the latest update from the Vice Chair for the Advancement of Women’s Careers, Rakhee Bhayani, MD.
Forum for Women in Medicine (FWIM) | Advancing Women in Academic Medicine (AWAM)
Check the FWIM webpage and AWAM webpage for future dates and events.
- A new director has been appointed to guide FWIM, Dr. Namrata Patel. She will continue to provide programming to help support the professional development of women trainees and oversee the many initiatives currently in place. Read more.
- The Executive Committee, which has faculty representatives from almost every division and all ranks & tracks, has been hard at work strategizing for the upcoming year. View the committee.
- The Programming Subcommittee, led by Dr. Leslie Gewin, has put together a wonderful line-up of speakers for the 3rd annual Department of Medicine Women in Medicine & Science Seminar.
- Recognizing the importance of celebrating faculty members who champion the advancement of women, we are currently in the process of accepting nominations for the AWAM Leaders in Empowerment and Development (LEAD) award. Please consider nominating faculty members who have served as a sponsors, mentors, collaborators, or motivators. Nominations are open until February 16, 2024. Read more.
Across the Department
Alexander Chen, MD, (right) shares new robotic bronchoscopy device for KMOV Channel 4 News. Watch the story.
- Abby Cheng, MD, principal investigator for the long-COVID clinic that expanded reach to vulnerable metro, rural communities thanks to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Grant. Learn more.
- Jennifer Monroy, MD, shared how to handle the warm weather spurring on spring allergies for KSDK News Channel 5. Watch the story.
- Grateful Siteman Cancer Center patient, spouse wife pledge support to Russell Pachynski, MD, for immunotherapy research. Learn more.
- Susan Reeds, MD, shared more about the drug Ozempic and other lifestyle changes for KSDK News Channel 5. Watch the story.
AI for Health Institute launches to promote growing intersection of artificial intelligence, health. Learn more.
Washington University’s $616 million facility will expand neurological research Learn more.
Washington University and Deerfield Management launch VeritaScience to drive drug discovery.
Learn more.
New Faculty Leadership
Rachel Bardowell, MD, named Associate Chief Medical Officer for BJH. Learn more.
Daniel Coyne, MD, Jeremy S. Katcher, MD, Sudhir Jain, MD, MBA, and E.P. Barrette, MD, FIDSA, FACP, appointed Medical Directors who will serve our 4 outpatient Medical Multispecialty Centers with associated Infusion Centers. Learn more.
Marty Kerrigan, MD, accepted the position as Associate Director for the Internal Medicine Clerkship.
Learn more.
Tonya Russell, MD, has accepted the position of Medical Director of the Maritz Lung Center. Learn more.
Chad Witt, MD, has accepted the position of Medical Director of the Lung Transplant Program. Learn more.
Application Calls
- The Academy of Educators in collaboration with the Medical Education Research Unit (MERU) of the Washington University School of Medicine are pleased to announce the call for proposals for grant funding for education research and scholarship projects. Projects must be focused on the scholarship of teaching and learning, rather than biomedical discovery or application. Learn more.
- The ACGME recognizes notable designated institutional officials, program directors, residents and fellows, institutional and program coordinators, programs, institutions, and specialty and not-for-profit organizations for their outstanding work and contributions to GME through its Awards Program.
Learn more.
Awards/Honors/Distinctions
- Kelly Bolton, MD, PhD, awarded the V Foundation Award for Cancer Research. Learn more.
Matthew A. Ciorba, MD, (right) received a $2.8 million award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to evaluate a new treatment in combination with routine radiation and chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced (Stage II or III) rectal cancer. Learn more.
- Thomas M. De Fer, MD, installed as the Carol B. and Jerome T. Loeb Professor of Medical Education.
- Phillip G. DeNardo, PhD, received a $10.9 million NIH grant that will provide research programs for the development of new therapies for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the deadliest form of pancreatic cancer. Learn more.
Abhinav Diwan, MD, (right) installed as Charlie W. Shaeffer, MD Professor. Learn more.
- Todd A. Fehniger, MD, PhD, received a grant for NK cell-based therapy trial for kids with AML. Learn more. Dr. Fehniger also received a grant for trial of immunotherapy against melanoma.
Learn more. - Benjamin Humphreys, MD, PhD, received a $4.5 million NIH grant for kidney disease research. Learn more.
- Vicky Fraser, MD, honored by The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital Honors with 2023 President's Achievement Award. Learn more. Dr. Fraser also presented with SHEA Senior Scholar Award at IDWeek 2023. Learn more.
- Lisa Koester-Wiedemann, ANP, CS, CNN-NP, MSN, received the 2024 Carol Mattix Award from the National Kidney Foundation (NKF). The annual award, established by NKF’s Council of Nephrology Nurses and Technicians, honors nurses who dedicate their careers to improving patients’ lives, not just their health. Learn more.
Hrishikesh S. Kulkarni, MD, (right) received the 2023 Svar Complement Excellence Award from the International Complement Society and Svar. Learn more.
- Jennie H. Kwon, DO, MSCI, selected by IDWeek 2023 for Program Committee Choice. Learn more. Dr. Kwon also received a 3.6 million dollar grant from the CDC. Learn more.
- Randy Laine, MD, PhD, received the LeJIT Teaching Award. Learn more.
- Kan Liu, MD, received NIH Grant for imaging processing techniques. Learn more.
- Zainab Mahmoud, MD, MSc, received the 2023 Dr. Nanette K. Wenger Research Goes RedŽ Award. Learn more.
- Jeffrey H. Miner, PhD, FASN, Eduardo and Judith Slatopolsky Professor of Medicine in Nephrology, was elected as Treasurer for the American Society of Nephrology (ASN). He began his term on January 1, 2024, and will serve through December 31, 2027. Learn more.
Amy Riek, MD, (right-middle) received the #IStandWithHer Award for Resilience.
Learn more.- Will Ross, MD, recognized for founding Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience a top Missouri, national school. Learn more.
- Abby Lyn Spencer, MD, MS, FACP, received the APDIM Dema C. Daley Founders Award.
Learn more. - Nathan O. Stitziel, MD, PhD, was named the 2023 GPM and EPI Mid-Career Research Award Lecturer.
- Amanda Verma, MD, received INSPIRE Award from American Medical Women’s Association. Learn more.
- Priyanka Verma, PhD, was awarded a three-year $450,000 Susan G. KomenŽ grant to research “A New Chromatin-Directed Vulnerability in BRCA-Mutant Breast Cancers.” Learn more.
- Gary Weil, MD, received the Kyelem Prize for work on neglected tropical diseases. Learn more. Dr. Weil was also installed as the Gerald and Judith Medoff Professor of Infectious Diseases.
- Lisa Zickuhr, MD, MHPE, selected as the 2024-2026 Carol B. and Jerome T. Loeb Teaching Fellow. Learn more.
(top row, left to right) Jennifer Alexander-Brett, MD, PhD; Steven L. Brody, MD; Grant A. Challen, PhD; Cassandra Fritz, MD, MPHS; Patricia Kao, MD, MS (bottom row, left to right) Deborah Lenschow, MD, PhD; Hilary Reno, MD, PhD; Jessica Silva-Fisher, PhD; Nichole Zehnder, MD; Lisa Zickuhr, MD, MHPE
17 Hospitalists Named COVID Star Award Recipients. Learn more.
Seven Hospitalists Secure Fellowship Matches. Learn more.
Community-based approaches in St. Louis and Nigeria are supported with NIH grants to improve heart health to save lives during, after pregnancy. Learn more.
Department of Medicine Faculty Honored at the 2023 Academy of Educators Annual Education Day.
Learn more.
Tarin M. Bigley, MD, PhD; Jeffrey W. Brown MD, PhD; and Drew J. Schwartz, MD, PhD, who were honored with the Young Physician-Scientist Award by the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI).
Read more.
David G. DeNardo, PhD and Albert M. Lai, PhD, received IG grant to fund radiation oncology center on Med Campus. Read more.
Carl DeSelm, MD, PhD, John F. DiPersio, MD, PhD, and Kory Lavine, MD, PhD, received support from the Needleman Program for Innovation and Commercialization (NPIC) to advance promising therapeutics in cancer, heart disease. Learn more.
Karen Joynt-Maddox, MD and Thomas Maddox, MD, Cardiovascular Division Faculty Inducted to American Clinical and Climatological Association (ACCA). Learn more.
Jennie H. Kwon, DO, MSCI and Jason G. Newland, MD, professor of pediatrics, both at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, have been selected to serve on the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. Learn More.
Laura Marks, MD, and Madeline McCrary, MD, received funding from Gilead Sciences, Inc, to expand blood-borne virus (HIV, HBV, HCV) screenings and linkage to care. Read more.
Deepali Sen, MD and Andrew Robinson, MSW, received the BJH Foundation project award that provides assistance to rheumatology patients and decrease hospital readmission. Learn more.
Siteman Investment Program awards $1.5 million in cancer research grants. Learn more.
Siteman Cancer Center Announces 2024 American Cancer Society-Funded Pilot Projects. Read more.
Welcome
We extend a warm welcome to our 10 new faculty across 7 divisions.. Learn more about them.
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Acknowledgements/Farewell
WashU Nephrology gives a heartfelt thank you to Paul Roberson for his 40 years of service to the Division. He is currently the Manager of Technical Services for Dialysis Operations at Chromalloy. Read more.
WashU Nephrology bids farewell to transplant nephrologist Andrew Malone, MB, BCh, BAO, MD, who is returning to his homeland of Ireland to take a position at St. Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin. Read more.
Lectures/Presentations/Workshops
Anne Carol Goldberg, MD, spoke at Lipid Metabolism and Atherosclerosis Seminar in Austria. Read more.
Global Health Center partners bring local to global effort full circle through special event, “Global to Local Health: Community-Based Approaches to Improving Maternal Cardiovascular Health in St. Louis and Nigeria”.
“We Are Leaders in Combatting Infectious Diseases” – Film Featured at IDWeek 2023. Read more.
Anuja Java, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine at WashU Nephrology, was the organizer and co-moderator of the Thrombotic Microangiopathy (TMA) Workshop, held during Kidney Week 2023, the American Society of Nephrology’s annual meeting, in Philadelphia, PA. Read more.
Thomas Maddox, MD, Chaired the National Academy of Medicine’s conference on Generative AI & LLMs in Health & Medicine. Learn more.
WashU Nephrology’s inaugural Aubrey Morrison, MBBS, Lecture featured Jennifer Pluznick, PhD, Associate Professor of Physiology at Johns Hopkins, who spoke about the “Unexpected Roles for Olfactory Receptors in the Kidney, and Beyond.” Read more.
Andrew Wasson, BSN, RN, CDN, Clinical Nurse Coordinator, WashU Nephrology Home Modalities, was among 38 nephrology American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA) leaders who visited Capitol Hill last month as part of their Health Policy Workshop in Washington, DC. Read more.
Obituary
Virginia (Ginny) Herrmann, MD, passed away on October 16, 2023. Read more.
Sudhir M. Singh, MD, passed away on December 24, 2023. Read more.
Alan Neal Weiss, MD, FACC, passed away on February 5, 2024. Read more.
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Resources
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