Ellen Fitzsimmons-Craft, PhD, associate professor, Psychiatry, & Public Health Faculty Scholar, was recently on 60 Minutes discussing issues surrounding the use of AI driven chatbots to help people dealing with mental health issues.
Category: Faculty Scholar in the News
Accelerated aging linked to cancer risk in younger adults, research shows (Links to an external site)
Yin Cao, ScD, associate professor of surgery & Public Health Faculty Scholar, recently presented her research finding a connection between rising cancer rates in younger adults and biological aging, at the American Association of Cancer Research’s annual conference.
Study: Age As Aspect of Identity Not Prioritized by University DEI Offices (Links to an external site)
Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging staff were quoted in an article about their recently published study – Age as a Factor in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives in Higher Education. Nancy Morrow-Howell, PhD, Center co-director, and Public Health Faculty Scholar, is the study’s lead author.
For Your Health – Literally Taking Steps to Boost Mental Health (Links to an external site)
Graham Colditz, MD, DrPH, deputy director, Institute for Public Health and Public Health Faculty Scholar wrote about the benefits of physical activity on mental health symptoms in a Siteman Cancer Center’s For Your Health news article.
Age as an overlooked factor in higher education DEI initiatives (Links to an external site)
“As a society, we don’t react to ageism very strongly. If we even see it, we accept it,” according to Nancy Morrow-Howell, PhD, co-director, Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging, & Public Health Faculty Scholar, in an article highlighting her recent study on age as an identify factor in DEI initiatives in higher education.
Center co-director’s research shows age is overlooked in higher ed. diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
Age isn’t a priority in higher education when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion programming. Read more about this study by our co-Director of the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging, Nancy Morrow-Howell.
Ruopeng An Showcases the Power of AI to the St. Louis Community (Links to an external site)
Associate professor at the Brown School and Public Health Faculty Scholar, Ruopeng An, PhD, is collaborating with leaders in the St. Louis community to teach AI through the St. Louis Public Library, the St. Louis Modern Chinese School and soon through Delmar DivINe.
The challenges of investigating war crimes in the conflict between Israel and Hamas (Links to an external site)
While a guest on NPR’s All Things Considered, Leila Sadat, JD, LLM, DEA, professor of criminal law and Public Health Faculty Scholar, weighs in on bringing war criminals to justice in the war between Israel and Hamas.
Combining multiple meds into a single pill reduces cardiovascular deaths (Links to an external site)
A new study published in the journal Nature Medicine and authored by Anubha Agarwal, MD, co-director Program in Global Cardiovascular Health, & Mark D. Huffman, MD, co-director Global Health Center, & Public Health Faculty Scholars, supports the use of polypills to reduce cardiovascular disease deaths.
WashU researchers’ discovery opens new doors to HIV treatment (Links to an external site)
Liang Shan, PhD, associate professor of medicine and of pathology & immunology and Public Health Faculty Scholar, and team, have discovered how an overactive immune response triggered by HIV depletes T-cells.
Award of up to $31 million supports development of osteoarthritis treatment (Links to an external site)
Erik Herzog, PhD, professor in Arts & Sciences & Public Health Faculty Scholar, is part of a research team that received an award from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health to develop non-surgical therapeutics that help the body prevent or stop the progression of osteoarthritis.
Fixed-dose combination therapy for the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (Links to an external site)
Congratulations to Anubha Agarwal, MD, asst. prof. of medicine, co-director, Program in Global Cardiovascular Health, & Public Health Faculty Scholar, for getting her paper, ‘Fixed-dose combination therapy for the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease’ published in the Mar 26 issue of Nature Medicine.
Cancer HealthCast: This Unique Network Closes Research Gaps in Cancer Genomics (Links to an external site)
Bettina F. Drake, PhD, professor of surgery, Division of Public Health Sciences, & Public Health Faculty Scholar, was featured in an NCI podcast about how her team is studying molecular changes in tumors, and colorectal cancer under age 50, in African Americans.
F.D.A. Authorizes New Drug to Protect High-Risk Patients From Covid (Links to an external site)
Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, Public Health Faculty Scholar and WashU epidemiologist, was recently quoted in a NYT article about Pemgarda, a new drug for immunocompromised people to lower their chance of becoming infected with COVID.
Group-Based Interventions Potentially Address HIV Stigma Among Adolescents Living with Virus (Links to an external site)
A study led by Proscovia Nabunya, assistant professor, Brown School, and Public Health Faculty Scholar, pilot tested the Suubi4Stigma randomized clinical trial to reduce HIV-associated stigma & improve mental health and treatment adherence in adolescents in Uganda.
Universities Build Their Own ChatGPT-like Tools (Links to an external site)
Albert Lai, PhD, assoc. professor, chief research information officer, and Public Health Faculty Scholar, talks about WashU’s own generative AI chatbot developed using Microsoft’s Azure platform.
‘Modern-day redlining’: Research investigates Wall Street-backed rental market (Links to an external site)
Carol Camp Yeakey, PhD, professor of Arts & Sciences and Public Health Faculty Scholar, is leading a two-year national study examining the rise in investors in the single-family rental market and its effects on marginalized communities of color.
WashU Expert: Happiness may protect against dementia (Links to an external site)
Emily Willroth, PhD, assistant professor, Psychological & Brain Sciences, writes in the World Happiness Report how a sense of well-being can impact health and potentially protect people from cognitive decline.
Is 4 days too weak for the work week to work? (Links to an external site)
Liberty Vittert, PhD, professor of the practice of data Science at Olin and Public Health Faculty Scholar, was a guest on Texas Public Radio’s “The Source,” speaking about her congressional testimony on Senator Bernie Sander’s legislation to reduce the standard 40-hour workweek to 32 hours.
How to Tell When It’s Time to Start an Antidepressant (Links to an external site)
Eric Lenze, MD, professor of psychiatry, director of the Healthy Mind Lab and Public Health Faculty Scholar, was recently quoted in a SELF article about start an antidepressant and how “dose increases and medication changes are often necessary to get well.”
How did people’s personalities change during the pandemic? (Links to an external site)
Emily Willroth, PhD, assistant professor, Psychological and Brain Sciences, & Public Health Faculty Scholar was a guest on the Total Information AM podcast, speaking about the way people’s personalities changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Washington University researchers test antidepressant for treating long COVID (Links to an external site)
Eric Lenze, MD, professor of psychiatry, director of the Healthy Mind Lab and Public Health Faculty Scholar, is co-leading a clinical trial using the antidepressant fluvoxamine to treat the brain fog in long COVID.
Punching In: Senators Weigh Whether AI Can Shorten the Workweek (Links to an external site)
“Data from these four-day workweek studies is misleading,” says Liberty Vittert, PhD, professor of the practice of data Science at Olin and Public Health Faculty Scholar about Senator Bernie Sander’s legislation that reduces the standard 40-hour workweek to 32 hours.
How long COVID symptoms change patients’ lives: ‘Debilitating, devastating, demoralizing’ (Links to an external site)
Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, assistant professor, School of Medicine, was recently quoted in a Today article about the long-term and mild to debilitating health issues associated with long COVID.
WashU Expert: Don’t believe hype about shorter work week benefits (Links to an external site)
Liberty Vittert, PhD, professor of the practice of data Science at Olin and Public Health Faculty Scholar testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Heath, Education, Labor and Pensions about Senator Bernie Sander’s legislation that reduces the standard 40 hour workweek to 32 hours.
Bernie Sanders Proposes Reducing Americans’ Workweek to 32 Hours (Links to an external site)
Liberty Vittert, PhD, Professor of the Practice of Data Science at Olin and Public Health Faculty Scholar, explains why she is critical of Senator Bernie Sander’s legislation that reduces the standard 40 hour workweek to 32 hours.
Pandemic made its mark on personality traits (Links to an external site)
Research by Emily Willroth, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences & Public Health Faculty Scholar, and colleagues, studied how personality traits such as conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism and openness changed in people during the pandemic.
Most Missouri voters are tired of changing clocks every spring and fall (Links to an external site)
Erik Herzog, PhD, Professor of Biology and Public Health Faculty Scholar weighs in on why he believes a permanent standard time would be best for our health.
In Missouri, gun laws take center stage after another shooting (Links to an external site)
Leila N. Sadat, JD, Professor of International Criminal Law and Public Health Faculty Scholar, who directs the Initiative on Gun Violence & Human Rights discusses a possible subtle shift this year in Missouri gun laws.
Brain Bee gives St. Louis students a chance to explore neuroscience (Links to an external site)
Sixty-four students, from 32 high schools, tested their knowledge of neuroscience in the St. Louis Area Brain Bee, organized by Erik Herzog, PhD, Professor in Arts & Sciences and Public Health Faculty Scholar.
What’s behind the rapid rise of cancer in the under-50s? – podcast (Links to an external site)
Yin Cao, ScD, Associate Professor of Surgery and Public Health Faculty Scholar, participated in a podcast about the global rise of cancer being diagnosed in young people.
Preventing early-onset colorectal cancers aim of $25 million award (Links to an external site)
Yin Cao, ScD, Associate Professor of Surgery & Public Health Faculty Scholar has received 5-year funding from Cancer Grand Challenges to head an international team studying the increase in colorectal cancer in young people around the globe.
Social determinants of health increase Alzheimer’s risk (Links to an external site)
A study authored by Jean-Francois Trani, PhD, Associate Professor, Brown School, & Ganesh M. Babulal, PhD, OTD, MSCI, MOT, Associate Professor, Dept. of Neurology, & Public Health Faculty Scholars found that dementia increased among adults living in poverty.
Supporting social emotional learning and wellbeing of displaced adolescents from the middle east: a pilot evaluation of the ‘forward with peers’ intervention (Links to an external site)
Lindsay Stark, DrPH, professor, & Ilana Seff, DrPH, research assistant professor, and Public Health Faculty Scholars, authored a study on the pilot evaluation of the effectiveness of culturally adapted, school-based interventions in supporting the psychosocial wellbeing and resilience of displaced Arab adolescents.
Stark, Seff Work to Adapt Refugee Tool to Measure Self-Reliance of Ukrainian Refugees (Links to an external site)
Lindsay Stark, DrPH, Associate Dean for Global Strategy & Programs, Brown School, & Public Health Faculty Scholar, recently returned from Poland where she is modifying a comprehensive assessment & support tool to use with Ukrainian refugees in Poland.
Research suggests COVID-19 affects brain age and IQ score (Links to an external site)
Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, Public Health Faculty Scholar and WashU epidemiologist, who has been researching long COVID before it was named “long COVID”, discusses a new study finding that COVID-19 infection affects memory and decision-making performance.
Long Covid May Lead to Measurable Cognitive Decline, Study Finds (Links to an external site)
Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, Public Health Faculty Scholar and WashU epidemiologist weighs in on a recent study suggesting that when long Covid symptoms improve, associated cognitive impairment might also.
Getting Creative with AI (Links to an external site)
Ruopeng An, Associate Professor, Brown School, and Public Health Faculty Scholar teaches a class for middle and high schoolers, at the St. Louis Public Library, that is helping them use AI to create digital art.
Study Shows ‘Long Flu’ Is Real, but Long COVID Is Worse (Links to an external site)
A study co-authored by Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, Public Health Faculty Scholar and WashU epidemiologist, found that patients hospitalized with influenza can also experience lingering problems similar to those found in patients with long COVID.
Washington University joins NIH cancer screening clinical trials network (Links to an external site)
The School of Medicine is joining a NIH clinical trials network to study screening technologies that can detect multiple cancers with a single blood test. “Through the network, we can determine whether such tests can detect cancer early and save lives,” says Aimee James, PhD, Professor of Surgery & Public Health Faculty Scholar.
Birth outcomes improve in states that extend driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, research finds (Links to an external site)
A WashU study found “how states’ extension of legal rights to immigrants can improve the health of the next generation,” according to Margot Moinester, PhD, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Public Health Faculty Scholar, and study co-author.
Washington University joins NIH cancer screening clinical trials network (Links to an external site)
The School of Medicine is joining a NIH clinical trials network to study screening technologies that can detect multiple cancers with a single blood test. “Through the network, we can determine whether such tests can detect cancer early and save lives,” says Aimee James, PhD, Professor of Surgery & Public Health Faculty Scholar.
As Medicaid Shrinks, Clinics for the Poor Are Trying to Survive (Links to an external site)
Timothy McBride, PhD, Co-Director, Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research and Public Health Faculty Scholar was recently quoted in a NYT article about policy ended last spring that prohibited states from pushing anyone off Medicaid.
2024 Election Map Forecasts Trump to Score Biggest GOP Win in Decades (Links to an external site)
Liberty E. Vittert, PhD, Professor of the Practice of Data Science, Olin Business School explains in a Decision Desk HQ video how important Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania are to Presidential candidates hoping to win a general election.
How did words like periodt, GYAT, cap and drip come to be? All about the Black history of slang (Links to an external site)
John Baugh, PhD, Professor and Public Health Faculty Scholar, spoke to TODAY.com about the appropriation of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) — a variety of English primarily spoken by groups of Black Americans.
Study looks at ways to sustain public health programs (Links to an external site)
A Brown School study tested a training model for public health programs. “Public health impact can only be realized if evidence-based programs are able to sustain their work over time,” said Sarah Moreland-Russell, PhD, Associate Professor of Practice, Public Health Faculty Scholar, & the study’s first author.
Water quality monitor, locust-inspired electronic nose under development (Links to an external site)
Daniel Giammar, PhD, Professor, School of Engineering & Applied Science, and Public Health Faculty Scholar will lead a team in developing a tool to monitor the quality of drinking water using a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Nanoparticles enhance locusts’ sense of smell (Links to an external site)
Srikanth Singamaneni, PhD, Professor in Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Public Health Faculty Scholar co-led a team that used nanostructures to heighten the neural response in a locust’s brain, boosting their sense of smell and possibly leading the way to more efficient biological chemical sensors.
A pathogen air quality monitor for indoor spaces can detect COVID-19 in about 5 minutes (Links to an external site)
A team of WashU scientists including Rajan Chakrabarty, PhD, associate professor, McKelvey School of Engineering, and Public Health Faculty Scholar, has developed an indoor pathogen air quality monitor that can detect if someone in a classroom is shedding COVID-19 virus particles.
Preserving our planet (Links to an external site)
WashU’s has a new Center for the Environment. The center supports collaborative research in biodiversity, environmental justice, planetary health, environmental solutions and climate change. Daniel Giammar, PhD, Professor in the School of Engineering & Applied Science and the center’s inaugural director, and Lora Iannotti, PhD, Professor at the Brown School, and the center’s director for planetary health and environmental justice are both Public Health Faculty Scholars.