Category: Alumni

William Powderly, MD, protocol chair, and Jane O’Halloran, MD, PhD, WashU lead investigator of ACTIV-1 immune modulators trial showing reduction in COVID-19 mortality

The ACTIV-1 (ACCELERATING COVID-19 THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS AND VACCINES) is a large randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial led by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The trial set out to determine if certain drugs that help minimize the effects of an overactive immune response could speed recovery and reduce deaths in adults hospitalized with moderate to severe COVID-19. […]

Jad Khoury, MD, ID Fellow Alum, receives Inaugural Mercy Hospital Clinical Provider Awards

The inaugural Mercy Clinic Provider Awards honored caregivers from their East Region. Jad Khoury, MD, ID Fellow 2003, was awarded Physician of the year as well as the Regional Physician of the Year. After a harrowing two years in a pandemic, Mercy Clinic took time to recognize the tremendous work and flexibility of its doctors […]

Andrej Spec, MD, MSCI, Appointed Interim Co-Editor-in-Chief of IDSA online journal

Andrej Spec, MD

Open Forum Infectious Diseases (OFID), Infectious Diseases Society of America’s online journal, recently announced interim co-editors-in-chief: John W. Baddley, MD, MSPH, professor of medicine, infectious diseases division at University of Maryland School of Medicine, who previously served as an OFID associate editor, and Andrej Spec, MD, MSCI, assistant professor of medicine, infectious diseases division at […]

Infectious diseases experts help performing arts institutions navigate pandemic

Every now and then, the sonic gusts of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major rumble a small office on the 15th floor of the Northwest Tower at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. A blustering, breathtaking, lyrical tour through emotional extremes, the epic composition has inspired Stephen Y. Liang, MD, to persevere through the […]

Aspiring physicians honor medical faculty in infectious diseases

Recognizing excellence and dedication in medical education during a time of unprecedented challenges, students at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis recently honored faculty, residents and staff with Distinguished Service Teaching Awards for the 2020-21 academic year. This year also marks the official debut of the Gateway Curriculum, the first overhaul of the School […]

New Mycobacterial Clinic offers integrated care for patients with Non-tuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease

A new clinic that offers care for patients with Non-tuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is scheduling appointments in the Pulmonary Outpatient Clinic in the Center for Advanced Medicine. The clinic is a joint effort between Washington University physicians Carlos Mejia, MD, assistant professor in the division of infectious diseases; Thomas Bailey, MD, professor of medicine in […]

David Warren, MD and Sumanth Gandra, MD co-lead antimicrobial resistance initiative in India

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis will lead projects aimed at identifying new solutions to help prevent antimicrobial-resistant infections and their spread. They are among scientists from nearly 30 organizations in 50 countries awarded a total of $22 million by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for efforts to combat […]

Laura Marks, MD, PhD and colleagues find patients with injection-related infections discharged on oral antibiotics may have high adherence with outpatient support

The opioid overdose epidemic is one of the leading causes of death in adults. Persons who inject drugs (PWID) are at increased risk of invasive bacterial and fungal infections and are frequently admitted to a hospital for serious injection-related infections (SIRI).Patients with SIRI discharged on oral antibiotic regimens may have high adherence rates but need […]

Hilary Babcock, MD, MPH and Bruce Hall, MD, PhD, MBA assume new leadership roles at BJC

BJC’s successful response to extraordinary challenges during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic lead to the promotion of two physicians who were instrumental in coordinating that effort. Bruce Hall, MD, PhD, MBA, professor of surgery, assumed the role of BJC chief medical officer, while Hilary Babcock, MD, MPH, professor of medicine, was appointed BJC vice president and […]

Congratulations to our newly elected IDSA Fellows

We are proud to announce the following faculty, each who have been named a Fellow by the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the nation’s leading infectious diseases professional society. Fellowship in IDSA is one of the highest honors in the field of infectious diseases. It recognizes distinguished clinicians and scientists from the United States and […]

Congratulations, Drs. Caline Mattar and Aaloke Mody, on appointments to IDSA global health committee

Caline Mattar, MD (right) and Aaloke Mody, MD

Caline Mattar, MD, assistant professor of medicine and Aaloke Mody, MD, assistant professor of medicine both have been appointed to the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Global Health Committee. Dr. Mattar’s interests are in antimicrobial resistance and infection prevention in resource limited settings, global and international health, infectious diseases in pregnancy, currently COVID-19. Dr. Mody […]

Drs. Kwon and Babcock reveal vaccine effectiveness in health care professionals in a publication in NEJM

Estimated Adjusted Effectiveness of mRNA Vaccines against Covid-19 among Health Care Personnel According to Follow-up Time after Receipt of the Second Dose. To evaluate evidence of waning of vaccine effect, we estimated effectiveness every 2 weeks during the 14 total weeks of follow-up available immediately after receipt of the second dose (Figure 1). The point estimate of vaccine effectiveness, assessed in 2-week intervals, was highest during weeks 3 and 4 after receipt of the second dose (96.3%; 95% CI, 92.5 to 98.2). The point estimates were lower during weeks 9 through 14, but the 95% confidence intervals were wide and overlapping.

Hilary Babcock, MD, MPH, professor of medicine and Jennie Kwon, DO, MSCI, assistant professor of medicine participated in a CDC led multicenter study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showing that the Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines were highly effective under real-world conditions in preventing symptomatic COVID19 in health care personnel. Drs. Kwon and […]

Jennie Kwon, DO, MSCI appointed to serve on IDSA committee

Jennie Kwon, DO, MSCI

Jennie Kwon, DO, MSCI, assistant professor of medicine has recently been appointed to the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) Antimicrobial Resistance Committee Committee. The Antimicrobial Resistance Committee serves to advance, through public policy and advocacy, the development of new antimicrobial agents where unmet need exists and the reduction of occurrence of antimicrobial resistance. The committee […]

Nathan Nolan, MD, and colleagues will present workshop at AAIMW22

Dr. Nathan Nolan, instructor in medicine, division of infectious diseases, along with Frank O’Brien, MBBCh, MRCPI, assistant professor of medicine, division of nephrology and Lisa Zickuhr, MD, assistant professor of medicine, division of rheumatology, submitted a workshop proposal for the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine Week 2022 (AIMW22). Their submission,  “Interprofessional, Multidisciplinary Case Conferences: A Novel Approach […]

The Infectious Diseases Division Celebrates Women in Medicine

Each September, the AMA Women Physicians Section (WPS) honors physicians who have offered their time, wisdom and support to advance women with careers in medicine. The ID Division recognizes all the women physicians, researchers, residents, fellows and medical students working to make health care more equitable. We celebrate these trailblazers during Women in Medicine month. […]