Jacco Boon, PhD and colleagues have developed a tool to study how viruses spread

Each colored stripe in the image above represents a unique virus particle, with the width of each stripe reflecting the number of copies, in a hamster infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Jacco Boon, PhD, a professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, and colleagues have developed a tool to study […]

Former fellow, Bonnie Westrope Rawot, dies at 64

Bonnie Rawot, MD passed away peacefully at her home on April 18, 2024. Many who knew Bonnie will remember Medicine was a second career for her.  She was an accomplished musician and talented flute player, as detailed in her obituary, which we recently came across. Dr. Rawot recognized her true calling would be in medicine, […]

Congratulations Nigar Kirmani, MD, and Janice Hanson, PhD, Lifetime Achievement Awardees

The Lifetime Achievement Award, established in 2021, recognizes current Washington University faculty members with at least twenty years of service as faculty in an academic teaching setting who has shown a lifelong commitment to education and demonstrates excellence in one or more domains of educational service, leadership or scholarship. Nigar Kirmani, MD is a Professor […]

Baldrigde Lab reveals druggable targets against Astroviruses

Megan Baldridge, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Departments of Medicine and Molecular Microbiology and Director of the Baldridge Lab, recently co-authored a Nature Microbiology publication on targeting the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) or dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (DPP4) using available therapies to prevent human astrovirus infection in human enteroid cultures. Harshad Ingle, PhD, one of the study’s co-first […]

Julia López speaks at APHA 2024 Annual Meeting

At APHA (American Public Health Association) 2024, Dr. Julia López, assistant professor of medicine, delivered an oral presentation addressing the critical issue of mental health stigma in the Latinx/e community. She explored how deeply rooted cultural beliefs and social isolation have historically impacted access to care, emphasizing the importance of cultural humility among practitioners. Dr. […]

Dr. Nongnooch Poowanawittayakom joins the Department of Medicine, ID Division (Links to an external site)

Dr. Nongnooch Poowanawittayakom joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases as an Assistant Professor in November 2024.  After she earned her medical degree from one of the most prestigious institutions in Thailand, Mahidol University, Siriraj Hospital, she came to the United States to continue her training in Internal Medicine and Infectious […]

Center for Vaccines & Immunity to Microbial Pathogens (CVIMP) symposium features podcasts with leading scientists

The CVIMP vaccine symposium this week, features scientists working to discover new therapies to treat microbial pathogens. Podcasts hosted by Larissa Thackray, PhD, professor of medicine, are posted for listening and free downloads. Dr. Thackray is the executive director of the Center for Vaccines & Immunity to Microbial Pathogens. As part of the hashtag#CVIMP vaccine […]

WashU ID welcomes ID fellows from Bangkok!

Once again, with the leadership of David Warren, MD, MPH, WashU ID welcomed four infectious diseases fellows from the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. The fellows had a three-week observership in healthcare epidemiology and infectious diseases. They spent a week rounding with WashU/Barnes-Jewish Hospital Infection Prevention staff and ID faculty involved in […]

HIV researchers, advocates, and service providers celebrate the launch of the Midwest D-CFAR (Links to an external site)

Washington University in St. Louis and Saint Louis University have joined forces to establish the Midwest Developmental Center for AIDS Research (Midwest D-CFAR) with funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The center serves as a platform for researchers and public health workers to collaborate and coordinate their efforts to fight the HIV epidemic […]

WashU at IDWeek 2024

WashU ID rocked at the Infectious Diseases Society of America Annual Conference “IDWeek”. It was a busy week with representation in oral and poster presentations, expert panel discussions, and meeting up with friends and colleagues. Below are images of some of the week’s activities. Big thanks to Darcy Wooten, MD, MS for sharing highlights of […]

IDSA Honors Dr. Powderly with Society Citation Award

Congratulations to William G. Powderly, MD, FIDSA, who was honored by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) with a discretionary award given in recognition of his leadership in HIV care and research along with his exemplary contributions to IDSA and the HIV Medical Association. The Society Citation Award was presented today, October 17, at […]

Professorship Installation of Jennifer Philips, MD, PhD

The Professorship Installation of Jennifer Philips, MD, PhD, as the Theodore and Bertha Bryan Professor of Medicine took place on September 16th. ⁠Dr. Philips presented: “Tackling TB: Lessons in Persistence”.⁠ Dr. Philips is Co-Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases. Her laboratory studies the pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Mtb has afflicted humans for thousands […]

WashU ID welcomes the Gerald Medoff Visiting Professor, Dr. Cesar A. Arias

Cesar A. Arias, MD, MSc, PhD, Professor of Medicine at Wiell Cornell Medical College spoke at medicine grand rounds on October 3. The title of his talk was “Translational Approach to Antimicrobial Resistance: A Clinician Conundrum”. The grand rounds — part of the Gerald Medoff Visiting Professor grand rounds lecture series — was free and […]

Hepatitis C ElimiNATION Awareness Tour

The Hepatitis C ElimiNATION Awareness Tour, sponsored by ABBVIE, brings Hepatitis C testing to underserved communities. The WashU Infectious Diseases Division’s Bridge to Health Program partnered with other state and community organizations including Street Med STL, the Missouri Department of Social Services, the Missouri Department of health and Senior Services, and Vivent Health to provide […]

Nasal COVID-19 vaccine halts transmission (Links to an external site)

A nasal COVID-19 vaccine blocks transmission of the virus, according to an animal study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The findings suggest that vaccines delivered directly to the nose or mouth could play a critical role in containing the spread of respiratory infections.