Welcome Fellows to ID!

Congratulations to our 2020 Fellows in Training on completing their first day as Infectious Diseases Fellows at Washington University School of Medicine. Your next two years will be both challenging and rewarding.    You are the next generation of ID specialists in science, clinical care and education. Meet our fellows.

Jennifer Philips, MD, PhD, an associate professor of medicine and co-director of the Division of Infectious Diseases sets up high-security biosafety lab to screen potential COVID-19 antiviral drugs.

Six months into the pandemic, people diagnosed with mild cases of COVID-19 still are told to isolate themselves and wait out the infection at home. Doctors monitor such patients so they can intervene if their condition deteriorates, but no antiviral drugs have been shown to hasten recovery or forestall severe illness in people who are […]

William Powderly, MD, reminds the community that the COVID-19 pandemic is still in the first wave of the pandemic and Americans need to continue to take steps to control the spread.

More than 1,000 people in Missouri have died from COVID-19, according to data analyzed by St. Louis Public Radio. The state reached that milestone three months after the first person in the state died from the disease. In a recent St. Louis Public radio story, William Powderly, MD, the J. William Campbell Professor of Medicine, […]

In two and a half weeks Jane O’Halloran, MD and Phil Mudd, MD create COVID-19 specimen bank

In early March, just as the pandemic was gaining steam in the St. Louis region, Jane O’Halloran, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine, and Philip Mudd, MD, PhD, assistant professor of emergency medicine, met to discuss the possibility of creating a COVID-19 specimen bank. Two and a half weeks later, they began collecting their […]

Patients with COVID-19 donate specimens to advance research efforts

Philip Mudd, MD, PhD, above, an assistant professor of emergency medicine, and his colleague, Jane O’Halloran, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine, infectious diseases specialist, have led efforts to create a repository for storing and managing specimens collected from patients with COVID-19. To date, more than 7,000 samples, including blood, urine and saliva specimens, have […]

COVID-19 mouse model will speed search for drugs, vaccines

The global effort to quickly develop drugs and vaccines for COVID-19 has been hampered by limited numbers of laboratory mice that are susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report they have developed a mouse model of COVID-19 that replicates the […]

White Coats for Black Lives – ID Division faculty, fellows and staff demonstrate with hundreds of medical professionals for Black Lives Matter outside medical center complex

Washington University medical students organized and led a powerful event that brought together students, residents, faculty and staff in solidarity with those who stand against systemic racism. The White Coats for Black Lives event outside the Barnes-Jewish Hospital complex was held in conjunction with other hospitals across the area and country. A large group from […]

William Powderly, MD talks about COVID-19 investigational drugs and clinical trials on BJC’s “Five Questions with …”

Bill Powderly, MD, J. William Campbell Professor of Medicine & Co-director, Infectious Diseases Division, answers questions about COVID-19 investigational drugs in clinical trials, hosted by Emily Brasel, director of communications for BJC HealthCare. The video is part of “5 Questions with…,” an ongoing series in which leaders answer viewer questions about important Medical Campus topics.

$5 million supports research into neglected tropical diseases (Links to an external site)

Grants fund studies of parasitic infections affecting millions worldwide Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received two grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) totaling more than $5 million to study two types of parasitic worm infection that cause devastating illness in millions of people worldwide.

Dharushana Muthulingam, MD, MS, COVID-19 expert for Vogue

When Vogue began covering COIVD-19, Dharushana Muthulingam, MD, MS, instructor in medicine, infectious diseases, was their go to expert.  Dr. Muthulingam has responded to questions on social distancing, and what to do with your clothes after returning home from running errands.  More recently she has responded to the mysterious, potentially coronavirus-related illness affecting children. In the […]

Students, faculty providing coronavirus-related outreach to Latino population (Links to an external site)

Spanish-speaking students, faculty partner with community leaders to offer education aimed at preventing virus’ spread As stay-at-home orders to stem the spread of COVID-19 were announced in March, Austin Ibele, a first-year student at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, investigated whether information about the coronavirus existed in Spanish to alert the area’s […]

On the front lines: Jeffrey Henderson, Infectious diseases specialist describes how COVID-19 plasma therapy works

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. Learn more about Henderson’s work and how COVID-19 survivors can donate plasma. This video is part of a series of short videos focusing […]

COVID-19 in-home monitoring program launched

School of Medicine, BJC HealthCare program involves daily check-ins aimed at reducing hospitalizations People with COVID-19 who are seen by Washington University physicians or BJC Medical Group providers, but not sick enough to be hospitalized, can be enrolled in an in-home health monitoring program. With daily check-ins for each patient via smartphone app or phone […]

Steve Lawrence, MD, MSc, associate professor of medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, discusses protective masks along with Dr. Cheri LeBlanc.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington University physicians respond to news and other media outlets to educate the public. On a daily basis, they answer questions submitted to the “Ask the WashU Doctors” series. With the CDC’s recent recommendation to wear cloth face coverings, many people are doing their part to slow the spread of COVID-19. […]

WUSM Students Connect Patients with Loved Ones During COVID-19 Restrictions

WUSM students have launched a virtual help center to connect COVID-19 patients with their loved ones at a time of heightened fear, panic and isolation. “BJC considers the patient’s loved ones an important part of the care team,” said Jennifer Carron, executive director of patient experience at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. “Our Virtual Visitor program puts tablets […]

Hailing our heroes

In a demonstration of gratitude, BJC and Washington University School of Medicine teamed up to place signs around the Medical Campus, including this one over Forest Park Avenue.

Blues broadcaster John Kelly to donate plasma after recovering from COVID-19

St. Louis Blues broadcaster John Kelly tested positive for COVID-19 last month, and tells KMOV-TV that he will donate plasma as part of a Washington University program. The program is determining whether critically ill COVID-19 patients can benefit from plasma that contains antibodies from those who have recovered. “If I can help make one person […]