The official newsletter of the Department of Medicine - Vol. 23
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Dear colleagues and friends,
As we wrap up the final DOM Insider for 2024, it’s a good time to reflect on what a productive and rewarding year this has been for the Department of Medicine. The first half of the year we welcomed new faculty, fellows and residents to the Department. We also moved our hematology and oncology clinical practices into the new Gary C. Werths cancer building and held an inspiring dedication to recognize this important philanthropic gift. We are also finishing construction on our new basic research laboratory space in the BJCIH vertical expansion. Multiple investigators from several divisions will be moving into this beautiful new lab space in the next few months.
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This year, WashU Medicine reached an all-time high in NIH grants, a milestone that underscores the exceptional quality and impact of our research. These grants represent basic discoveries and clinical and translational research that lead to life-changing advancements in medicine made possible through the hard work, dedication, and innovation of our faculty, staff, and trainees. This accomplishment is a testament to the national competitiveness and global importance of the biomedical research happening at Washington University School of Medicine.
In this issue, our spotlight shines on Dr. Darcy Wooten, who recently joined the Infectious Diseases division in an important educational leadership role. I encourage you to take a few moments to read about her inspiring journey and her vision for the future of the department. Her work is emblematic of the energy and creativity that continue to move our educational programs forward.
We recently celebrated a very successful fellowship match and welcome 69 new fellows into our subspecialty training programs in the Department of Medicine. Our congratulations also go out to Dr. Nancy Sweitzer, Jim Robison, Dr. Alan Zajarias, and Dr. Marc Sintek, who have stepped into new roles within the department. Their leadership will no doubt have a lasting impact on our clinical, educational, and research missions.
As we enter the holiday season, I hope you take time to reflect on the successes of the past year and find moments to reconnect with family, friends, and loved ones. Let’s all pause to appreciate the many things we have to be thankful for, both personally and professionally.
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2024 DOM's Chair's office Holiday Party.
Thank you, as always, for your unwavering dedication and support of the Department of Medicine. Together, we continue to set new standards for excellence, and I look forward to seeing what we accomplish in 2025.
Wishing you and your families a joyful and restful holiday season and a bright start to the New Year!
Happy Holidays,
Vicky Fraser, MD, Adolphus Busch Professor of Medicine, Chair, Department of Medicine
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A listing of all current Department of Medicine grants ≥ $300,000 is available here.
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View recent publications across the Department of Medicine via the Publications page.
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Your gift will help recruit and retain outstanding faculty, support life-saving research and patient care and help train the next generation of leaders in medicine.
Make your gift here.
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High Impact Research Publications |
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Discovery of Culprit Behind Scars in Heart Failure Points to Possible Treatment Target |
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Polypill proposed to change the heart failure treatment paradigm |
| Vaccine Shows Promise Against Aggressive Breast Cancer |
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Wooten’s Inspiring Journey to Infectious Diseases Leadership |
Dr. Darcy Wooten’s career journey has been anything but conventional. Born and raised in Southern California, Dr. Wooten proudly represents six generations of California heritage. Growing up in Los Angeles, she initially aspired to become an English teacher, inspired by her mother, a high school science teacher, but also seeking a path uniquely her own. “My rebellion was to be an English teacher, but still within the teaching realm,” she shared. However, a required undergraduate science course on human viruses profoundly shifted her trajectory.
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DOLF PI Dr. Peter Fischer (3rd from left), associate director Laura Peer (center) and trial project manager, Cooper Sannah (right) met with NPHIL Director General Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan (4th from left) and his leadership team.
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DOLF Leadership Visits Clinical Trial Sites in Liberia and Ivory Coast |
The DOLF Project PI, Dr. Peter Fischer, and associate director Laura Peer traveled to Liberia in October for a mid-trial visit the site of DOLF’s clinical trial of treatment for the neglected tropical disease (NTD) onchocerciasis (also known as “river blindness”). The clinical trial is located at Bong Mines Hospital about 70 miles from the capital Monrovia. The clinal trial team was conducting a six-month follow up exam and treatment of one of the first cohorts of participants who received their initial treatment in April.
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Dr. Kelli King-Morris (left) and patient.
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| King-Morris’ Maternal Fetal Medicine Nephrology Program to Expand |
Pregnant women with kidney problems face high risks for complications affecting both themselves and their unborn child. In 2022, Kelli King-Morris, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, founded the Maternal Fetal Medicine Nephrology Clinic at WashU Nephrology to optimize the care of these patients.
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| WashU Medicine Divisions of Pulmonary and Infectious Diseases Selected as Bronchiectasis and NTM Care Center |
Bronchiectasis and NTM 360, a division of the COPD Foundation, has accepted WashU Medicine – Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, into its Bronchiectasis and NTM Care Center Network (CCN), recognizing the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Division’s dedication to providing high-quality medical care, resources and education for those with bronchiectasis and nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease.
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Awards/Fellowships/Honors/Accolades |
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Dr. Andreas Herrlich on Editorial Board of New Comprehensive Physiology Journal |
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Dr. James G. “Doc” Avery’s promotion to Colonel in the United States Air Force |
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Dr. Nickole Forget awarded the Laureate Award from the American College of Physicians |
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First Annual Hospital Medicine
Awards Ceremony |
| Siteman Cancer Center’s new outpatient building named in honor of Gary C. Werths |
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Dr. Alan Zajarias, appointed as Director, Interventional and Structural Research |
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Jim Robison has joined the Department of Medicine as Senior Director of Business Operations |
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Dr. Marc Sintek, appointed as the next Director of the BJH Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory |
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Dr. Nancy Sweitzer, named as Director of CTSA TWD and CRTC at WashU Medicine |
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Office of Faculty Development (OFD) |
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November 19th marked the start of the 2024 DOM Leadership Training Course (LTC). The cohort has completed 4 sessions on Systems Thinking, Self-Awareness/Managing Yourself, Managing Others, and Conflict Management. The LTC is being facilitated by Dr. Clay Dunagan, Denise Murphy, and Dr. Russell Hoffman. Read more.
We are excited to announce a new Faculty Development Seminar Series beginning in January 2025. This series will focus on key topics essential for the career and professional growth of our faculty members. Join us each month to enhance your skills, expand your knowledge, and advance your academic career. Monthly seminar sessions will be offered in a hybrid format. Read more.
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| Dr. Milan Anadkat
Vice Chair of Faculty Development
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Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Allyship & Social Justice (IDEAS) at DOM |
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The HEaR Room is a physical representation of the DOM’s commitment to a culture that supports all members in practices to heal from trauma, unlearn implicit bias, eradicate micro-aggressions, and lessen stress-induced burnout. Located on the 6th floor of Wohl Hospital (Room 6607), The HEaR room is available to fully utilize for the practice of mindfulness and reaping the benefits of meditation. We encourage you to unwind, recharge, rest and/or reflect. Visit the Healing Equity and Reflection webpage for more information or to reserve the room.
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Mentorship to Enhance Diversity in Academia (MEDA) |
| Dr. Angela L. Brown
Vice Chair of Health Equity
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On November 11th, OUTmed hosted an OUTmentor Workshop with round table discussions on Leadership Skills, including Managing Teams, Negotiations, and Conflict Resolution.
OUTmed hosted their 2nd Annual LGBTQ in the Lou Information Session on December 3rd. Over 48 applicants to Wash U Medicine residency programs attended this virtual information session to learn more about OUTmed, its initiatives, and queer culture at Wash U Medicine and in St. Louis. Read more.
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Vice Chair for the Advancement of Women’s Careers |
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As the year ends, I’d like to take a moment to thank everyone on the AWAM Executive Committee and FWIM Committee for their dedication and commitment to our gender equity efforts within the Department. The Department of Medicine successfully developed and implemented a new transparent, equitable process for nominating candidates for the AAMC Early & Mid-Career Women Faculty Development Seminar tuition award sponsored by the Office of Faculty Promotion & Career Development and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Dr. Patricia Litkowski, Assistant Professor of Medicine was awarded tuition support to attend the Early Career Seminar. She shared this about her experience, "I gained practical tools to navigate my professional journey. I left the seminar feeling inspired, more knowledgeable, and with new connections that I think will be helpful as I advance in my career."
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| Dr. Rakhee Bhayani
Vice Chair for the Advancement of Women’s Careers
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Advancing Women in Academic Medicine (AWAM)
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AWAM welcomed Dr. Dani Zipkin, Professor of Medicine at Duke University, for a three-day visit to learn about the initiatives, programming, and efforts to advance equity across the medical campus. Dr. Zipkin met with leaders across the various departments and school-level during her visit. AWAM, IDEAS, and MEDA jointly hosted Dr. Zipkin for an engaging presentation on “Promotion for Women and Faculty of Color in Academic Medicine: Through the Equity Lens”. The presentation led to a lot of thoughtful discussion by participants. Dr. Zipkin's visit afforded us an opportunity to learn about the efforts currently underway at Duke University and promote collaborative efforts between our institutions in the future.
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(L-R) Drs. Namrata Patel, Felicia Gomez, Cassandra Fritz, Rakhee Bhayani, Angela Brown, Daniella Zipkin, and
Tony Dao
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Leaders in Empowerment and Development (LEAD) Awards
Nomination Deadline: January 13, 2025 | Apply/Details
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Forum for Women in Medicine (FWIM) |
We have had 3 of 7 sessions this year, including Finding Meaning and Purpose in Medicine, Building your Academic Team for Success, and Communicating Effectively, Adapting Your Style. The longitudinal program provides our next generation of women with critical skills to lead effectively and build a network of support.
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Dr. Gayathri Krishnan, Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, presented a poster at the AAMC Learn Serve Lead Group on Women In Medicine and Science (GWIMS) poster session titled "Innovative Leadership Development Curriculum for Women Trainees in the Department of Medicine: A FWIM Initiative" which highlighted the novel leadership program for women trainees.
FWIM DOM Moms and Caregivers: Dr. Emily Podany, a Fellow in the Oncology Fellowship Program and lead of the DOM Moms & Caregivers Subcommittee, was the first author of an article published in the Society of General Medicine (SGIM) Forum, “Parenting Your Way Through Medicine: Navigating Your Way to Work-Life Integration. "She co-authored it with Dr. Namrata Patel, Assistant Professor of Medicine & Pediatrics and director of FWIM, and Dr. Rakhee Bhayani, Professor of Medicine and Vice Chair for Advancing Women's Careers. View/download PDF to view the full article (starts on page 7).
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DOM Moms & Caregivers: Tick-Tock goes by Biological Clock: Navigating Reproductive Aging, Fertility Options, and Family Building in Medicine
January 29, 2025 | 5:00 - 6:30 pm | Online | RSVP/Details -
4th Annual DOM Women in Medicine & Science Seminar: Strategies for Success: Embracing Transitions & Unconventional Pathways
April 3, 2025 | 1:00 - 5:00 pm | Eric P. Newman Education Center | RSVP/Details
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Vice Chair of Clinical Research |
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The office of the Vice-Chair for Clinical Research was created to facilitate increased activity and leadership in the Department of Medicine (DOM) in the world of clinical trials and investigator-initiated patient centered research.
Clinical research is a rewarding adjunctive activity for faculty focused on delivery of clinical care, allowing our patient population access to new and highly promising therapies, furthering understanding of human disease, and through implementation science, transforming care delivery to improve outcome. A successful career in clinical investigation does not require an 80:20 model, as having patient participants from which to draw is a key component and busy clinicians, with the right infrastructure support, can be highly successful clinical investigators. Basic scientists may want to translate discoveries into human populations and our office can help with that as well. We can provide support to ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements, optimized study design, and that appropriate participants are targeted for your first-in-man studies.
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| Dr. Nancy Sweitzer
Vice Chair of Clinical Research
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Congratulations to all Department of Medicine fellowship programs that participated in the recent NRMP Match! We are proud to have matched a total of 69 outstanding fellows through the match process and look forward to welcoming each of them to WashU next summer. View all 2025 Fellowship Matches
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| Dr. Abby Spencer
Vice Chair of Education
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Roads to Success: Enhancing Medical Education in the Department of Medicine
February 13-14, 2025 | Farrell Learning and Teaching Center | RSVP/Details - Academy of Educators’ Teachfest Royale: An 8-Minute Didactic Challenge
Tuesday, February 4, 12:00-1:30pm | Moore Auditorium, North Building | View Details
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Call for Applications/Submissions |
- Developing Faculty Competencies in Assessment
In collaboration with the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
Deadline – 2/3/25 | View Details
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Vice Chairs of Safety, Quality, and Operations |
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Please help spread the word that the DOM
E-consult pilot is live in Epic for the Division of Allergy/Immunology |
E-consult is a provider-to-provider consulting service and can be a way to get a quick response to your Allergy/Immunology question. It is similar to a “curbside” consultation. Order it by entering an order to “Econsult Allergy” in Epic.
There are only two steps once you place the order: (1) You have to check a box signifying that the patient is aware that you are placing this consultation request (and it may be billed to their insurance) and (2) Type in the question you have for the consulting service (e.g.,” This patient has an allergy to lisinopril. Can we prescribe losartan?”).
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| Dr. Thomas Ciesielski
Vice Chair of Inpatient Safety, Quality and Operations
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| Dr. Maya Jerath
Vice Chair of Ambulatory Clinical Operations, Safety and Quality
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If the answer can be provided through a chart review alone (i.e., no interaction with the patient), then you will be sent an answer within 1-2 days and the patient’s insurance will be billed. If the question requires a visit with the patient to determine an answer, then the consultation will be converted to a regular referral and the patient will not be billed for the E-consult.
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WashU Nephrology and IGSS Gather in Guatemala for 6th Annual Nephrology Symposium |
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Dr. Maria Baggstrom presented a poster at the annual AAMC Learn Serve Lead GWIMS |
| 2024 Diabetes Day Symposium Recap |
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Dr. Cynthia Herrick joins meeting with the Pope at the Vatican to advocate for gender-affirming care |
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Siteman Cancer Center share how colorectal cancer is affecting young people too |
| The Hematology Division was well represented at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting |
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| | We extend a warm welcome to Drs. Dmitri Kotov in Infectious Diseases and Vishwanath Jha in Hematology.
Our DOM website and social media will feature more information on each faculty over the next few weeks. Be sure to follow us there!
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February 6 and February 13
4:00 pm
Eric P. Newman Education Center
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| February 12
11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Eric P. Newman Education Center
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| February 28
7:00 am - 3:20 pm
Eric P. Newman Education Center
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Contact DOM Media Team (dom.media@wustl.edu) if you have questions or requests about social media, marketing, websites, web design, etc.
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660 S. Euclid Ave. | St. Louis, MO 63110 US
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