Issue 101, September 2026

DBBS: Honoring Our History While Building What's Next
More than 50 years ago, P. Roy Vagelos, MD, and Chancellor Emeritus William H. Danforth, MD, shared a conviction: that the best science happens when disciplinary walls come down. That conviction led to the 1973 founding of the Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences — a bold experiment in joint governance between the School of Medicine and the School of Arts & Sciences that became known nationally as "the WashU model," now commonly adopted across programs in the US. In 2022, in recognition of Roy and Diana Vagelos’s extraordinary generosity, the division was renamed the Roy and Diana Vagelos Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences. Today, DBBS trains more than 800 PhD students and MSTP students in their PhD phase across 11 doctoral programs, guided by more than 700 faculty from over 36 departments university-wide — a living testament to what that original partnership set out to build. | Full Excerpt

The Master of Science (or MS) in Medical Physics program and Post PhD Graduate Certificate program have been reaccredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs (CAMPEP), while the Medical Physics PhD program received initial accreditation, marking the first time WashU has offered a full complement of CAMPEP-accredited Medical Physics programs. The PhD program's accreditation is especially significant because all graduates, including members of the program's initial cohorts, will earn a CAMPEP-accredited degree, helping qualify them for board examinations and residency programs. CAMPEP's accreditation decision renews the MS and Post PhD Graduate Certificate programs through June 30, 2031, and grants initial accreditation to the PhD program through June 30, 2029, with the potential for extension based on annual reports. | More about the Medical Physics Program

Application Deadline: Sunday, October 4, 2026, 11:59PM
The Loeb Teaching Fellows program provides the time and opportunity to develop and implement innovative ideas that augment the education of medical students, residents and fellows. All WashU Medicine faculty involved with the teaching of medical students and/or residents and fellows (including volunteer faculty) at any level are eligible to apply. These prestigious fellowships are the cornerstone of our innovation in education efforts and are critical to helping us grow as a world-class center for educational excellence.

There are two Loeb Teaching Fellowships, supported jointly by the BJH Foundation and WashU Medicine. The Fellowship term will run two years, beginning July 1, 2027, and ending June 30, 2029. A mid-term review and renewal are required in 2028. Loeb Teaching Fellows will receive $50,000 per year for two years for salary compensation only to enable dedicating a significant portion of his/her time to development and implementation of their project and direct teaching of medical students and/or residents. | More Loeb Information & Application

Looking to take your career to the next level? The WashU Medicine Clinical Research Training Center is seeking applicants for our Mentored Training Program in Clinical Investigation and Master of Science in Clinical Investigation—apply by November 1, 2026! Additionally, we are extending professional development opportunities to the entire WashU community, including scientific communication training using the ABT (And, But, Therefore) Narrative Framework with Randy Olson, PhD, a panel discussion on submitting K grants, and insights from Joe Simmons, PhD, on identifying fraud in medical literature. | More CRTC Information

Foundations in Teaching Skills
Deadline: Wednesday, September 9, 2026 | Apply to FITS
This certificate program targets junior educators (1-5 years out of training) as well as faculty who are newly incorporating teaching excellence into their careers. Offered from October to June each academic year, the FITS program focuses on providing instruction in foundational teaching skills and establishing a community of educators with each cohort. 

Leadership in Education Administration Program
Application Deadline: Sunday, November 1, 2026 | Apply to LEAP
This program aims to provide knowledge and applied skills to support leadership development focused on health professions education contexts. The LEAP curriculum will focus on a variety of topics that will have value to faculty who currently are, or desire to be, leaders in health professions education.

Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2026, | Lunch: 11:30AM-Noon | Keynote: noon-2PM | Workshop: 2-4PM or Wednesday, September 23, 2026, 11AM-2PM (lunch served)
Location: Eric P. Newman Education Center, 320 S. Euclid Ave
Join us for a university-wide keynote address and training session with Randy Olson, PhD as he guides us through the ABT (And, But, Therefore) Framework — a simple, powerful tool used by scientists, communicators, and policymakers worldwide to make complex ideas clear and compelling. Registration is required. | Register for ABT

Date/Time: POSTPONED TO THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH
Location: Tisch Park, Danforth Campus
Medical Campus faculty and staff are invited to volunteer/attend Gephardt Institute’s 4th annual Longest Table. The Longest Table brings together hundreds of members of the WashU community with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and interests not just to share a meal but to find connection and community. | RSVP to the Longest Table

Date: Friday, September 18, 2026, Noon-4:00PM | Lunch provided
Location: Erlanger Interactive Classroom (McDonnell Medical Sciences Bldg., Floor 1) | Register
Participants will explore the Six C’s of Inclusive Leadership alongside key Emotional Intelligence skills to deepen their understanding of the behaviors that foster belonging, trust and an inclusive team culture. Facilitated by Sherree Wilson, PhD, Associate Vice Chancellor and Senior Associate Dean-Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Erin Stampp, MPP, Director, Programming and Professional Development, Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the workshop is designed to be engaging and collaborative, with lunch and breaks provided to support learning! Questions: Contact Erin Stampp

Date/Time: Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026 | Join or Donate to the WashU Medicine Team
Location: The Family Arena, St. Charles, MO
Pedal the Cause is the largest annual fundraising event that supports cancer research at Siteman Cancer Center & Siteman Kids. Participants of all ages can take part in various ways, from selecting a course ranging from 10- to 100-mile long to biking in-person or on a stationary bike at home. Contact Mollie Zolkind for volunteer opportunities and WashU Medicine Team student captain, Mark Li, with questions about fundraising or training. | Learn More About Pedal the Cause

Date/Time: Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 5:30-6:45PM, Graham Chapel | 6:45-7:45PM, Private Reception, Umrath Lounge, Umrath Hall
Location: Danforth Campus | Register
Join WashU for an engaging Assembly Series event featuring Eric Horvitz, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at Microsoft and a leading voice in artificial intelligence, technology, and society. Dr. Horvitz will share insights from his pioneering work in AI, including its applications in healthcare and the importance of ethical, trustworthy human-AI collaboration. Registration is required, and space is limited.

Date/Time: Thursday, September 24, 2026, 10-11AM (first meeting)
Location: Danforth Campus | Register & Learn More
The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and the Academy of Educators (AOE) invite you to join a journal club on AI in education for monthly discussions about genAI in the teaching and learning space. Meetings will rotate between the Medical and Danforth campuses. Discussion article suggestions are welcome, as well as volunteers to guide the discussion. Brown-bag lunches are welcome.

Date: Friday, October 2, 2026, 4–5PM | Register
Location: 4444 Forest Park Ave, Room 1235 | More Information
The Program in Physical Therapy is pleased to welcome Lori A. Michener, PhD, PT, ATC, FAPTA, FNATA, as the speaker for the 12th Annual Sahrmann Lectureship. Dr. Michener will present "Beyond One Size Fits All: Precision Rehabilitation for Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy," highlighting the latest evidence and clinical applications for personalized rehabilitation strategies. This award honors alum and emeritus faculty member, Shirley Sahrmann, and brings international leaders in physical therapy to WashU Medicine to share advances in research and clinical practice.

Date: Thursday, October 8, 2026, 10:45AM–6PM | Register for Ed Day
Location: Eric P. Newman Education Center, 320 S. Euclid Ave.
Get ready for Education Day 2026, an energizing day of connection, collaboration, and fresh ideas for WashU Medicine educators and trainees. This year’s theme, Teaching in Times of Uncertainty: Opportunities, Challenges, and Emerging Ideas, will feature a keynote address by Graham McMahon, MD, MMSc, along with interactive breakout sessions, mentoring opportunities, awards, and networking. Join colleagues from across WashU Medicine to explore new approaches to teaching and celebrate excellence in education.

Will Ross, MD, MPH

Date: Friday, October 9, 2026, 5:30-8PM | Registration opens September 2, 2026
Location: Eric P. Newman Education Center, 320 S. Euclid Avenue
Will R. Ross, MD, MPH, Associate Dean for Diversity, will present “The History of Public Hospitals and the Advent of Homer G. Phillips Hospital.” at the 30th annual Homer G. Phillips Public Health Lecture Series, sponsored by the Office of Diversity Programs. Please RSVP by October 2nd. | More Information

Date/Time: Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 2:30-5:30PM 
Location: Farrell Teaching & Learning Center, Connor Auditorium Atrium & Hearth | Register for the EXPLORE Symposium
Join us at the 2026 EXPLORE Symposium to celebrate the scholarly work of WashU medical students. The Symposium will feature a keynote address by Thomas M. Maddox, MD, MSc, a selection of student oral presentations, and a student poster session. Refreshments will be served. | Questions? Contact the EXPLORE Team.

View details and register for all Becker Library events here.

September Lasergene Workshops
Dates: Wednesday, September 2, 2026, 2:30-3:30PM, and Thursday, September 3, 2026, 9:30-11AM and 1-2:30PM
Locations: Erlanger September 2 | Cori September 3
Take advantage of three workshop opportunities on WashU’s Medical campus to learn about Lasergene biology and genomic tools! 
Pellagra, Cotton Monoculture, and the Contested Boundaries of Public Health, Historia Medica
Date: Thursday, September 10, 2026, 4-5PM
Location: Knight Center, 7th floor of Bernard Becker Medical Library
Join us to hear from historian Dana Landress about the many constituencies in the Jim Crow South that worked to combat hunger.
September SciComm Journal Club
Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026, noon-1PM,
Location: 4300 Duncan Avenue
Learn how health care professionals can leverage competencies as we discuss "Training health communicators — The need for a new approach." 
Navigating AI tools for Research and Clinical Work (Part of AI Perspectives Week)
Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2026, 10-11AM
Location: Erlanger Interactive Classroom and virtually
This hybrid workshop offers a practical look at the landscape of general and clinical AI tools, and AI-assisted literature search platforms.

View details & register for all AOE events here. 

Educational Building Blocks

Education Scholarship Series

Enrollment is open for the National Board of Medical Examiners' fall assessment workshops. NBME workshops teach skills and strategies to create assessments that more effectively measure student knowledge. Open to all faculty. | Register for NBME Assessment Workshops

WashU Medicine Physical Therapy expanded its clinical footprint this August with the opening of a new location in Sunset Hills. The clinic officially opened for patient care on August 17, bringing expert, evidence-based physical therapy care closer to patients in South St. Louis County.

Located at 3700 South Lindbergh Boulevard, Suite B, the new space will support a wide range of orthopedic and musculoskeletal needs, including sports injuries, post-surgical rehabilitation and movement-related conditions. The clinic features a large turf area and advanced rehabilitation and performance technology, allowing therapists to help patients progress from recovery to higher-level activity and return to sport.

The Sunset Hills location also expands access to specialized WashU Medicine Physical Therapy services, including running evaluations and injury prevention, cycling assessments and bike fitting, golf swing analysis and rehabilitation, and care for athletes of all levels. In addition to serving patients, the new location provides another clinical learning environment for WashU Medicine DPT students, creating additional opportunities to gain hands-on experience alongside WashU Medicine physical therapists.

The expansion reflects the continued growth of WashU Medicine Physical Therapy and its commitment to providing individualized, one-on-one care while strengthening the connection between clinical practice and physical therapy education. | More Information

Continuing Medical Education is proud to announce that Ronda Koeller was selected to serve on HealthStream's CE Management Innovation Council. This select advisory group partners directly with technology product teams to shape how professional healthcare education is managed and delivered across thousands of medical institutions to millions of learners nationwide. Ronda brings over 27 years of CE experience to the council, having successfully implemented multiple major management systems and led the integration of conflict-of-interest workflows at WashU. Her deep expertise in system interoperability and compliance makes her a perfect fit for this national, innovation-focused role.

The Program in Genetic Counseling is pleased to announce that Kierra Hall, a second year student in the MS in Genetic Counseling program, was selected to receive a 2026–2027 Jane Engleberg Memorial Fellowship Student Research Award from the National Society of Genetic Counselors. Her research project, “Black perspectives on variants of uncertain significance results for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer,” was in the top 10% of the applications received. This award will help fund Kierra’s research and help her towards her goals to present her findings at a national conference as well as to publish a manuscript in a peer-reviewed journal. Congratulations, Kierra!

Jiameng (Linda) Sun

Zeal Jinwala

Kennedy Reed

Jiameng (Linda) Sun is the 2026 Jakschik Award recipient: Jiameng (Linda) works in the lab of Brian DeBosch where she has made large contributions to the field of liver fasting metabolism and plans to use her success as a springboard into the WashU medical degree program upon the completion of her PhD in the Developmental, Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology Program. This award was established to honor Dr. Barbara Jakschik who retired from the Department of Developmental Biology in 1992.
Zeal Jinwala receives Autism Science Foundation Pre-Doctoral Fellowship: This grant will support critical research aimed at improving the lives of individuals with profound autism—those with no or minimal verbal ability and/or intellectual disability. The selected projects focus on earlier identification, practical diagnostic tools, the biology of the condition, severe and dangerous behaviors, and new approaches to improving identification, supports, and future interventions. Zeal’s project, “Predicting Which Children with Profound Autism Are Likely to Experience Dangerous Behaviors,” will help advance understanding in this area of research.
Memorial Scholarship established to honor Kennedy Reed: Kennedy Reed, a fourth-year PhD candidate in molecular microbiology and microbial pathogenesis at Washington University School of Medicine, passed away on August 4, 2026, following a car accident. This scholarship honors Kennedy’s commitment to education and scientific excellence by supporting an ongoing partnership with her alma mater, Alcorn State University. Contributions will sponsor two Alcorn State undergraduate students annually to participate in a summer research experience in Roy and Diana Vagelos Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences (DBBS) laboratories at WashU. Donations are being accepted via WashU Giving. | More about Kennedy.

The WashU Gardening Club hosted their first Harvest Share at the end of August for faculty, staff and students to share their bounty with others. Highlights included an abundance of zucchini, fresh herbs, spoon tomatoes, flowers, apples from City Greens Market and farm fresh eggs. The Share was hosted on the Club’s patio garden at 4533 Clayton Avenue where they have grown vegetables and herbs for the past year. Future events include more harvest shares pending how the garden fares and continued coordination with the Culinary Medicine student group, supplying produce for their cooking demonstrations. Want to get involved? Students can join via WUGO. Faculty and staff can contact Kate Mallery, Ashrit Challa, or Mike Ferzoco.

MSRS Students: Maggie Di Scipio, Kaitlyn Miller, Sarah Slaten, and Gayatri Usulumarthy

The Master of Science in Reproductive Sciences (MSRS) program is thrilled to announce four new students who have joined a vibrant community of scholars at WashU Medicine! Sarah Slaten and Gayatri Usulumarthy are in the MSRS-Research concentration, and Maggie Di Scipio and Kaitlyn Miller are the inaugural cohort for the MSRS-Clinical Embryology concentration. Over the next two years, they will deepen their knowledge and expand their skills in reproductive sciences through rigorous coursework, hands-on laboratory training, mentorship, and expert-led instruction. | More about the MSRS Program

Chih-Hung Chang, PhD

Chih-Hung Chang, PhD, Professor of Occupational Therapy, Medicine, Orthopedic Surgery, and Public Health at WashU, delivered an invited lecture at the National Taiwan University School of Nursing in Taipei, Taiwan, titled Clinical Infometrics: Applications in Nursing Practice, Education, and Research. The presentation introduced Clinical Infometrics as an interdisciplinary framework that brings together measurement science, health informatics, data science, and artificial intelligence to help transform clinical and educational data into meaningful information for assessment, decision-making, competency development, research, and patient care. The visit also included discussion and scholarly exchange with NTU nursing faculty, creating opportunities for international collaboration across health professions education and research. | Psychometrics × Informatics (pi) Lab.

Janice Hanson, PhD, EdS, MH

Maria Pérez, MA

Yaheng Lu, PhD, MS

Eva Aagaard, MD

WashU Medicine faculty and staff Janice Hanson, PhD, EdS, MH, Maria Pérez, MA, Yaheng Lu, PhD, MS, Eva Aagaard, MD, and Donna Jeffe, PhD recently published research exploring factors that influence whether physician fellows join the faculty at the research-intensive academic-medical center where they trained. The study, published in Medical Education Online, employed a mixed-methods approach. They found that positive training and mentoring experiences, alignment between the institution's needs and the fellow's career goals, institutional resources, workplace culture, and clear communication between fellows and their program directors/department leadership all play important roles in fellows' decision-making to join the faculty (when positions are available). The findings highlight strategies to encourage and support fellows as they consider transitioning into faculty roles and building academic careers. By understanding the barriers to and facilitators of accepting a faculty position at the institution where one trained, the study identifies intervention opportunities to support fellows' career goals and enhance faculty recruitment at academic-medical centers seeking to strengthen their physician workforce while meeting the institution's needs and priorities. | Full Article

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