Ushe appointed as new ombud for WashU Medicine

Mwiza Ushe

Mwiza Ushe, MD, MA, professor of neurology, has been appointed as one of two new ombuds for Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Ushe was appointed alongside Alison Antes, PhD, associate professor of medicine. Their terms begin Jan. 1, 2025. The goal of the Office of the Ombuds is to meet and provide […]

First-ever WashU ALS Symposium brings national ALS community together

Individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s disease, their caregivers, friends, family and medical providers who specialize in ALS treatment and research had the opportunity to connect at the first-ever Washington University ALS Symposium Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. The event, hosted by the Washington University Department of Neurology ALS Center, was held at […]

Three Washington University child neurologists distinguished in first-ever Child Neurology Society fellow class

2024 Fellow of the Child Neurology Society Christopher Smyser Soe Mar Renee Shellhaas

Christopher Smyser, MD, MSCI, Soe Mar, MD, MBBS, MRCP, and Renée Shellhaas, MD, MS, have all been included in the inaugural Fellow of the Child Neurology Society (FCNS) program class. The designation “recognizes and honors our dedicated members’ professional achievements and contributions.” In order to be eligible, the applicant must be an active member in good standing with […]

WashU Medicine Cerebral Palsy Family Day 2024: Overview

CP Family Day 2024

Cerebral Palsy Family Day is an annual event at the Missouri Botanical Garden that is free to all families cared for at the Cerebral Palsy and Mobility Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. During this event, caregivers learn about what it is like to grow up with CP from adults with CP. They also engage […]

Opinion: A Piece of My Mind — Don’t Waste Your Cancer (Links to an external site)

In eighth grade, instead of going to the annual class trip, I reclined in a hospital bed on the ninth floor of the cancer hospital. And instead of being handed an invitation to the eighth grade dance (though under normal circumstances, I’m not sure this would have happened either), I received a 16-page long article […]

This Is Literally Your Brain on Drugs (Links to an external site)

This heat map of brain activity patterns shows profound disturbance during an individual’s experience after taking psilocybin. Relatively stable patterns before and after the dose (blue and green hues) are temporarily scrambled during the "trip" (red, orange and yellow hues). Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report that psilocybin destabilizes a critical network of brain areas involved in introspective thinking. The findings provide a neurobiological explanation for the drug’s mind-bending effects.

The image, as it happens, comes from dozens of brain scans produced by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis who gave psilocybin, the compound in “magic mushrooms,” to participants in a study before sending them into a functional M.R.I. scanner.

Now accepting applications for WashU Medicine Bold Pioneer Award!

Bold Pioneer Award

The goal of the $10,000 WashU Medicine Bold Pioneer Award is to recognize and encourage early career investigators who have demonstrated bold, pioneering research that is high-risk by virtue of being fundamentally different from standard approaches. The intent is to encourage scientific research investigators to challenge status quo approaches by developing fundamentally different methods, approaches, […]

Goedeker and Coble selected as 2024 Excellence in Nursing Awards recipients

2024 Excellence in Nursing Awards Natalie Goedeker, CPNP Janette Coble, MS, BSN, RN

Natalie Goedeker, CPNP, a nurse practitioner with the Section of Neuromuscular Medicine at WashU Neurology, and Janette Coble, MS, BSN, RN, a nurse educator with the Section of Pediatric Epilepsy, have both been chosen as 2024 Excellence in Nursing Awards recipients. The annual St. Louis Magazine Excellence in Nursing Awards, presented by BJC HealthCare and Goldfarb School […]

Chisholm, Anand and O’Hearn announced as Neurology Staff Employees of the Quarter

Staff Employee of the Quarter Q3 FY24

The Department of Neurology congratulations three staff members for being awarded the Neurology Staff Employees of the Quarter for Q3 FY24. For the first time, the department accepted nominations for three award categories in an effort to highlight the dedication and accomplishments of our staff members — clinical, research and administration. Clinical Staff Employee of […]

Medical school mentors, sponsors honored for their impact (Links to an external site)

Soe S. Mar, MD, (right) a professor of neurology and of pediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is one of 53 faculty being honored with Dean's Impact Awards for excellence in mentorship and sponsorship. Director of the Pediatric Neurology Residency Program, Mar is pictured with Tanner Hoke, MD, a resident in pediatric neurology.

It might seem odd, but a steaming cup of coconut chicken noodle soup can go a long way toward advancing patient care, research and education. Similarly, a medical school’s success can be enhanced with a simple reassurance when young scientists worry about research funding, lab experiments or their futures. Or an empathetic “I understand” to […]