Four Washington University in St. Louis researchers are being honored as outstanding scientists by the Academy of Science of St. Louis.
Each year, the academy seeks nominations of outstanding women and men in science, engineering and technology who are known worldwide for their scientific contributions to research, industry and quality of life. Those recognized also have a record of excellence in communicating with the public and/or mentoring colleagues.
John E. Heuser, MD, professor of cell biology and physiology at the School of Medicine, will receive the Academy of Science’s Peter H. Raven Lifetime Achievement Award; David Holtzman, MD, the head of the Department of Neurology, will be honored with the Fellows Award; Caitlin Kelleher, PhD, the Hugo F. & Ina Champ Urbauer Career Development Associate Professor, will receive the Innovation Award; and Lihong Wang, PhD, the Gene K. Beare Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering, will be recognized with the James B. Eads Award.
Heuser
Heuser, MD, emeritus professor of cell biology and biophysics, pioneered a technique for imaging cells and molecules in the electron microscope that he calls the “quick-freeze deep-etch” procedure. The process has allowed him and his colleagues to take highly detailed pictures of rapid events, including the communication that occurs between nerve cells, the uptake and secretion of materials into and out of cells, and the rapid movements of cells ranging from contracting muscle cells to swimming sperm.
He continues to use his approach, in conjunction with other advanced electron microscope techniques, to provide unique and insightful 3-D views, known as “Heusergrams,” of membranes and molecules in a wide variety of biological contexts, including nerves, muscles, glands, blood, skin and bone. Heuser recently patented an update of the original machine.
Holtzman
Holtzman, the Andrew B. and Gretchen P. Jones Professor of Neurology and a professor of developmental biology, specializes in investigating the molecular mechanisms that cause Alzheimer’s disease and developing new treatments. His team played a leading role in showing how dangerous amounts of a protein called amyloid-beta (ABeta) begin to accumulate in the brain many years before symptoms arise.
Holtzman and his colleagues also have made important contributions to the search for markers of pre-symptomatic disease, research that is expected to help clinicians one day start treatment for Alzheimer’s disease prior to dementia. For example, they recently established a strong link between sleep disruption and Alzheimer’s risk.
Together with collaborators at Eli Lilly and Co., Holtzman has identified antibodies that can decrease amyloid plaques over months in mice. One of those antibodies is being tested in clinical trials involving patients with inherited forms of Alzheimer’s disease.
Kelleher
Kelleher’s research centers on “democratizing” computer programming to make it accessible for everyone.
As a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University, Kelleher created a programming system, called Storytelling Alice, which presented programming as a means to the end of creating animated stories. She found that Storytelling Alice greatly increased interest in programming. But she also found that many children in the United States don’t have access to a computer science class before college.
Kelleher and her group also have created a version of Looking Glass that enables physical and occupational therapists to create games for stroke rehabilitation.
