Consortium to study brain protein’s role in diseases

An academic-industry partnership involving the School of Medicine and University College London has been established to investigate the role of a brain protein called neurofilament light chain in neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

Gordon receives Kober Medal

The School of Medicine’s Jeffrey Gordon, MD, has received the 2021 Kober Medal, one of the highest awards in academic medicine. Given by the Association of American Physicians, the honor recognizes Gordon’s extraordinary contributions to gut microbiome research.

Child accounts generate assets, parental investments

New research from the Brown School’s Center for Social Development shows that parents of newborns with Child Development Accounts respond by deepening their commitment to the child’s higher education and their own efforts to save for that education.

Board grants faculty appointments, promotions

At the university’s Board of Trustees meeting in March, numerous faculty members were appointed or promoted with tenure or granted tenure. Most new roles take effect July 1.

WashU Expert: Propaganda at the movies

As China prepares for the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party, theaters have been instructed to screen at least two propaganda films each week. But ideological mandates may not sit well with moviegoers, argues Zhao Ma in Arts & Sciences.

Notables

Cartoonist Lauren Weinstein and multimedia artist Paula Wilson have won the 2021 Stone & DeGuire Contemporary Art Awards. Presented by the Sam Fox School, the awards are open to alumni of the school’s Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts programs. Each winner receives $25,000 to advance their studio practice.

Notables

Zachariah Reagh, assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences in Arts & Sciences, has been named a “Rising Star” by the Association for Psychological Sciences.