Author: Eliza Gan

Obituary: Guoyan Zhao, associate professor of genetics, neurology, 53 (Links to an external site)

Guoyan Zhao, an associate professor of genetics and of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, died Friday, May 15, 2026. She was 53. Zhao was highly regarded for harnessing the tools of computational biology, genomic sequencing and single-cell analysis to shed light on neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and chronic pain.

DNA damage can trigger neurons to self-destruct

Milbrandt, DiAntonio

WashU Medicine researchers identified key details in how DNA damage can flip a nerve cell’s self-destruct switch. The new study could lead to novel routes to preventing neurodegeneration in a variety of diseases.

Frederick “Eric” Arnold, PhD and Collaborators Receive Longitude Prize on ALS Discovery Award

Frederick “Eric” Arnold, PhD, an assistant professor of Genetics and collaborators from the University of Idaho have been selected to receive a £100,000 Discovery Award through the Longitude Prize on ALS, an international initiative focused on accelerating the discovery of new treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using artificial intelligence.

Novel tool uncovers a common genetic cause of peripheral neuropathy  (Links to an external site)

Researchers at WashU Medicine and collaborating institutions have developed a novel computational tool that can accurately identify a genetic problem in a gene called RFC1 that is linked to certain forms of peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common neurological disorders and can cause pain, sensory loss, imbalance and weakness. It affects 12–20% of all people in the U.S. and can affect up to 30% of adults over age 65. The new research is published in Annals of Neurology.

Turan Tufan, PhD, Receives Prestigious Helen Hay Whitney Fellowship

Turan Tufan, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in Ting Wang’s lab has been awarded a highly competitive three-year fellowship from the Helen Hay Whitney Foundation, recognizing his exceptional promise as an early-career scientist and supporting his innovative research in biomedical science.

Undergraduate researcher Vikram Karra awarded Goldwater Scholarship (Links to an external site)

Vikram Karra, an undergraduate researcher in the Tristan Li lab has been awarded the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship. Karra, who is studying neuroscience in the biology major in Arts & Sciences, aims to be a physician-scientist advancing neuroscience research and translating discoveries into therapies for neurodegenerative disease. He plans to enroll in a MD/PhD program to develop his skills as a clinician while also advancing his research on the molecular mechanisms behind neurodegeneration.

Congratulations to the 2026 Dean’s Impact Award Recipient, Dr. Michael Province (Links to an external site)

The 2026 Dean’s Impact Award focuses on “Honoring the Focused Excellence of Exemplary Clinicians and Researchers.”
Recipients of the Dean’s Impact Awards represent the compassion, innovation, and commitment required to build dynamic, meaningful, and community-focused efforts to improve clinical care, education, and research. Congratulations to Dr. Michael Province on receiving this honor!

WashU Medicine Genetics Ranks No. 5 in NIH Funding for 2025

The Department of Genetics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has been ranked No. 5 in the nation for NIH funding in 2025, according to the latest report from the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research. The achievement places WashU Medicine’s genetics department among the nation’s most well-funded hubs of genetic discovery, ahead of many prestigious research institutions.

Guoyan Zhao, PhD, delivers Dutcher Tenure Recognition Seminar

The Department of Genetics Seminar Series continued on Thursday, February 26, with the Dutcher Tenure Recognition Seminar, featuring an in-person presentation by Guoyan Zhao, PhD, Associate Professor with Tenure in the Department of Genetics at WashU Medicine. Held in Moore Auditorium, the event brought together faculty, trainees, and staff to celebrate Dr. Zhao’s promotion and scientific accomplishments.

The Dutcher Tenure Recognition Seminar is a long-held tradition in the Department of Genetics, honoring faculty members upon their promotion to tenure. The seminar recognizes not only their research excellence, but also their contributions to mentorship, scholarship, and the academic community.

Sex-specific epigenetic remodeling links acetate to memory enhancement

What if a simple metabolic byproduct could sharpen memory? Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine have discovered that acetate, a ubiquitous metabolite, can significantly enhance long-term memory in female mice by reshaping the epigenetic and transcriptional landscape of key learning centers. The findings, published in Science Signaling, reveal that memory enhancement can arise from subtle metabolic byproducts that interact with chromatin in sex- and context-specific ways.