Michael Diamond | Resisting Zika

Washington University School of Medicine is one of the hotspots of Zika research worldwide. Leading these efforts is virologist Michael Diamond, recognized internationally for his research involving Zika, West Nile, chikungunya and related emerging viruses. As the Zika epidemic took hold in Brazil in 2015, causing severe birth defects, Diamond and experts across the School of Medicine collaborated on some of the groundbreaking initial studies into Zika virus to determine what damage it could do and what could be done to stop it. In one study, Diamond teamed up with Indira Mysorekar to evaluate the sequence of events that enable
Jeffrey Gordon | Father of the Microbiome

Jeffrey I. Gordon, MD, director of the Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology, is internationally known for his pioneering research into the microbiome, which has revolutionized our understanding of human biology. His group is focused on addressing the global health challenges of obesity and childhood undernutrition through
Mark Manary | Inventor of Life-Saving Therapy for Malnourished Children

Mark Manary, MD, is one of the world’s foremost experts in childhood malnutrition. His pioneering clinical studies in Africa have helped advance the treatment of severe acute malnutrition, the single largest cause of child mortality in the world today. In 2001, Manary field-tested a peanut-butter based food in Malawi that mothers took home and fed their children. The nutrient-rich mixture, called Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), restores malnourished children to health and has been endorsed by the World Health Organization as the best way to treat severe malnutrition. Since 2004, Manary’s Project Peanut Butter has treated one million children in different countries. By producing RUTF locally where the product is needed, the project supports local economies and builds stronger communities. Hear the story of Project Peanut Butter, its impact in Malawi, and a WashU graduate’s experience
Rupa Patel & Anne Glowinski | Delivering Mental Health Care to Rohingya Refugees

Washington University School of Medicine colleagues Rupa Patel, MD, and Anne Glowinski, MD, are working with an organization in Bangladesh to help deliver mental health care to Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. Since 2017, more than 740,000 refugees — more than half of them children — have fled violence in Myanmar and settled in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh. While numerous aid organizations focus on the refugees’ basic needs, Patel and Glowinski have zeroed in on the profound need for mental health care and the dearth of people and means to provide it. Patel is also helping gather evidence of violence suffered by the Rohingya. Watch this video about the doctors’ work in the Rohingya refugee camps or read more about it in Outlook magazine. See Patel’s TEDx talk about making healthcare accessible to vulnerable communities.
