BioMed 21 Research Building

The largest building ever constructed on the campus of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis will be the home base for BioMed 21 — the University's innovative research initiative designed to speed scientific discovery and apply breakthroughs to patient care rapidly. The building is supported by a $30 million gift to Washington University's medical school from BJC HealthCare and will be named the BJC Institute of Health at Washington University.

Construction began in the summer of 2007 on the new building, which will house not only BioMed 21 laboratories and support facilities but also two academic departments of the School of Medicine as well as some support operations of Barnes-Jewish Hospital. The University will be adding 240,000 square feet of research space, and the estimated total cost of the building will be $235 million. As a hub for BioMed 21, the building will provide space for five newly created Interdisciplinary Research Centers (IRCs).

Over the next few weeks, we'll take a closer look at the BioMed 21 IRC's, so stay tuned!

Brain's organization switches as children become adults

Any child confronting an outraged parent demanding to know "What were you thinking?" now has a new response: "Scientists have discovered that my brain is organized differently than yours."
But all is not well for errant kids. The same new study also provides parents with a rejoinder: While the overarching organization scheme differs, one of the most important core principals of adult brain organization is present in the brains of children as young as 7.

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Obama names Schaal to science advisory council

President Barack Obama has appointed Barbara A. Schaal, Ph.D., the Mary-Dell Chilton Distinguished Professor of biology in Arts & Sciences and vice president of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).
Schaal

PCAST is an advisory group of 20 of the nation's leading scientists and engineers who will advise the president and vice president and formulate policy in the many areas where understanding of science, technology and innovation is key to strengthening the nation's economy and forming policy that works for the American people.

Obama announced the PCAST members during remarks April 27 at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. Obama is only the fourth president in modern times to address the annual meeting of the National Academy of Sciences.

"This council represents leaders from many scientific disciplines who will bring a diversity of experience and views," Obama said during the meeting, which Schaal attended. "I will charge PCAST with advising me about national strategies to nurture and sustain a culture of scientific innovation."

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DBBS Student inducted into Buchet Honor Society

Two WU doctoral students were inducted into the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society at the annual Bouchet Conference on Diversity in Graduate Education March 28 at Yale University.
The 2009 Bouchet Fellows are N'Goundo Magassa, a doctoral student in the Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis Program in the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, and Veronica Shead, a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Program in the Department of Psychology in Arts & Sciences.
The Bouchet Society recognizes outstanding scholarly achievement and promotes diversity and excellence in doctoral education and the professoriate.
To read more about N'Goundo's achievement, Click HERE