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11-16-2006 Washington University Record, November 16, 2006

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Recommended Citation "Washington University Record, November 16, 2006" (2006). Washington University Record. Book 1091. http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/record/1091

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington University Publications at Digital Commons@Becker. It has been accepted for inclusion in Washington University Record by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Becker. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Kelton & Compton: McDonnell t% Medical News: New model can Washington People: Lawrence Tychsen, gift inaugurates professorship mL predict glaucoma risk in patients M.D., helps children improve their vision 8

Nov. 16, 2006 Volume 31 No. 15 Washington University in StlDuis Young entrepreneurs rewarded in Olin Cup

BY SHULA NEUMAN given the same evaluation sheet the judges used earlier in the Entrepreneurship is alive and day," said Kenneth A. Harring- well in St. Louis — and it ton, managing director of the involves audience partici- Skandalaris Center and senior pation. lecturer in entrepreneurship. "It On Nov. 9, 14 semifinalist was a huge opportunity for peo- teams in the Olin Cup Competi- ple to connect and help each tion, the annual business forma- other." tion contest at the John M. Olin This year's semifinalists were School of Business, presented selected from a pool of 25 — al- their business proposals in an "el- most twice as many as last year. evator pitch" (a brief overview so Also up were the number of stu- concise it can be delivered in the dent submissions and life-sci- span of an elevator ride) to a ences submissions. Entries in- panel of judges. cluded a wide range of proposals In a new twist to this year's such as high-tech products that competition, the 14 ideas also monitor food safety, new appli- were presented to a public audi- cations for mobile devices, tech- ence, which voted on which pitch nical writers for start-up busi- should win based on the viability nesses and medical supplements of the business venture and its to slow bone loss. probability of success. The judges, who include The judges halved the number representatives from venture of semifinalists to seven teams, capital firms, incubators, service which were selected to move on providers and other area univer- to the finals in January. sities, selected the following fi- The audience member whose nalists: selections were the closest match • Bio Rankings, which offers to the judges received a $250 cash a statistical data analysis service prize from the Skandalaris Center to provide more easily inter- for Entrepreneurial Studies, preted data to biomedical and which organizes the competition. bio-technology researchers; "The audience members were See Olin, Page 6 Festival Of LiyhtS Members of Ashoka, the University's Indian student group, perform a tradi- tional Indian dance during "Diwali: Festival of Lights," a celebration of the triumph of good over evil and the beginning of a new year. The performance took place Nov. 11 at Edison Theatre. Malaria drug could hold key to Davis wins Lannan Award for 'extraordinary novels' treating heart disease, diabetes

BY LIAM OTTEN Foundation. highly particular world with as- BY MICHAEL C. PURDY Scientists know relatively little "She is an un- tonishment, human recognition about metabolic syndrome, which Kathryn Davis, the Fannie M. conventional, and concern. Whether in 18th- Studies of a rare genetic condi- is linked to symptoms that include Hurst Senior Fiction Writer in challenging and century France or a modern tion that increases cancer risk obesity, insulin resistance, high The Writing Program in Arts & daring writer." American small town, she per- have found a blood pressure, low levels of good Sciences, has won a $150,000 David Law- suades us that she is showing the potential treat- cholesterol and high blood sugar Lannan Foundation Literary ton, Ph.D., pro- inside of people's lives, an interi- ment for meta- levels. The number of adults and Award. fessor and chair ority that extends to home and bolic syn- children with the condition is ris- Presented annually, the Lan- of English in animals. We are truly fortunate to drome, which ing sharply in industrial countries, nan Literary Awards honor "es- Arts & Sci- Davis have Kathryn as our senior fiction afflicts as many and diagnoses are increasing in tablished and emerging writers ences, said of writer." as 25 percent of developing countries such as India whose work is of exceptional Davis: "Kathryn's work is a series Davis' work is critically ac- American and China as they adopt Western quality." of thrilling contradictions: witty claimed. Her debut, Labrador adults and puts living standards. "In six extraordinary novels, and engaged, surreal and sharply (1988), examines the relationship them at In findings published in the Davis has bent and inventively ex- perceptive. She's incapable of between two sisters coming of age sharply Semenkovich November issue of Cell Metabo- plored the novel form itself," writing a dull sentence, yet she in 1960s New Hampshire, while increased risk lism, researchers at the School of noted Jo Chapman, literary pro- never writes a mannered one; and The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf of type 2 diabetes and clogged Medicine and St. Jude Children's gram officer for the Lannan she makes her readers look at a See Davis, Page 6 arteries. See Drug, Page 6 A different kind of football playbook BY ANDY CLENDENNEN various business people, entrepreneurs,- "I did it the first time back in 1998," television personalities and those from Kindbom said. "I wrote several people Coaches have different methods of the world of sports, among other fields, around the world who had achieved motivating their football teams. asking only in return a letter to his team success in their respective professions. Some, like Pittsburgh Steelers coach to inspire the student-athletes to be the The list was a 'who's who' kind of a list. Bill Cowher, growl, scowl, rant and rave best contributors they can be. I acknowledged that I was coaching at and pace the sidelines. Some, like for- This year, he's taken the responses Washington University, and we had a mer Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz, talk and self-published a book, Playbook of stellar group of student-athletes on our up the opposition to national champi- Champions, giving the student-athletes a football team who would benefit from onship levels. And some, like Division collection of some 120 letters, including the wisdom of someone who had al- III St. John's University coach John one from each of their high-school ready achieved success in their lifetime." Gagliardi, make sure not to take them- coaches. In other years, he would read a According to Kindbom, the response selves too seriously. letter to the players before practice and was fantastic. Kelleher was the first to Then there's University head football then post it on the team bulletin board. respond to the more than 100 letters coach Larry Kindbom, who chooses to Kindbom has received responses from Kindbom originally sent out, and the use stories of past success as a motiva- people such as former U.S. Sen. Bob coach immediately knew he was onto o tor. But it's not his successes he uses — Dole, Vice President Al Gore, Southwest something good. | it's the successes of well-known people Airlines executive Herb Kelleher, sports- "When the CEO of a company that jg from all walks of life. caster Bob Costas, basketball coaches has been in the black for over 20 Head football coach Larry Kindbom's Playbook of For the past eight years, Kindbom Mike Krzyzewski and Bobby Knight and straight years has time to write a per- Champions inspires student-athletes for life. has taken it upon himself to write to a host of other notables. See Football, Page 6

^ 2 RECORD WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS Kelton named Compton professor, a gift from the McDonnells

BY BARBARA REA leadership, McDonnell is imme- diate past chairman of the Board Kenneth F. Kelton, Ph.D., pro- of Trustees. For Arts & Sciences, fessor of physics in Arts & McDonnell was a founding mem- Sciences, has been named the ber of its National Council; he first Arthur Holly Compton Pro- now serves on the School of En- fessor in Arts & Sciences. gineering & Applied Sciences' John F. McDonnell, vice chair- National Council. He and his man of the Board of Trustees and wife, Anne, are life members of retired chairman of the board of the William Greenleaf Eliot Soci- McDonnell Douglas Corp., with ety and sustaining charter mem- JSM Charitable Trust, endowed bers of the society's Danforth the new professorship, which is Circle. intended for academic and re- Among his most significant search leadership in materials sci- gifts is a $10 million endowment, ence. The installation was held in established in 2005 with the JSM Holmes Lounge Oct. 17. Charitable Trust, to create the "Ken Kelton is an outstanding McDonnell International Schol- teacher and researcher, and he ars Academy. In addition, he will undoubtedly continue to served as chair of the leadership make important new discoveries phase for the Campaign for in materials physics," said Edward Washington University. S. Macias, Ph.D., executive vice Within the field of materials chancellor, dean of Arts & Sci- physics, Kelton's work is concen- ences and the Barbara and David trated in complex stable and Thomas Distinguished Professor metastable phases, with particu- in Arts & Sciences. lar interest in novel phases such Kelton's professorship is the as titanium-based quasicrystals (From left) Edward S. Macias, Ph.D., John Compton, John F. McDonnell, Kenneth F. Kelton, Ph.D., and most recent in a long history of and metallic glasses; experimental Mark S. Wrighton at the installation of Kelton as the first Arthur Holly Compton Professor in Arts & philanthropic support for the and theoretical studies of time- Sciences Oct. 17 in Holmes Lounge. John Compton is Arthur Holly Compton's son. University from the McDonnell dependent nucleation in con- family. densed systems; investigations of member of the Academic Plan- faculty at Washington University wave duality predicted by quan- "The extraordinary generosity the relationship between develop- ning Board. For the University, in 1985. tum physics. It earned him the of the McDonnell family over the ing short-range order in super- he has worked on its Judicial Both the McDonnell family Nobel Prize in Physics in 1927. years has touched the lives of all cooled liquids and nucleation Board and with Science Out- and Arts & Sciences honor the Moving to the University of who come here to learn, teach, processes; and studies of the po- reach, which builds bridges enduring legacy of Arthur Holly Chicago, Compton led the metal- study and tential use with local school districts. Compton, for whom the profes- lurgical laboratory of the Man- conduct re- of qua- Professionally, he serves as sorship is named. hattan Project, which was pivotal search," i I, | ■ 'sicrystals as U.S. regional editor for the Jour- During Compton's time at in the development of the atomic Chancellor novel hy- nal of Non-Crystalline Solids WUSTL as a professor and chair bomb. Mark S. "The extraordinary generosity drogen and sits on the editorial board of physics, he discovered an X-ray Compton returned to Wash- Wrighton storage for Philosophical Magazine Let- scattering effect. Now known as ington University in 1945 to be- said. of the McDonnell family materials. ters. Kelton also serves on the the Compton effect, the discovery come its ninth chancellor; he re- "Their over the years has touched In addi- Microgravity Science and Appli- firmly established the particle/ tired in 1953. support in- tion, Kel- cations Science Council of the cludes pro- the lives of all who come ton teaches Universities Space Research As- fessorships, here to learn, teach, study at the un- sociation and is a fellow of the academic dergradu- American Physical Society. Sussman awarded 2006 and re- and conduct research." ate and He earned a bachelor's de- search ini- graduate MARK S. WRIGHTON gree in mathematics from Ark- tiatives, levels. His ansas Polytechnic College in W.W. Howells Book Prize buildings service to 1976 and a master's degree in and schol- the De- physics from the University of BY NEIL SCHOENHERR predators, including wild dogs arships," Wrighton continued. "In partment of Physics includes Tennessee in 1978. At Harvard and cats, hyenas, eagles and particular, our scientific, engi- chairing and serving as a member University, Kelton earned an- Robert W Sussman, Ph.D., crocodiles. Despite popular the- neering and medical programs of the Graduate Admissions other master's degree and a professor of anthropology ories posed in research papers have been significantly enhanced. Committee and serving as a doctoral degree in applied in Arts 8c Sciences, has been and popular literature, early We are all extremely grateful for member of the Graduate Studies physics. awarded the 2006 W.W. Ho- man was not an aggressive kil- their support of and dedication to Committee and an adviser to the After graduation, he was a wells Book Prize from the ler, they contend. Washington University." chair. postdoctoral fellow at Harvard American Anthropological The book poses a new theo- Long active in the University's In Arts & Sciences, Kelton is a for two years, then joined the Association for best book in ry, based on the fossil record biological anthropology writ- and living primate species, that ten for a wide audience. primates have been prey for The prize for Man the millions of years, something Benefits unveils two new savings plans Hunted: Primates, Predators that greatly influenced the evo- and Human Evolution, pub- lution of early man. The Office of Human Resources that employee contributions are contributions are after-tax; how- lished in 2005, is shared by co- Our intelligence, cooperation has announced the introduc- pre-tax, University contribu- ever, University contributions are author Donna L. Hart, Ph.D., a and many other features we tion of the Health Savings Ac- tions are tax-free, interest/in- tax-free, investment earnings faculty member of the Pierre have as modern humans deve- count (HSA) and Retirement vestment earnings grow tax-free grow tax-free and payment for Laclede Honors College and loped from our attempts to out- Medical Savings Account and payment for out-of-pocket out-of-pocket health expenses the Depart- smart the predator, Sussman (RMSA) for eligible faculty and expenses while actively em- and health premiums during re- ment of said. staff. ployed and out-of-pocket health tirement are not taxed. Anthro- Since the 1924 discovery of These new savings accounts, expenses and health premiums Employees interested in the pology at the the first early humans, australo- which are a major component of during retirement are not taxed. RMSA may remain in their cur- University pithecines, who lived from the Benefits Plan for the Future, If you participate in the rent health plan and enroll in the of Missouri- seven million years ago to two will be effective Jan. 1. HSA, you cannot be enrolled in health flex-spending plan. St. Louis. million years ago, many scien- The HSA provides employees the health flex-spending plan Employees who enroll in both The pair tists theorized that those early with an opportunity to pay out- for the same period. the HSA and RMSA must select will receive human ancestors were hunters of-pocket health expenses in a Special HSA workshops will which savings account will re- the award at and possessed a killer instinct. tax-favored way while actively be held as follows: ceive the University's $400 contri- the associa- Through research and writing, employed and during retirement. • Danforth Campus: 10 a.m. bution. Sussman tion's Nov. Sussman has worked to debunk Employees who wish to par- Nov. 21, Whitaker Hall, Room Employees only may enroll in 16 meeting in San Jose, Calif. that theory. ticipate in the HSA must be en- 318 the HSA and RMSA for 2007 "We are thrilled to receive An expert in the ecology rolled in the new University- • Medical Campus: 2 p.m. during the open-enrollment peri- this honor," Sussman said. "It's and social structure of pri- sponsored High-deductible Nov. 21, Farrell Learning and od, which ends Nov. 30. wonderful that the book has mates, Sussman does extensive Health Plan (HDHP) with An- Teaching Center, Connor Audi- "With the HDHP/HSA, the garnered such recognition." fieldwork in primate behavior them Blue Cross. torium University is offering healthy em- The W.W. Howells prize and ecology in Costa Rica, Employees will establish an • North Campus: 10 a.m. ployees a tax-favored vehicle and was inaugurated in 1993 in Guyana, Madagascar and Mau- individual interest-bearing check- Nov. 28, Room 1312 an annual $400 contribution that honor of Professor Emeritus ritius. ing account through US Bank, • West Campus: 1:30 p.m. may reduce their out-of-pocket William White Howells of the He is author and editor of the plan administrator/custodian. Nov. 28, Library Conference health expenses while actively Peabody Museum at Harvard several books, including The Each year, the balance in the indi- Center, Room A/B, lower level. employed and enable them to University. Origins and Nature of Sociality, vidual HSA bank account rolls The RMSA, which is consid- save for their out-of-pocket The association's criteria for Primate Ecology and Social over to the following year. ered a Roth for health care, pro- health expenses during retire- the award are works that repre- Structure; The Biological Basis of The minimum annual em- vides employees with an oppor- ment," said Tom Lauman, direc- sent the highest standard of Human Behavior: A Critical Re- ployee contribution is $200 ($400 tunity to save for the cost of re- tor of benefits. scholarship and readability, in- view; and Ringtailed Lemur Bi- if your annual salary is $100,000 tiree health expenses in a tax-fa- "With the RMSA, the Univer- form a wider audience of the ology: Lemur catta in Madagas- or greater), and the University's vored way while actively em- sity is encouraging employees to significance of physical/biolog- car, published this year. annual contribution is $400. ployed. Employees establish a save for the significant cost of re- ical anthropology in the social Sussman recently was ap- The maximum annual em- custodial investment account tiree health insurance by offering and biological sciences and pointed to a four-year term as ployee contribution is the with US Bank, the plan trustee. a tax-favored vehicle and the fi- demonstrate a biocultural per- secretary of Section H (Anthro- amount of the annual individ- The minimum annual em- nancial assistance of an annual spective. pology) of the American Asso- ual/family deductible in the ployee contribution is $200 $400 contribution," Lauman In Man the Hunted, Suss- ciation for the Advancement of HDHP less the amount of the ($400 if your annual salary is added. "These two new benefit man and Hart challenge the Science and a five-year term as University's contribution, which $100,000 or greater), and the plans add flexibility and com- prevailing view and argue that editor of the Yearbook of Physi- means $1,100 for individual cov- University's annual contribu- pleteness to our benefits pro- primates, including early hu- cal Anthropology published by erage and $2,600 for employee tion is $400. There is no maxi- gram." mans, evolved not as hunters, the American Association of plus one or more dependents mum annual employee contri- For more information, visit but rather as prey of many Physical Anthropologists. coverage. bution. the benefits pages of the human The HSA tax advantages are With the RMSA, employee resources Web site at hr.wustl.edu. record.wustl.edu WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS Nov. 16,2006 3 School of Medicine Update Glaucoma risk can be predicted through model

BY JIM DRYDEN drains too slowly. Between 4 per- cent and 8 percent of Americans School of Medicine investiga- older than 40 have elevated intra- tors have developed a model ocular pressure, putting them at to identify patients at high increased risk for open-angle risk of developing glaucoma glaucoma. based on five key factors. In the OHTS study, patients The model was developed who received treatment were using data from two landmark given commercially available, clinical trials: the Ocular Hyper- pressure-lowering eye drops. Eye tension Treatment Study (OHTS) specialists examined the patients and the European Glaucoma every six months for a minimum Prevention Study (EGPS). of five years. The drops reduced "The Ocular Hypertension pressure in the eye by about 20 Treatment Study was designed to percent and the risk of open- answer two questions," said angle glaucoma by more than 50 Michael A. Kass, M.D., national percent. chair of the 22-center study and The EGPS study included peo- professor and head of the ple from four European countries. Department of Ophthalmology All had elevated intraocular pres- and Visual Sciences. "We wanted sure. The patients were followed to learn whether preventive treat- for an average of 4.8 years. ment could reduce the incidence Kass, Gordon and the other of glaucoma, and we also wanted investigators from Europe and the to learn whether we could deter- United States examined data from JllSt DeSSertS (From left) Dr. Nicolaes Tulp, played by Larry Underwood, gives the audience a mine what risk factors might the patients in both studies who lesson in human dissection while Sister Luyt, played by Meghan Strell, challenges the ethics of help us predict which patients had not received pressure-lower- the procedure in Corpus Delicti: Just Desserts, which recently played at the School of Medicine. will go on to develop glaucoma." ing eye drops to learn whether Chicago-based Local Infinities Visual Theater, which puts on the play, makes a life-sized cadaver The answer to the first ques- they could identify risk patterns from gelatin and uses fruits and vegetables for organs, including a cauliflower brain, pomegran- tion came more than four years to predict which patients would ate heart and bones made of gnarly parsnips. ago when the develop glaucoma. Studying the results of the five factors that eventually OHTS study emerged from the data analysis Antibody reduces incidence of acute rejection were announ- changed the way the investigators ced. That study look at glaucoma risk factors. had looked at "When we first looked at the in high-risk kidney transplant patients patients at risk predictive factors one at a time, for glaucoma race showed up as clearly predic- BY CAROLINE ARBANAS phrology. "Our study shows that anti-thymocyte because they tive of risk, particularly for people globulin is an important weapon for fighting kidney have high of African-American ancestry," In the first head-to-head comparison of the two rejection. A 10 percent difference in acute rejection Kass pressure in Kass said. "However, when you drugs most commonly given to prevent acute kid- between the two groups may not seem like a lot, but their eyes. Kass put the other factors into the ney rejection after transplant, an international study in these high-risk patients, it is very significant." and colleagues then concluded model — particularly cup/disc led by School of Medicine researchers shows that The study involved 278 patients in the United that treating those people with ratio and corneal thickness — one of them — made from a rabbit antibody — is States and Europe who were randomly assigned to re- pressure-lowering eye drops race drops out. It turns out that superior. ceive either anti-thymocyte globulin or basiliximab. could delay, or possibly even pre- African-Americans tend to have The results also suggest the drug could potentially This short-term induction therapy is given to about vent, glaucoma. thinner corneas and larger cup/ save millions in health-care costs by preventing the 70 percent of patients during kidney transplant sur- Now, using five important disc ratios, and those factors seem all-out immune attacks that can eventually lead to re- gery and in the first several days afterward to prevent risk factors that emerged from to contribute, at least partly, to jection. acute rejection prior to the start of more potent, closely analyzing data from the the increased prevalence of glau- The study, published in the long-term immunosuppressive therapy. OHTS study, the researchers coma in African-Americans." Nov. 9 issue of the New England The study found no significant difference between have found that it's possible to Kass said the new risk assess- Journal of Medicine, included only the drugs in terms of delayed graft function, or the predict which patients will bene- ment model not only will help patients who were at high risk for kidney's inability to make urine within the first week fit most from pressure-lowering physicians decide which patients acute rejection and for delays in following transplant surgery. About 40 percent of pa- treatment and which ones don't to treat aggressively but will arm graft function, in part because tients in both groups experienced a delay in graft have much to gain from the patients with information to help their kidneys came from cadaver function. Brennan attributed this to the extended pe- treatment. them decide whether to go donors. One year after transplant, riod of time the kidneys were kept on ice before The five factors are age, intra- through with treatment. For 15.6 percent of patients who re- transplant surgery, an average of 25 hours for patients ocular pressure, cup/disc ratio (a example, an 80-year-old patient ceived anti-thymocyte globulin Brennan in the anti-thymocyte group and 28 hours for the measure of the appearance of the with a 50 percent risk of develop- (brand name Thymoglobulin), a basiliximab group. optic nerve head), thickness of ing glaucoma in the next five polyclonal rabbit antibody, had acute rejection, com- "Based on the effectiveness of anti-thymocyte the cornea and pattern standard years might be inclined to go in a pared with 25.5 percent of patients receiving basilix- globulin, we expect that it will be more effective over deviation (a measurement de- different direction than a 45-year- imab (brand name Simulect). time in preventing graft loss and reducing patient rived from computerized visual old patient with the same level of Anti-thymocyte globulin was even more effective deaths," Brennan said. field tests). risk. at preventing episodes of acute rejection that require Although anti-thymocyte globulin is more expen- "When you enter these five Because some eye drops cause additional antibody therapy to stem the immune as- sive than basiliximab, Brennan said he believes it will factors — and our model is harmful side effects and daily sault. Only 1.4 percent of patients who received anti- save health-care dollars in the long run. based on the average of these fac- treatment can be inconvenient thymocyte globulin experienced such acute rejection "The cost to society for every episode of kidney re- tors between the two eyes — you and expensive, Kass said he be- versus 8 percent who got basiliximab. jection is extremely high," Brennan said. "While further can determine an individual's lieves some patients at low risk "Acute rejection is a major risk factor for eventual- study is warranted, we suspect anti-thymocyte globulin risk of developing glaucoma dur- might opt for close observation ly losing a kidney," said Daniel C. Brennan, M.D., will be important not only for patients at high risk for ing the next five years," said Mae rather than treatment. professor of medicine and director of transplant ne- rejection but for all kidney transplant patients." O. Gordon, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Ophthal- mology and Visual Sciences and Cole named assistant vice chancellor for children's health the Division of Biostatistics and first author of the study. BY BETH MILLER St. Louis Children's Hospital, Cole of Pediatrics. "Given his superior a leader in providing medical "We have found that you can will facilitate collaboration be- experiences as a clinician, educa- services to infants. assess risk two ways," she said. F Sessions Cole, M.D., has been tween the hospital and medical tor, scholar and leader of the Cole has shown an extraordi- "We can enter the raw data, and • appointed assistant vice school in all matters related to most complex multi-disciplinary nary commitment to excellence in our model will calculate the risk. chancellor for children's health children's health priorities, such as service here, it is most fitting that education and outreach activities. We've also put together a simpli- at the School of Medicine and clinical activities and operations, he should be named to these roles He was instrumental in the for- fied points system that assigns a chief medical officer at St. Louis clinical information systems and at Washington University School mation of community outreach certain number of points to the Children's Hospital. quality assurance programs. of Medicine and St. Louis Chil- programs for medical students, various risk factors. Adding up In these newly created roles, "I'm looking forward to work- dren's Hospital." such as Students Teaching AIDS those points then provides doc- Cole will serve as a member of ing within three great entities — "This addition is a major step to Students (STATS), a program tors with an estimate of a pa- the dean's office at the medical the School of Medicine, Depart- in our collaboration with the in which medical students teach tient's risk of progressing from school and be on the executive ment of Pediatrics and St. Louis School of Medicine to build AIDS awareness to middle-school elevated intraocular pressure to team of Children's Hospital. Children's Hospital — to leverage strong medical leadership to at- students, and the Perinatal Pro- glaucoma." The appointments were effective their combined strengths on be- tain clinical excellence," said Lee gram, which provides medical Open-angle glaucoma is the Oct. 1. half of children in our communi- Fetter, president of St. Louis Chil- students with a clinical learning most common form of glaucoma As assistant vice chancellor for ty," Cole said. dren's Hospital. opportunity. and one of the leading causes of children's health, Cole will col- In addition, Cole will contin- Cole joined the faculty in 1986 In 1989, he was promoted to blindness in the United States. It laborate with department chairs ue as the Park J. White, M.D., ' as an associate professor of pedi- professor of pediatrics and in is the No. 1 cause ofblindness and the University's faculty prac- Professor and vice chair of Pedi- atrics and of cell biology and 1994, was named professor of cell among African-Americans and tice to leverage the considerable atrics, professor of cell biology physiology. Within two years, he biology and physiology. the second leading cause of investigative, educational and and physiology and director of was named director of newborn His research has appeared in blindness in the world, affecting clinical expertise of the medical newborn medicine. medicine and had restructured numerous medical journals, in- about 70 million people. school on behalf of interdepart- "Sessions Cole is an advo- the Newborn Medicine service at cluding the New England Journal While fluid regularly flows mental programs that will benefit cate for children," said Alan L. Children's Hospital, Barnes and of Medicine, the American Journal into and out of the eye, high children. Schwartz, Ph.D., M.D., the Harri- Jewish hospitals. Under his direc- of Public Health and the Journal of pressure results when that fluid As the chief medical officer for et B. Spoehrer Professor and head tion, the department has become Pediatrics. 4 RECORD WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS University Events Nobel Prize-winner Pamuk receives inaugural Humanist Medal Anthropology of Public Reasoning The Turkish novelist will speak at 'Celebrating Our Books' colloquium Nov. 27 (2003) — examine issues of reli- gion, culture and politics in In- BY LIAM OTTEN award late last spring in consulta- ences and author of Why the ment that Turkey killed a million donesia. In Why the French Don't tion with other faculty, well be- French Don't Like Headscarves: people in the Armenian Genocide Like Headscarves, he explores the Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk, fore he won the Nobel Prize," said Islam, the State and Public Space of 1915-17 and massacred 30,000 French government's 2004 deci- winner of the 2006 Nobel Gerald Early, Ph.D., the Merle (2006), and Lingchei Letty Chen, Kurds in the late 20th century. sion to ban Islamic headscarves Prize in Literature, will Kling Professor Ph.D., assistant professor of Pamuk was indicted on charges and other religious signs from receive the University's inaugural of Modern Let- modern Chinese language & lit- the remark amounted to a "pub- public schools. Distinguished Humanist Medal. ters in the De- erature in Arts & Sciences and lic denigration" of Turkish identi- Chen's Writing Chinese ad- The award — which includes a partment of author of Writing Chinese: Re- ty, a crime in Turkey. Authors dresses complex issues surround- . cash prize of $15,000 — is sup- English in Arts shaping Chinese Cultural Identity from around the world, including ing the claim of "Chinese-ness" in ported by the Center for the Hu- & Sciences and (2006). Salman Rushdie and John Up- our increasingly borderless world. manities and International and director of the "We bring Orhan Pamuk here dike, spoke out on Pamuk's be- Cutting across geographical Area Studies, both in Arts & Sci- Center for the not only to honor him for his half. Charges were dropped in boundaries, the work challenges ences. It will be given biannually Humanities. achievements, but to show how January 2006. current discussions of hybridity to a distinguished scholar, writer "James much regard we have for Wash- In addition to Cevdet Bey, and nationalism by examining the or artist whose career merits spe- Wertsch (the Pamuk ington University faculty authors Pamuk wrote The Silent House politics of Chinese cultural iden- cial recognition for excellence and Marshall S. by having them share the stage (1983), The White Castle (1985) tity facing writers in China, Tai- courage. Snow Professor in Arts & Sci- with a writer of such internation- and The Black Book (1990). The wan, Hong Kong and the United Pamuk will receive the medal ences and director of Interna- al eminence," Early said. "We very New Life (1994), about university States. In the end, Writing Chinese and make a formal address dur- tional and Area Studies) and much want to showcase our writ- students influenced by a mysteri- proposes that the aesthetics of hy- ing the fifth annual faculty book David Lawton (professor and ers and scholars." ous book, is one of the most bridization are key to developing colloquium at 4 p.m. Nov. 27 in chair of English in Arts & Sci- Born in 1952, Pamuk graduat- widely read novels in Turkish lit- a more open, creative and indi- Graham Chapel. Titled "Celebrat- ences) were especially helpful, as ed from American Robert College erature. vidualized notion of Chinese cul- ing Our Books, Recognizing Our they both know Pamuk's books in Istanbul and studied architec- His most recent books include tural identity. Authors," the colloquium honors very well," Early noted. "It was ture at Istanbul Technical Univer- My Name Is Red (1998) — his The event is free and open to the work of scholars from across felt that Pamuk was not only a sity before earning a degree in most popular work in English — the public, but seating is limited the arts and sciences disciplines. brilliant writer whose works pro- journalism from Istanbul Uni- about Ottoman and Persian and RSVPs are strongly encour- Pamuk's speech will be pub- vide us with fresh, important versity. artists, the political novel Snow aged. A reception and book-sign- lished in the University's literary perspectives on the divide be- At 23, he decided to become a (2002) and the memoir Istanbul ing will follow in Holmes Lounge. journal, Belles Lettres. Pamuk also tween East and West, but that his novelist and published his first (2005). The reception will include a dis- will conduct a question-and- support of free speech in Turkey book, Cevdet Bey and His Sons, Bowen's research focuses on play of all faculty books published answer session before a select au- was a notable act. He was an ideal seven years later. Now one of the role of cultural forms in in the past five years. In addition, dience at Hurst Lounge the after- selection for the prize, and he was Turkey's most prominent writers, processes of social change. His the Campus Store will display noon of his visit. Text from the happy to accept." his books have been translated first three books — Muslims books by all three speakers, all of session is scheduled to be pub- In addition to Pamuk's talk, into more than 40 languages. Through Discourse: Religion and which will be available for pur- lished in 2007 in the new gradu- "Celebrating Our Books" will in- Pamuk made international Ritual in Gayo Society (1993), chase. ate student online publication, clude presentations by John R. headlines in 2005 when criminal Critical Comparisons in Politics For more information, call Arch. Bowen, Ph.D., the Dunbar-Van charges were brought against him and Culture (1999) and Islam, 935-5576 or e-mail cenhum@ "Pamuk was chosen for the Cleve Professor in Arts & Sci- in Istanbul following his state- Law and Equality in Indonesia: An artsci.wustl.edu.

Playwriting Festival * Backpedaling the Cell Cycle • Mobilizing Godzilla

"University Events" lists a portion of the California Inst. of Technology. Earth & Tuesday, Nov. 21 selective Annulations." Jeffrey Bode, activities taking place Nov. 16-29 at Planetary Sciences Bldg., Rm. 203. How to submit asst. prof, of chemistry & biochemistry, Noon. Molecular Microbiology & Micro- Washington University. Visit the Web 935-5610. U. of Calif., Santa Barbara. McMillen bial Pathogenesis Seminar Series. for expanded calendars for the Danforth 'University Events' Lab., Rm. 311. 935-6530. Campus (calendar.wustl.edu) and the "Adaptation to Intracellular Infection: School of Medicine (medschool Friday, Nov. 17 Regulation of Flagellar Motility and .wustl.edu/calendars.html). 9:15 a.m. Pediatric Grand Rounds. "The Submit "University Events" items Virulence in Listeria monocytogenes." Wednesday, Nov. 29 Pathophysiology of Critical Care Neuro- to Genevieve Posey of the Darren Higgins, assoc. prof, of microbi- 4 p.m. Biochemistry & Molecular Bio- ology & molecular genetics, Harvard U. logy: Things We Have Learned From PET Record staff via: physics Seminar. "Structure-based in the NNICU." William Powers, Charlotte Cori Aud., 4565 McKinley Ave. Antibiotic Discovery on the Bacterial e-mail — recordcalendar 362-4829. and Paul Hagemann Professor of Neuro- Membrane." Natalie Strynadka, assoc. Exhibitions logy. Clopton Aud., 4950 Children's ©wustl.edu Noon. Program in Physical Therapy prof, of biochemistry & molecular biolo- Place. 454-6006. campus mail — Research Seminar. 4444 Forest Park gy, U. of British Columbia. Cori Aud., Caught! Modern Dance Photographs by 10:30 a.m. Boeing Center for Technology, Campus Box 1070 Blvd., Lower Lvl., Rm. B108. 286-1400. 4565 McKinley Ave. 362-4152. Barbara Morgan. Through Dec. 21. Olin Information and Manufacturing Oper- fax —935-4259 Library, Lvl. 1, Ginkgo Rm. 935-5495. 1 p.m. Multidisciplinary Clinical Re- 4 p.m. Division of Biology & Biomedical ations and Manufacturing Management Upon request, forms for sub- search Career Development Program. Sciences "Frontiers in Human Patho- Seminar. "Efficient Supply Chain Man- Eyes on the Prize 1 & 2: Documenting the mitting events will be e-mailed, "An Innovative, Dean's-office Based biology" Lecture. Steven Teitelbaum, Civil Rights Movement Through Dec. 21. agement at U.S. Coast Guard Using Part- mailed or faxed to departments to Approach Designed to Increase Faculty Messing Professor of Pathology and Olin Library, Lvl. 1, Grand Staircase Lobby. age Dependent Supply Replenishment Success." Eugene Orringer, prof, of Immunology. Farrell Learning & be filled out and returned. 935-8679. Policies." Ananth Iyer, prof, of manage- medicine, U. of N.C. Wohl Hosp. Bldg. Teaching Center, Holden Aud. 362-4806. ment, Purdue U. Simon Hall, Rm. 241. Deadline for submissions is HPV Awareness. Through Nov. 19. Olin Aud. 454-8255. 935-5577. Library Lobby. 935-6626. noon on the Thursday eight days 11 a.m. Energy, Environmental and prior to the publication date. Monday, Nov. 27 Chemical Engineering Seminar. "A Geomorophological Approach to the 1:15 p.m. Molecular Biology & Pharma- On Stage Management of Rivers Contaminated by cology Seminar. "Ion Channels and Film Metal Mining." Mark Macklin, prof, of Calcium Regulation in Excitable Cells." Thursday, Nov. 16 physical geography, U. of Wales. Lopata Geoffrey Pitt, asst. prof, of pharmacolo- Noon. Molecular Biology & Pharma- 7 p.m. A.E. Hotchner Playwriting Festi- Hall, Rm. 101.935-5548. gy, Columbia U. McDonnell Medical Wednesday, Nov. 29 cology Seminar. "Synaptic Growth and val Staged Readings. (Also 7 p.m. Stability: Walking the Highwire." Aaron Sciences Bldg., Rm. 426. 747-3339. 7 p.m. Japanese Film Series. Howl's Noon. Cell Biology & Physiology Semi- Nov. 17.) Mallinckrodt Student Center, DiAntonio, assoc. prof, of molecular 4 p.m. Immunology Research Seminar Moving Castle. Hayao Miyazaki, dir. nar. "Backpedaling the Cell Cycle: The A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre. . biology & pharmacology. South Bldg., Series. "Significance of NKG2D and its Sponsored by Asian and Near Eastern Reversibility of Mitotic Exit in Vertebrate 726-0793. Rm. 3907, Philip Needleman Library. Ligands in Tumor Immunity and Auto- Languages & Literatures. McMillan Hall, Cells." Gary Gorbsky, program head of 747-3339. immune." Thomas Spies, div. of clinical Rm. 149.935-5110. molecular, cell and developmental biolo- gy, U. of Okla. McDonnell Medical Noon. School of Law "Access to Jus- research, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Re- Sciences Bldg., Rm. 426. 362-3964. tice" Public Interest Law Speaker search Center, Seattle. Farrell Learning Series. "Race, Social Justice and & Teaching Center, Connor Aud. Sports 1 p.m. East Asian Studies Lecture. "9/11 362-2763. and Imagery of the Pacific War." Mark Democracy." Stephanie Wildman, prof, Lectures Anderson, prof, of Japanese literature, U. of law, Santa Clara U. Anheuser-Busch 7 p.m. Sam Fox School Architecture Saturday, Nov. 18 Hall. 935-4958. Lecture Series. "Laying the Foun- of Minn. January Hall, Rm. 110. 10 a.m. Swimming & diving WUSTL dations for Sustainable 22nd-century Thursday, Nov. 16 935-4448. Noon. Work, Families, and Public Thanksgiving Invitational. (Also 10 Policy Brown Bag Seminar Series. Communities: The Importance of Noon. Genetics Seminar Series. "Genetic 2 p.m. Civil Engineering Lecture. "Strong a.m. Nov. 19.) Athletic Complex, "Social Welfare and Juvenile Justice Design, the Necessity for Design." Analysis of Apoptosis in C. elegans." Nonlinearities in Spatial Structures." Millstone Pool. 935-4705. Policy." Elizabeth Scott, prof, of law, Patrick Condon, prof, of landscape Barbara Conradt, assoc. prof, of genetics, Yoshiya Taniguchi, assoc. prof, of struc- Columbia U. Eliot Hall, Rm. 300. architecture, U. of British Columbia. Go- Dartmouth Medical School. McDonnell tural engineering, Osaka City U., Japan. 935-4918. sponsored by the American Society of Tuesday, Nov. 21 Medical Sciences Bldg., Rm. 823. Urbauer Hall, Rm. 216. 935-6350. Landscape Architects. Whitaker Hall 362-2139. 6 p.m. Women's basketball vs. Black- 4 p.m. East Asian Studies Lecture. 2:30 p.m. Energy, Environmental and Aud. 935-9300. Chemical Engineering Seminar. burn College. Athletic Complex. 4 p.m. Chemistry Seminar. "Novel NMR/ "Mobilizing Godzilla: Mourning 935-4705. MRI Modalities: NMR Without RF Irra- Modernity as Monstrosity." Mark "Recent Developments in the Acetone- Tuesday, Nov. 28 diation and Quadrupolar MRI." Alexej Anderson, prof, of Japanese literature, Butanol-Ethanoi Fermentation." Hans 8 p.m. Men's basketball vs. Blackburn Jerschow, prof, of chemistry, NYU. U. of Minn. Dunker Hall, Rm. 101. Blaschek, prof, of food microbiology, Noon. Molecular Microbiology & Mi- College. Athletic Complex. 935-4705. McMillen Lab., Rm. 311. 935-6530. 935-4448. U. ofHII. Cupples II Hall, Rm. 100. crobial Pathogenesis Seminar Series. 935-5548. "Virus and Host Functions in RNA Virus 4 p.m. History Colloquium. "The British 7:30 p.m. Saint Louis Astronomical Saturday, Nov. 25 4 p.m. Immunology Research Seminar Replication." Paul Ahlquist, prof, of Warfare State." David Edgerton, prof, of Society Meeting. "The MESSENGER 3 p.m. Women's basketball vs. Lake Series. "A New Immune Axis for molecular virology & oncology, U. of the history of science, technology and Mission to Mercury." Roger Phillips, Forest College. McWilliams Classic. Chronic Inflammatory Disease." Wise. Cori Aud., 4565 McKinley Ave. medicine, U. of London. Brown Hall prof, of earth & planetary sciences. 286-0065. Athletic Complex. 935-4705. Lounge. 935-5450. McDonnell Hall, Rm. 162. 935-4614. Michael Holtzman, Selma and Herman Seldin Professor of Medicine. Farrell 1 p.m. Multidisciplinary Clinical Re- 4 p.m. Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Learning & Teaching Center, Connor search Career Development Program. Seminar. "Molecular Mechanism of HSV-1 Monday, Nov. 20 Aud. 362-2763. "Role of B Cells in Multiple Sclerosis Entry Into Ocular Cells." Vaibhav Tiwari, 10:30 a.m. Boeing Center for Technology, 7 p.m. Sam Fox School Architecture and its Animal Model." Anne Cross, And more ••• dept. of ophthalmology & visual sciences, Information and Manufacturing Oper- prof, of neurology. Center for Clinical U. of III., Chicago. Maternity Bldg., Rm. Lecture Series. "Building Recombinant ations and Manufacturing Management Research Training, Conference Rm. 1. 725.362-3315. Ecologies." Steve Luoni, Ruth & Nor- Sunday, Nov. 19 Seminar. "Revenue Management with man Moore Visiting Professor of Archi- 454-8255. 4:15 p.m. Earth & Planetary Sciences Limited Demand Information." Itir tecture. Whitaker Hall Aud. 935-9300. 4 p.m. Chemistry Seminar. "Organic 2 p.m. Kemper Art Museum Tour. Colloquium. "Hydrogen Isotopic Biogeo- Karaesmen-Aydin, asst. prof, of manage- Redox Reactions: A Strategy for Kemper Art Museum. 935-4523. chemistry: Problems and Progress." Alex ment science, U. of Md. Simon Hall, Rm. Chemoselective Ligations and Enantio- Sessions, asst. prof, of geobiology, 241.935-5577. record.wusd.edu WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS Nov. 16,2006 5

'OrganFest' showcases soloists, renovated Graham Chapel organ

The Washington University form the Handel concerto, one of Symphony Orchestra will six composed for his Opus 4 set, a present "OrganFest," a con- hallmark of the genre. Handel — cert showcasing the recently like his contemporary Bach — refurbished Graham Chapel was inclined to demonstrate his organ, at 3 p.m. Nov. 19. prowess as a performer by com- Dan Presgrave, instrumental posing virtuosic works for key- music coordinator in the Depart- board instruments and continued ment of Music in Arts 8c Sciences, to appear as a soloist well into old conducts the 70-plus-member or- age. Prior to Opus 4, Handel had chestra. Featured soloists are written the earliest known orches- William Partridge Jr., University tral music with a featured solo organist, and Barbara Raedeke, part for organ; it appears in an in- instructor in organ in the music strumental section of his oratorio department. // trionfo del Tempo. Renovations to the organ were Partridge, organist-choirmaster completed last year. Work in- of Christ Church Cathedral, will volved considerable internal and perform the Poulenc concerto, the exterior repairs as well as replac- composer's only work for organ. ing ten ranks of reeds and equip- Commissioned by Princesse Ed- ping the instrument with a new mond de Polignac, a patron of the four-manual console and a new arts in 1930s Paris, the piece pedalboard. Built by the M.P. opens with references to Bach's Power Of forgiveness Linda Biehl and Ntobeko Peni — one of four men who killed Biehl's Fantasia in G minor, though it daughter — speak Nov. 9 in the Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom at the School of Law. Peni and three Moller Pipe Organ Co. in 1948, mainly reflects a style of writing other men were convicted of murdering Amy Biehl in 1993 when she was a Fulbright scholar the organ previously was renovat- — sometimes introspective, some- working in South Africa. After serving five years of their sentence, the four men were granted ed in 1980. The latest restoration amnesty by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in a decision that was supported by Amy's was made possible by funds pro- times grand and flashy — that parents. Peni since has become close friends with Linda Biehl and works with the Amy Biehl vided by the Roland Quest dominated French organ music Foundation Trust in Cape Town, South Africa, which was formed by the Biehl family to encourage Memorial Trust and matching during Poulenc's time. Unlike the education, dialogue and opportunity in an effort to deter violence and curtail poverty in that coun- sources. typical concerto, which consists of try. The event was sponsored by the Washington University Chapter of the National Lawyers For centuries, the popularity three movements, this concerto Guild. For more information, visit amybiehl.org. of organ music rested mainly on consists of multiple contrasting . its solo repertoire, especially the sections — including powerful works of Johann Sebastian Bach dissonances and playful, jazzy (1685-1750). Yet as concert halls rhythms — that elide into one were increasingly built with pipe large movement. Sports organs on their stages, subsequent The program concludes with composers wrote works for organ Symphony No.. 1 in F minor by Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975), Sara Schroeder with orchestra accompaniment, performed in honor of the cen- Volleyball advances (right) battles and the organ concerto became a tennial of his birth. Written when to NCAA quarters for control of part of the orchestral repertoire. the ball with a "OrganFest" will open with Shostakovich was only 19, the The No. 2 volleyball team picked Crown Imperial — in which the work displays a youthful enthusi- up three 3-0 wins Nov. 9-11 at the Loras College organ is treated as a regular mem- asm as well as an affinity for both NCAA Central Region Champion- defender. The ber of the orchestra — by British the grand symphonies of 19th- ship at the Field House. With the Bears beat Loras, 3-0, to composer William Walton (1902- century Russia and the satiric, wins, the Bears improved to 36-1 advance to the 1983). A march of ceremonial acerbic music of his older con- and advanced to the NCAA quar- NCAA Sectional pomp, the piece originally was temporaries Igor Stravinsky and terfinals for the 19th time in pro- Semifinals at written for the coronation of Sergei Prokofiev. The piece also gram history. 5 p.m. Nov. 18 King George VI in 1937. contrasts with the darker mood of WUSTL opened regional play in Norfolk, Va. The program continues with a Shostakovich's subsequent works with a 30-17, 30-18, 31-29 win pair of contrasting organ concer- — such as the Seventh Symphony against Nebraska Wesleyan Uni- tos: Concerto in B-flat Major, op. (Leningrad) and the Eleventh versity. Junior outside hitter 4, no. 2 (c. 1735) by George Frid- Symphony (The Year 1905) — Haleigh Spencer paced the Red eric Handel (1685-1759), and which today serve as a musical and Green with 10 kills and 17 Concerto for Organ in G Major monument to Russia's tragic his- digs, while senior middle hitter (1936) by Francis Poulenc (1899- tory. Whitney Smith posted nine kills 1963). The performance is free and and 12 block assists. Raedeke, who serves as organ- open to the public. For more On Nov. 10, the Bears upended ist and choir director at Parkway information, call 935-4841 or Capital University 30-18, 30-27, United Church of Christ, will per- e-mail [email protected]. 30-28 behind sophomore right side attacker Nikki Morrison's 15 MARY BUTKUS kills. Morrison tallied a .750 hit- Women runners win ting percentage in the match, Men's soccer falls in Campus Watch while Smith hit .526 with 13 kills regional, men 5th NCAA first round and nine blocks. Smith also be- The women's cross country team The No. 18 men's soccer team fell came WUSTL's single-season The following in Didents were reported to University Police Nov. 7-13. P eaders with claimed its third NCAA Midwest to Wheaton College, 1-0, Nov. 10 record holder for blocks. information that could assist in investigating these incidents are urged to call 935- Region championship Nov. 11 in at Francis Field in the NCAA 5555. This infor nation is provided as a public service to promote safet y awareness On Nov. 11 in the region final, Rock Island, 111., to earn an auto- Tournament. With the first- and is available Dn the University Police Web site at police.wustl.edu. WUSTL defeated Rhodes College matic bid to the NCAA Cham- round loss, the Bears finished 30-17, 30-21, 30-20. Spencer led pionships. 2006 with a 12-4-2 record. Whea- Nov. 9 Nov. 12 with 13 kills and 13 digs, and jun- WUSTL's men took fifth place ton scored on a penalty kick late 9:01 a.m.— A person reported 9: 14 p.m. — The he use manager ior middle hitter Emilie Walk at regionals to earn one of 16 at- in the game to seal the win. a missing dij ;ital recording of Kappa Sigma repc >rted a fire posted nine kills and eight blocks. large bids to the NCAA Champi- device, whicl I may have fallen extinguisher was sto en from the WUSTL returns to action at onships. 2:30 p.m. Nov. 16, vs. Stevens In- Women's swimming out of his ba ss case or was pos- third floor. In a field of 38 teams, the sibly stolen.' This occurred stitute of Technology in the na- women, led by five All-Region takes 2nd, men 3rd between 8 p. m. Nov. 8 and 8:30 University Police also responded to tional quarterfinal in Salem, Va. Team members, claimed the title The men's and women's swim- a.m. Nov. 9 a round Blewett two larcenies, two los t articles and with 56 points. Senior Beth Hern- ming and diving teams turned in Hall. The ite n is a Marantz one report each ofpn jperty dam- Women's soccer don paced the women with a some strong performances Nov. PDM 660 dij ;ital recorder val- age, auto accident, di ug offense fourth-place finish in the 6K run. goes on to sectionals 10-11 at the Maroon Invitational ued at $450. and motor vehicle tfa -.ft. Herndon recorded a time of 21:34 in Chicago. The No. 6 women's soccer team to become a four-time all-Mid- The Bears women placed sec- will face No. 24 Washington 8c Lee west region honoree. ond of 10 teams, while the men University at 5 p.m. Nov. 18 in Junior Kate Pentak finished took third of 11 teams. the NCAA Division III Sectional just behind Herndon in 21:35 On the women's side, sopho- Semifinals in Norfolk, Va. (fifth place), while junior Tricia more Kelly Kono posted an The Bears advanced with a 3-0 Frisella (seventh), junior Tyler NCAA provisional mark in the win over Loras College in the sec- Founded in 1905 Mulkin (19th) and senior Lindsay 1,650-yard freestyle. Kono also ond round Nov. 11. Washington U. Washington University community news Harkema (21st) also garnered all- swam the second leg in the 200- (17-2) is riding a school-record Associate Vice Chancellor Judith Jasper Leicht Record (USPS 600-430; ISSN 1043-0520), region honors. free relay, helping lead junior 15-game winning streak. Executive Editor Susan Killenberg McGinn Volume 31, Number 15/Nov. 16, 2006. The men scored 156 points for Meredith Nordbrock, sophomore The Bears received an automat- Editor Martha M. Everett Published for the faculty, staff and friends fifth out of 37 teams. UWLa Kim Jenkins and freshman Marin Associate Editor Andy Clendennen of Washington University. Produced weekly ic bid to the tournament after cap- Crosse won the men's title with 65 Hawk to first place in 1:40.63. Associate Editor Neil Schoenherr during the school year, except school turing the UAA title. points. Three WUSTL men's run- Nordbrock also took first in the Medical News Editor Beth Miller holidays, and monthly during June, July In the other sectional semifinal, Calendar Coordinator Genevieve Posey ners garnered all-region acco- 100 backstroke. Hawk picked up and August by the Office of Public Affairs, No. 19 and host Virginia Wesleyan Print Production Carl Jacobs Washington University, Campus Box 1070, lades, led by junior Jesse Mc- another win in the 200-yard College (18-3-2) will take on Eliz- Online Production Genevieve Posey One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, M0 63130. Daniel. McDaniel finished the 8K freestyle in 1:56.36, and junior News & Comments abethtown College (14-4-3) at Periodicals postage paid at St. Louis, M0. run in 25:19 for 18th place. Senior Priya Srikanth won the one-meter (314) 935-6603 7:30 p.m. Kevin Gale (19th) and classmate diving competition. Campus Box 1070 Where to send address changes The two winners will meet on [email protected] Joe Guinness (34th) also were Sophomore Kevin Leckey Postmaster and nonemployees: Record, Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. for a berth to the Medical News tabbed all-region. paced the Bears' men. He won the Washington University, Campus Box 1070, Final Four, held November 24-25 (314)286-0119 The 2006 NCAA Champion- 200 freestyle in 1:45.72 and an- One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130. at Disney's Wide World of Sports Campus Box 8508 ships are Nov. 18 at Voice of Amer- chored the 200-free relay, which Employees: Office of Human Resources, Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. [email protected] ica Park in Wilmington, Ohio. clocked a time of 1:29.11. Calendar Submissions Washington University, Campus Box 1184, Fax: (314) 935-4259 One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, M0 63130. All WUSTL volleyball NCAA action will be broadcast live on KWUR/90.3 FM and online at kwur.com. Campus Box 1070 [email protected] Listen live! The first match is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.- Nov. 16 against Stevens Institute of Technology. 6 RECORD WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS

then make a presentation to the Senetric team, won the $250 audi- judges in January. The winners ence prize. Eagan picked five of the Olin will be announced at a public seven winning teams in the same Seven finalists vie for awards ceremony Feb. 1. order as the judges. $70,000 in seed money At stake is $70,000 in seed in- Since the competition was vestments for the new ventures. - from Page 1 founded in 1987, the event has re- Since 2005, the competition also sulted in more than 60 start-up has awarded a $5,000 cash prize to companies. • ChemBionix, a seed-stage de- the best student-owned or stu- In 2003, the University was vice company developing, manu- dent-supported team. challenged by the Ewing Marion facturing and marketing the next "I think all the teams found it Kauffman Foundation to create a generation of real-time biological very valuable new model for en- and chemical sensors for food to see each trepreneurial edu- and environmental safety; other's eleva- cation that fol- • Natural Capital, which would tor pitch," lowed a multidis- develop homes in historic neigh- Harrington ciplinary, cross- borhoods using low-impact, effi- said. "It was OLINTCUP campus theme to cient operating systems to pro- inspiring to involve a diverse vide a unique, healthy living space see them col- population of stu- with no annual energy-use costs; laborate after- dents and facutly. • Neurolife, to provide a non- ward and help The University was invasive means of measuring in- each other. The audience was im- selected as one of eight schools tracranial pressure used in the di- ' pressed with the quality of this that were awarded a combined $25 agnosis and treatment of neuro- year's ideas, and it was great that million over five years. logical patients; two of the teams that advanced to The competition is co-spon- • Senetric, which would pro- the finals were from Saint Louis sored by Sonnenschein, Nath & vide cost-effective Radio Frequen- University. It shows that the Olin Rosenthal LLP; St. Louis Region- cy Identification solutions to Cup is open to everyone and that al Chamber and Growth Asso- small and medium businesses; it is helping to build an innova- ciation; Lopata, Flegel & Co. LLP; • Smart DNA Solutions, a tion economy in St. Louis." and Polsinelli Shalton Welte Suelt- comprehensive genetic testing Peter Eagan, a member of the haus PC. laboratory offering affordable ge- netic testing for consumers; and Kastan's laboratory discovered • Social Network Systems, how ATM is activated in re- which is developing a customer- Drug sponse to DNA damage. Six years relationship management product Clinical trial to follow ago, they were investigating an using social network analysis unusual type of diabetes that can techniques to automate functions labora tory research occur in children with AT when performed by end-users. - from Page 1 they discovered that insulin can Four of the final seven — Bio activate ATM. This observation Rankings, Natural Capital, Neuro- led to studies in Semenkovich's life and Smart DNA Solutions — Research Hospital in Memphis, lab showing the importance of A StitCil in time Georgia Druen (left) of Hearthstone Knits are student-owned or student- Tenn., report that a small dose of ATM in metabolic syndrome. and May Williams of St. Louis participate in the campus Knit- supported ventures. Teams that the malaria drug chloroquine When Kastan's lab discovered In Nov. 3 in the Campus Store in Mallinckrodt Student Center. are not student-owned or stu- eased many symptoms of meta- that chloroquine can activate The event was organized to bring together knitting enthusiasts dent-supported must include at bolic syndrome in mice, reducing ATM, it provided a potential from across campus. Organizers invited representatives from least one WUSTL alumnus. blood pressure, decreasing hard- treatment intervention. local knitting stores to be on hand to answer questions. In all, The finalists' next step is to ening and narrowing of the arter- Prior studies elsewhere sug- about 25 people participated. complete a full business plan, ies and improving blood sugar gested that loss of one copy of tolerance. the gene for ATM — a condition "We just received funding for that could be present in one in owned industrial/service com- and fathers down the road," a clinical trial, and we're very ex- every 50 to 100 people — in- pany with annual sales nearing Kindbom said. "We have a team cited to see if the processes acti- creases risk of coronary artery Football $2 billion. full of leaders. Everything our vated by chloroquine can effec- disease and heart attack. Kastan's Giving thanks for Some people go beyond players take will be passed on a tively treat one of the most com- and Semenkovich's labs found re- words ofinspira tion merely writing a letter. hundred-fold, as they will all be mon health problems of modern duced ATM levels created a con- WWT's Steward sent a copy leaders in their chosen fields. industrialized society," said senior - from Page 1 dition similar to metabolic syn- of his book, Doing Business by "So ultimately, this is my author Clay F. Semenkovich, drome in mice fed a high-fat diet the Good Book: 52 Lessons on way of trying to make things M.D., professor of medicine and and given a genetic predisposi- sonal letter, the project was al- Success Straight from the Bible, better. And you know who has of cell biology and physiology. tion to heart disease. Symptoms ready successful, even if anoth- to every player. benefited the most? Me." "We already know that chloro- included increased insulin resist- er letter was never received," Best-selling author and CEO Just don't ask him to pick a quine is safe and well-tolerated, ance, atherosclerosis and higher Kindbom said. Harvey Mackay, who has a syn- favorite — or even a top five. and our mouse results suggest we levels of a signaling molecule After that, the letters poured dicated column on business in "They all are my favorites — may only need very low, and per- that activates a class of immune in from people like Jack Hanna more than 50 magazines I cherish every one," Kindbom haps infrequent, doses to achieve defensive cells. of the Columbus Zoo and around the country, also sent said. "I know why these people similar effects in humans," Se- "The data are starting to sug- Aquarium, former Nebraska the players a copy of one of his are successful. If they are willing menkovich added. gest that some of the metabolic football coach Tom Osborne, books, The Harvey Mackay to spend time passing on their Researchers elsewhere recently dysfunctions triggered by obesity ESPN broadcaster Trey Wingo, Rolodex Network Builder. thoughts to people they do not proposed that high doses of the may be linked to the inflamma- Chancellor Emeritus William The words Kindbom has even know, one can tell how anti-aging molecule resveratrol tory responses that go awry in H. Danforth, August A. Busch collected could be beneficial to each of them feels about mak- might similarly treat obesity and autoimmune disorders like III, Schutt Sports President more than his players. ing this world a better place. metabolic syndrome. However, it arthritis," Semenkovich said. Julie Nimmons, and Jim Ka- "The goal was to give our "No politics, no soap boxes, is unclear if such high doses are "Chloroquine is sometimes used vanaugh and David Steward, players a chance to perhaps just an honest appraisal of their safe, and scientists know relatively to treat autoimmune conditions founders of World Wide Tech- learn something that could lives or their thoughts, or just little about how resveratrol is eas- like lupus and arthritis. Our nology Inc. (WWT), ranked as make them better men, better their encouragement," Kind- ing symptoms. studies provide further evidence the nation's top-grossing black- citizens and better husbands bom said. In contrast, the surprising for links among oxidative stress, chain of connections that led to inflammatory processes and the possibility of using chloro- common human diseases such as was appointed senior fiction quine also has provided a fairly type 2 diabetes." writer in January 2006. She di- detailed sense for how the drug At low doses, chloroquine Davis "I'm interested in the vides her time between St. Louis might be helping. That chain moderated many of the symp- Novelist's six works plight of a character and Vermont. starts with a link between insulin toms of metabolic syndrome in are critically acclaimed Davis has received several pres- and a protein known as ATM. several mouse models of meta- embarked on a jour- tigious literary awards, including a Normally involved in the re- bolic syndrome and type 2 dia- - from Page 1 1988 Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize sponse to stress and repair of betes. Researchers still are deter- ney through an utterly for Labrador, the 1999 Morton DNA, ATM is mutated in the rare mining the exact details of how (1993) explores the unlikely unfamiliar — and fre- Dauwen Zabel Award from the genetic disorder ataxia-telangiec- chloroquine and insulin signal friendship between a Danish American Academy of Arts and tasia (AT). through ATM, and those details composer and a struggling wait- quently fantastic — Letters and a 2000 Guggenheim Individuals with this disease could lead to additional treat- ress in upstate New York. Hell: A landscape." Fellowship. have markedly increased risk of ment options for these disorders. Novel (1998), set largely in 1950s The Lannan Foundation — tumors, immunological problems A pilot clinical trial at Philadelphia, intertwines the story KATHRYN DAVIS based in Santa Fe, N.M., and and severe progressive deteriora- WUSTL using low-dose chloro- of a suburban family with the Santa Monica, Calif. — was tion of a part of their brain that quine in patients with symptoms lives of Edwina Moss, a 19th-cen- founded in 1960 by the late entre- controls muscle function and co- of metabolic syndrome is show- tury writer on domestic manage- landscape," Davis has said of her preneur and financier J. Patrick ordination. ing promising results. A broader ment, and Antonin Careme, work. "The quest itself has never Lannan and is dedicated to pre- In this study, the WUSTL/St. therapeutic trial that involves a Napoleon's chef. interested me as much as the serving the wholeness, clarity and Jude team demonstrated that the year of low-dose chloroquine Davis' fourth novel, The Walk- chance to describe that other strength of the English language. ATM enzyme is important for treatment will get under way ing Tour (1999), follows a pair of world." In addition to the Literary many of the beneficial effects soon. If it is successful, a multi- cyber-entrepreneurs and their Raised in Philadelphia, Davis Awards, the foundation offers fel- of insulin and that loss of ATM center trial likely will follow. wives as they explore the Welsh studied at the Pennsylvania Acad- lowships, underwrites grants to worsens blood sugar control, "We want to make sure we countryside. In Versailles (2002), emy of Fine Arts and Columbia non-profit organizations, presents high blood pressure and athero- find the right dose — it may be Davis tells the story of Marie An- University in New York before a literary reading series, and spon- sclerosis. possible to go even lower — and toinette, as narrated by her ghost. graduating from Goddard College sors the Lannan Writing Residen- "Our studies of ATM demon- that it's safe and effective," Se- Davis' most recent book, The in Plainfield, Vt. cy in Marfa, Texas. strate how investigating the caus- menkovich said. "We're also Thin Place (2006), explores % She previously taught at God- In 1997, William H. Gass, es of rare diseases at a molecular looking into the possibility of small New England village that is dard and at Skidmore College in Ph.D., the David May Distin- level can contribute to under- screening for the loss of one copy shaken by a young girl's mysteri- Saratoga Springs, N.Y guished University Professor standing the mechanisms of more of ATM in humans that unknow- ous unearthly power. David came to Washington Emeritus in the Humanities in common diseases and point the ingly puts many at increased risk "I'm interested in the plight of University in 2005 as a visiting Arts & Sciences, won a $100,000 way to new treatment options for of heart attack and diabetes and a character embarked on a jour- Fannie Hurst Professor of Cre- Lannan Foundation Lifetime those diseases," said Michael B. are planning studies in animals ney through an utterly unfamiliar ative Literature in the Department Achievement Award for his fiction Kastan, M.D., Ph.D., director of to see if chloroquine can help re- — and frequently fantastic — of English in Arts & Sciences. She and essays. the Cancer Center at St. Jude. duce this risk." record.wustl.edu WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS Nov. 16,2006 7 Notables

Introducing new WUSTL research director receives national award faculty members BY ANDY CLENDENNEN university research administrator. The following are among the As a collective of outstanding in- new faculty members at the Cynthia White, director of the dividuals, our NCURA is a sort of University. Others will be Cindy White not only meets the criteria Research Office, received the super-mentor, providing the un- introduced periodically in this 2006 Distinguished Service for this esteemed award, but her told counsel and expert instruc- space. Award from the National Council service to NCURA far surpasses them." tion we need to flourish. Anca Parvulesca, Ph.D., of University Research Admini- "For the new member enter- joins the Department of strators (NCURA). KATHLEEN LARMETT ing the profession today, English and the Interdiscipli- The council established the NCURA's benefits are more criti- nary Project in the Humani- award in 2001 as a way to recog- cal than ever," White added. ties in Arts & Sciences as as- nize members who have made "Work has become more de- sistant professor. Parvulescu sustained and distinctive contri- Sanders, Ordway Research Insti- In addition to serving as manding and stressful as regula- earned a doctorate from the butions to the organization. tute Inc.; and Mary Ellen Sheri- chair of the Council's Southeast- tions and public scrutiny seem to University of Minnesota. Her White received the award at dan, University of Chicago. ern Region, White has partici- double monthly. teaching and research inter- the NCURA 48th Annual Meet- "Cindy White not only pated in many committees, "The need to find answers and ests include 20th-century ing, during a recognition lunch- meets the criteria for this es- showing her leadership by chair- colleagues has ramped up to the American literature, literary eon Nov. 6 at the Hilton Wash- teemed award, but her service ing several. red zone. But NCURA looks rest- and cultural theory, feminist ington and Towers in Washing- to NCURA far surpasses them," She1 also has offered her serv- ed and ready, offering more spe- theory and women's litera- ton, D.C. said NCURA Executive Director ices as a speaker multiple times. cial conferences, more niche offer- ture, Eastern European cine- Areas of service for this award Kathleen Larmett. White said she feels strongly ings, more convenient delivery." ma and the history of the include NCURA national and * White has been a member about NCURA's role in the pro- NCURA serves its members university. She is writing a regional presentations, NCURA of NCURA since 1987 and has fessional life of research admin- and advances the field of research book titled Laughter's Burst: publications, NCURA commit- served in many capacities, includ- istrators. administration by providing edu- Seriousness, Manners, Femi- tees and serving as a NCURA ing serving as a "Fundamentals of "When I'm asked to face a cation and professional develop- nism. The book traces the officer. Sponsored Project Administra- video camera and comment on ment programs, sharing knowl- emergence of the modern Last year's recipients include tion" faculty member, member of NCURA's contribution to my edge and experience and fostering subject as a serious subject Marti Dunne, New York Univer- the NCURA Board of Directors, professional life, words haven't a professional, collegial and re- formed by and through a sity; Richard Keogh, InfoEd In- newsletter contributor and mem- been a problem," she said. spected community. prohibition on laughter. It ternational Inc.; Gunta Liders, ber of the 46th Annual Meeting "If there were no NCURA, I For more information, visit argues that the spirit of the University of Rochester; Garry Program Committee. would not — could not — be a ncura.edu. subject's seriousness perme- ates modernity's projects, lending them a certain gravi- ty and immutability. As a re- Annelise Mertz sult, the deployment of Campus Authors laughter becomes a crucial receives lifetime strategy for philosophers, writers and artists who hope Andrew Rehfeld, Ph.D., assisant professor of political science in Arts & Sciences achievement award to challenge modernity and Annelise Mertz, professor its projects. Laughter offers The Concept of Constituency emerita in the Performing the promise of a new kind of Arts Department (PAD) in subject and another kind of (Cambridge University Press, 2005) community. Arts 8c Sciences, received the 2006 Lifetime Achievement YanMei Wang, Ph.D., joins As a graduate student, representation is not Award from the Gateway Older the Department of Physics in Andrew Rehfeld asked his so good; it can in- Wo-men's League (OWL) for Arts & Sciences as assistant instructor a question that troduce perverse in- her pioneering work in helping professor. She earned a doc- the instructor couldn't answer. centives for political establish the PAD as well as torate from the University of The next day, Rehfeld headed representatives to Dance St. Louis. California, Berkeley, in 2002 to the library to find a book create ways to serv- Mertz received the honor and spent the next four years that could answer his question, ice their constituents during the OWL's 16th annual as a postdoctoral researcher but after an hour of searching by local pork at the awards dinner Oct. 11 at the in biological physics at article databases and other THE CONCEPT OF CONSTITUENCY expense of the na- Missouri Athletic Club. Princeton University. In her sources, he came up empty. tional good. Speaker for the ceremony research, she applies quantita- So he decided to write the Political Representation, "If you think was Sally Bliss, the recently tive experimental methods book he was looking for: one Democratic Legitimacy, that constituencies retired executive director of pioneered in physics to ad- that would explain the origins should be represent- Dance St. Louis. and Institutional Design dress fundamental biological of the country's electoral dis- ed by interests, then The event was sponsored by questions at the molecular tricts and how they came to be you need to explain AmerenUE, AT&T, May De- level. At Princeton, she per- based on where people live. how a district of partment Stores Foundation formed the first single-mole- "It struck me that of all the roughly 500,000 and KWMU. cule imaging of Lad repressor different ways we as a nation people (larger than Mertz has long been a force protein and observed that might organize ourselves for the City of St. Louis) on the St. Louis dance scene, as Lad diffuses along DNA, political representation, we Andrew Rehfeld has one coherent in- a teacher, performer and cho- thereby resolving a decades- choose to do so based on terest and why that reographer, and as a tireless old puzzle in DNA targeting where we live," said Rehfeld, coherent interest champion for the arts. by this protein. She will con- Ph.D., assistant professor of rather than some In 2001, the University ded- tinue to explore gene regula- political science in Arts 8c Sci- other (like profes- icated the Annelise Mertz tion mechanisms by real-time ences. "For example, the fifth sion, hobby, political Dance Studio in her honor, tracing of single-gene regula- district of Illinois is defined by party) should be through a generous gift from tor proteins in vitro and in lines in the sand. And it's not represented," Re- Morris D. Marcus, M.D., a der- vivo. only us. In virtually every dem- use territorial districts. Rehfeld hfeld said. "That is, if you think matologist and professor ocratic representative govern- found that most people who interests should be represented Derek Pardue, Ph.D., joins emeritus of the School of ment, territorial districts are mentioned the history briefly by our representatives, why the Department of Anthro- Medicine. used to group voters as a way had written that local districts pick those that are local?" pology in Arts & Sciences as In 2004, she received the of providing political represen- were used to represent local Rehfeld wraps up the book assistant professor, with a Missouri Arts Award, the tation. We might have done it community interests at a time by proposing an alternative, joint appointment in Inter- state's highest honor for by profession or age, religion when people's lives were more imagining that all 435 seats in achievement in the arts, from national and Area. Studies. or party affiliation. So why by local. Congress were no longer based Pardue earned a doctorate then-Gov. Bob Holden and where we live?" But at the national level — on territory, but still single- from the University of First Lady Lori Hauser Holden. Rehfeld breaks his book, that is, at the level of U.S. Con- member districts containing a Illinois at Urbana-Cham- Born in Berlin, Mertz The Concept of Constituency, gressional districts — this turns random distribution of voters. paign in 2004, and a bache- danced professionally through- into four distinct parts. out to be wrong for reasons that When voters register, they lor's in German literature out Europe before immigrating First, conceptually, he real- the country's founders explicitly get randomly assigned to one of and music from the Univer- to the United States in 1955. ized that territorial districts are discussed. the 435 districts. sity of Massachusetts in She arrived on campus in simply one way that electoral "First, opponents of the U.S. This would have the effect of 1991. He also holds a mas- 1957, founding and serving as constituencies might be de- Constitution argued that dis- creating 435 identical districts ter's of music in ethnomusi- artistic director of the Dance fined. But in many other na- tricts would be far too large to justifiable for various reasons cology from the University of Theatre of Washington Univer- tions, they are defined by terri- represent local interests, and they he discusses in the book. Texas. For the past two years, sity and, in the mid-1960s, tory and some other dimen- were right about that," Rehfeld While the subject might he has been a visiting assis- spearheading creation of the sion. said. "Prior to the national gov- seem heady, Rehfeld took the tant professor at Union Col- Dance Major Program (which The most common is or- ernment, the average state elec- same approach to writing that lege. His research focuses on she directed for some 31 years) ganizing constituencies by how toral district was about the size he asks of his students. and the PAD itself. the representation of hip- voters vote — this is done in of a town or county — about "I wanted to write this book hoppers as social and cultur- In 1966, Mertz founded and systems of proportional repre- 3,000 people. to pass the 'grandmother test' al agents. For the past 10 served as the first president of sentation where an electoral "The U.S. Constitution pro- that I tell my students they years, he has worked with Dance St. Louis (originally constituency is formed when vided for districts of 30,000 peo- should follow themselves: with rappers, DJs and graffiti called the Dance Concert Soci- we vote for a party. ple each, 10 times the size of the Would your grandmother un- artists in Sao Paulo, Brazil. ety), a not-for-profit organiza- So the first part of the average state-level district. derstand the argument that's Pardue employs strategies of tion focusing on modern analysis steps back and tries to The last third of the book made, whether she can evaluate methodology and epistemol- dance. make sense of these conceptual takes up the normative or pre- it or not?" he said. ogy from urban anthropolo- The organization is today distinctions. scriptive questions, such as how "That was my goal: Could gy, critical race theory, dis- the area's premiere dance The second part of the book we should define electoral con- my grandmother understand course theory, cultural stud- presenter and continues to takes up the historical question stituencies in today's world. the book?" ies and ethnomusicology to sponsor performances by na- of why in the United States we Rehfeld argues that territorial — Andy Clendennen his analyses. tionally known professional companies. 8 RECORD WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS Nov. 16,2006 Washington People

As the only boy among tomy, or LASEK, in which the nine children, Lawrence cornea is reshaped with a laser. Tychsen, M.D., often was This technique doesn't require a asked by his sisters to fix surgical flap to be cut in the eye, is things and figure things safer for children and is able to out. As Tychsen grew, his hobbies correct much higher degrees of involved designing and building myopia, or nearsightedness, than things or taking things apart and the LASIK technique commonly fixing them. used on adults. It just seemed natural that Ty- For children with focusing de- chsen would become a surgeon fects so large that they are be- who fixes vision of children with yond the range of laser correc- BY BETH MILLER neurological impairments. tion, Tychsen implants a phakic Tychsen is professor of ophthal- intraocular lens or performs a mology and visual sciences, of pe- lens extraction technique. These diatrics and of anatomy and neu- techniques often can improve vi- robiology and is ophthalmologist- sion in a child with profound in-chief at St. Louis Children's nearsightedness, such as 20/1,500 Hospital. (nine times worse than legally He intended to be an English blind), to nearly 20/20, Tychsen professor, but when registering for says. his first semester of college, a phys- To date, St. Louis Children's iological psychology course was of- Hospital is one of the only U.S. fered in the time slot he needed to medical centers performing re- fill. Tychsen signed up for the fractive surgery on these chil- course, and quoting the late Pope dren. John Paul II, "In the designs of "Dr. Tychsen is a very gracious Providence, there are no mere co- man who has never really gotten incidences," he sees it as the first credit for what he's done for improbable step in his path to a these kids," Brunstrom says. "Be- career in medicine. cause of his heart and passion to "The teaching was inspiring," really help these kids and his sci- Tychsen says. "Out of nowhere, I entific background, he leaves no became enthralled by the workings stone unturned." of the brain and fascinated by the "Dr. Tychsen is an extraordi- philosophy of science." narily talented clinician," says He earned an undergraduate Michael A. Kass, M.D., professor degree in biology and philosophy Lawrence Tychsen, M.D., examines Madisen Denman, who has and head of the Department of at Georgetown University, then en- congenital cataracts, before surgery. "Because of his heart and Ophthalmology and Visual Sci- tered medical school at George- passion to really help these kids and his scientific background, he ences. "He has really built the pe- town with the notion of becoming leaves no stone unturned," says Janice E. Brunstrom, M.D. diatric ophthalmology service at St. Louis Children's Hospital to a He also investigates the effects very high level. He is also a pio- of early vs. delayed repair of stra- neer in the concept that it may be Looking out for the overlooked bismus. brain malfunction that causes "We can show that a specific strabismus in children and has cause the neural mechanisms for connection is bad and show that it done extensive work to study this Lawrence Tychsen, M.D., switched many of the visual disorders they can repair itself if we restore nor- phenomenon." treated were unknown. mal brain activity by straightening Part of what is behind Tych- gears from English to eye surgery "I saw, as an opportunist, that the eyes early." sen's compassion is his strong there was room for open-field Catholic faith. "It allows you to a neurosurgeon. But a talk with an running in this game," Tychsen Pioneering the field view life with perspective and see adviser steered him toward neuro- says. "Note to self, 'Plunge in here, In addition to research, Tychsen is medicine and science for what ophthalmology. posing the right questions, and a pioneer in working with children they are: tools, which on one "He recognized that I was me- you can have a big impact."' with neurological disorders, who hand, can be used to heal and re- chanically inclined, but also most He moved to San Francisco often have severe vision problems. veal the glory of nature, and on interested in the workings of the after residency to train as a'fellow He does refractive (vision correc- the other hand, can be misused visual brain; the groundbreaking in- pediatric ophthalmology at the tion) surgery on children with for egotism and power by treat- experiments in physiological psy- University of California, San Fran- cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and ing Homo sapiens as disposable chology were devoted largely to vi- cisco Medical Center. To sharpen neurobehavioral disorders such as objects," he says. sual perception," he says. his research skills, he then spent autism, as these disorders often A member of Our Lady of the After completing medical 18 months as a post-doc in the lead to difficulty wearing glasses. Pillar parish, he supports WRYT/ school, Tychsen was invited to primate neuroscience laboratory He also helped design and adapt KHOJ, the local Catholic radio spend a year as a fellow in neuro- of Stephen Lisberger, Ph.D. specialized electronic testing to stations, is involved in pro-life ophthalmology at the National Eye "That time in San Francisco measure acuity in uncooperative work and teaches adult cate- Institute within the National Insti- was invaluable," he says. "Steve is a children. chism. tutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. taskmaster and incisive thinker. I His work in this area took off Joseph L. Demer, M.D, Ph.D., "One of the iconic figures in the worked elbow to elbow with him after Janice E. Brunstrom, M.D., as- a professor of ophthalmology specialty, Dr. David Cogan, took and absorbed his rules: 'Choose sistant professor of pediatrics and and neurology at the Jules Stein me under his wing," he says. "The questions that will move the field of neurology and director of the Eye Institute at the University of experience at the NIH clinched it. forward. Don't speculate, execute Pediatric Neurology Cerebral Palsy California, Los Angeles, says Ty- The surgery was elegant, the meas- experiments with clear yes-no Center at St. Louis Children's Hos- chsen is well regarded nationwide urements and machines were pre- outcomes. Keep your eyes open pital, prodded Tychsen to think both scientifically and medically. cise and it was a great way to blend for the unexpected. Then apply more about how to repair the vi- "He is of an extremely rare research with clinical work." the seat of the pants to the seat of sion in children with cerebral palsy. breed of physician/scientists," the chair and write cogently.'" He agreed to devote time to it and Demer says. "He is very well Finding his calling After paying back a four-year made room for them in his busy trained in lab science and a fully During his ophthalmic surgical active-duty obligation to the U.S. clinical schedule, Brunstrom says. competent and expert practition- residency at the University of Iowa, Air Force as a flight surgeon, Ty- "These are kids who were legally er. He is really an example to all he began to discern that he had a chsen was recruited to the School blind and whom everyone had of what can be done." Lawrence Tychsen knack for examining and treating of Medicine's pediatric ophthal- given up on," Brunstrom says. "One Demer also has had a glimpse neurologically impaired children. mology department by then-chair by one, he has restored their sight of Tychsen outside of academia. Family: Katherine, wife; children: "No one else wanted to deal with Henry Kaplan, M.D. by going over every detail and figur- "I invited him to lecture at a Hugh, 25, who served in the Marine them because they are often tough "I could see there was a real ing out what is wrong and what he conference in California, but he infantry in Iraq, is a Washington to examine," he says. "It can be opportunity at Children's to start can fix. He is willing to tackle situa- would only agree to do it at the University alumnus and works for intimidating and frustrating, but I from scratch clinically and set tions that used to be considered im- same time there was a driving Enterprise-Rent-A-Car headquarters in found it a challenge and reward- things up the right way," Tychsen possible or not worth the time." school offered at the Jim Hall Kart Clayton, Mo.; Diana, 22, graduated ing; by finding and fixing what was says. "Hank had implemented a Tychsen and his staff perform Racing School," Demer says. "He's from the University of Indiana music broken, you could enrich a kid's clear productivity model for his laser-assisted subepithelial keratec- very good, and quite a daredevil." school with a vocal performance life permanently." surgeons, and I'd have it no other degree and works in marketing in One epiphany that Tychsen re- way. And he'd let me run the divi- Chicago; Andrew, 20, a junior at Saint calls from his early residency was sion without micromanaging." Louis University; and Paul, 15, a soph- an examination of a child with Tychsen also says he knew he omore at St. Louis Priory School. cerebral palsy who had been la- wanted to study primates because Most satisfying part of his job: "As a beled as blind. •they are an excellent brain and be- surgeon, performing a surgery well "After a detailed exam, I told havior model for strabismus, or that permanently improves a child's the senior resident that most of the crossed-eyes. "The School of Med- vision." boy's visual system was working — icine had a first-class reputation what he really needed was a good for primate research, and I could Something people might not know pair of glasses," Tychsen says. "To about him: Tychsen plays for a men's work with stars like Andreas which he responded, 'Potatoes have ice hockey league at 5:30 a.m. twice a Burkhalter and David Van Essen." eyes, but they don't need glasses.' week and loves golf. He is also a Tychsen's laboratory studies the The cynicism shocked me, but it Formula 1 Grand Prix auto-racing fan neural cause of strabismus. "We've was, in fact, a message: I was being and takes his sons on an annual road shown that babies do not get called." crossed eyes because of a muscle trip to the U.S. Grand Prix, which he Tychsen also came to realize calls a "magical mixture of technologi- problem," he says. "The eyes cross that pediatric ophthalmologists cal genius, machismo and international because an immature circuit in the spent most of their time talking culture." brain failed to develop properly about microsurgical techniques be- within a certain window of time." (From left) Paul, Hugh, Diana, Kathy, Lawrence and Andrew Tychsen.