News

Martin Mwita, who just turned 21, recently became the first patient in the St. Louis region to receive a gene therapy newly approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for sickle cell disease. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and St. Louis Children’s Hospital are among only a few academic medical centers in the U.S. that have begun offering the treatment.

It’s been over a century since the city of St. Louis hosted some of the world’s best athletes for the Summer Olympic Games. On June 20, those fields used over 100 years ago played host to the next generation. Hundreds of kids from our area took a lap around the historic track at Francis Olympic Field at Washington University.

Rebecca Brown, vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and university governance at Washington University in St. Louis, has been named to the St. Louis Business Journal’s “Most Influential Business Women” class of 2025. Established in 1999, the “Most Influential Business Women” awards annually recognize and celebrate women in the St. Louis area who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in business careers, and for their accomplishments and contributions to their industries.

St. Louis is known nationally for its excellent (and free) art. Staff, faculty, students and alumni of Washington University in St. Louis are sharing their favorite places to view visual art around the region during the summer.

At summer camps across the region, kids are playing football, tie-dying T-shirts and building mock volcanoes. But at one WashU summer camp, local students are making art to explore an unlikely topic: public health. The LIGHT Creativity in Public Health Summer Camp encourages students to tap into their imaginations and lived experiences to create artwork, poetry and stories that communicate the importance of health and science. 

Thirteen teachers from across the St. Louis region have been selected to work with WashU faculty members for the 2025 Summer Teacher-Researcher Program. Administered in collaboration with Washington University in St. Louis’ Institute for School Partnership, the program is designed to provide opportunities for faculty to connect with local educators and to provide professional development for area K-12 teachers.

A few months ago, The Jewish Light shared stories of some of the bright lights in the St. Louis arts community. Now, it has published a deeper spotlight on three artists whose brilliance illuminates not just St. Louis, but the international art world.

Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine has been ranked No. 13 of cancer centers nationwide by Newsweek. The recognition — part of the news magazine’s listing of America’s Best Hospitals for Specialized Care 2025 — makes Siteman the highest-ranked cancer center in Missouri, Illinois and beyond.

The Clinical Research Training Center (CRTC) TL1 program recently partnered with the Center for Community Health Partnership & Research (CCHPR) for an impactful day of community engagement. Serving as a Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) session, this four-hour retreat encouraged two-way learning and building stronger community-academic ties.

The St. Louis Business Journal has been honoring and celebrating women business leaders for more than 25 years through its Most Influential Business Women Awards program. With the help of past winners, the Business Journal reviewed 160 nominations to select the 2025 class of Most Influential Business Women. These 25 women are making an impact not only at the companies they work for and run, but at local nonprofits and organizations in the communities they serve. Several WashU staff and alums are being honored this year.