Please join us in welcoming Dr. Mark Joven who has been appointed Fellow in Osteoporosis, Metabolic Bone Disorders for the academic year 2024-2025. Dr. Joven comes to us from the Philippines, bringing extensive expertise across multiple medical disciplines. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and holds board certifications in Endocrinology, […]
We are pleased to announce that Thomas Nickolas, MD, MS, will be the new Chief of the Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases in the Department of Medicine. Dr. Nickolas will take over from Dr. Roberto Civitelli, who has made significant contributions to the division. Dr. Nickolas will assume his new role in January 2025.
Congratulations to James Avery, MD and Naga Yalla, MD for being placed on the 2024 Castle Connolly Top Doctors® List. The Top Doctors® selection process is entirely merit-based. Doctors cannot pay to be listed. More information can be found at the Top Doctors® website. This rolling list is also published every August by St. Louis […]
We are pleased to announce Nitin Pokhrel, PhD, has been appointed to the position of Instructor on the research track. Dr. Pokhrel received his PhD from Kyungpook National University in Daegu, South Korea, in 2017. In September 2020, he joined Dr. Veis’ laboratory in the Division of Bone Mineral Disease as a Postdoctoral Fellow. Dr. […]
The 9th International Conference on Osteoimmunology: Interactions of the Immune and Skeletal Systems took place in Greece this past month, drawing together the world’s leading scientists and researchers from both the immunology and osteology fields. This conference is dedicated to fostering collaboration and accelerating progress in understanding the complex interactions between the immune and skeletal […]
Dr. Erica Scheller (@schellerlab) was honored at the Washington University 2024 Celebration of Inventors for her collaborative work with Dr. Shantanu Chakrabartty on a patent entitled “Methods and apparatus for wireless power delivery and remote sensing using self-capacitances”, one of 56 patents issued to the University in 2023. This patent originated based on work in […]
The Mbalaviele lab and collaborators found that inflammasomes play a critical role in bone loss in mice caused by the chemotherapeutic drug, doxorubicin. This finding may inspire the development of a tailored adjuvant therapy that preserves the quality of this tissue in patients treated with this class of drugs. Chemotherapy activates inflammasomes to cause inflammation-associated […]
In a recent publication in JCI Insight, researchers from the Civitelli Lab unveil the pivotal role of connexin43 within mesenchymal lineage cells, shedding light on its influence in regulating body adiposity and energy metabolism in mice. Citation: Lee SY, Fontana F, Sugatani T, Portales Castillo I, Leanza G, Coler-Reilly A, Civitelli R. Connexin43 in mesenchymal […]
Members of the Scheller Lab in collaboration with the Milbrandt and DiAntonio groups at WashU published a paper in JCI Insight in which they found that loss of Sarm1 could completely protect female mice against the development of bone loss and severe osteoblast suppression secondary to type 1 diabetes. Sarm1 knockout also prevented neuropathy in […]
The Washington University Registered Medical Assistant Apprenticeship program stands as a beacon of opportunity and growth. This program has been a transformative force in the lives of many, exemplifying the extraordinary results that can be achieved when individuals unite with a shared vision. Driven by a collective understanding of the value of investing in both […]
We’re honored to share some incredible news that we received from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR). Dr. Civitelli has been announced as the recipient of the highly prestigious ASBMR 2023 Gideon A. Rodan Excellence in Mentorship Award! It’s a tremendous honor and a true testament to Dr. Civitelli’s outstanding contributions. This […]
Universities across the United States take part in the National Postdoc Appreciation Week (NPAW) which typically falls on the third week of September. National Postdoc Appreciation Week is a time to shine a well-deserved spotlight on the postdoctoral researchers who tirelessly contribute to the world of science and research. Their dedication, hard work, and commitment […]
Congratulations to two of our Bone Health Physicians for being placed on the 2023 Castle Connolly Top Doctors® List: James Avery, MD and Naga Yalla, MD. The Top Doctors® selection process is entirely merit-based. Doctors cannot pay to be listed. More information can be found at the Best Doctors® website. This rolling list is also […]
The Scheller Lab has been awarded a R21 grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) to support a project entitled “Characterization and function of new p75-NTR+ cellular network in craniofacial bone”. The project was based on prior pilot and feasibility support from The Washington University Musculoskeletal Research Center. The project will […]
Naga Yalla, MD, served on a committee within the American College of Radiology leading to the publication of the “ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Management of Vertebral Compression Fractures: 2022 Update,” which was published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. Vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) can have various causes, such as trauma, osteoporosis or neoplastic […]
We are thrilled to announce two of our very own researchers have been awarded the ASBMR Young Investigator Annual Meeting Travel Grant. Among numerous talented researchers, Luke O’Connor (Deborah Veis Lab) and Lila Dabill (Erica Scheller Lab) have been selected to receive this esteemed award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the field of […]
We are delighted to announce the promotion of Erica Scheller, DDS, PhD, to the position of Associate Professor of Medicine, Cell Biology and Physiology, and Developmental Biology on the Investigator Track, with tenure. Scheller will also continue to serve as the Executive Director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine. This promotion recognizes her exceptional contributions […]
Deborah Veis, MD, PhD has been accepted for active membership in the Association of American Physicians (AAP). The AAP is an honorary medical society founded in 1885 by the Canadian physician Sir William Osler and six other distinguished physicians of his era for “the advancement of scientific and practical medicine.” Election to the AAP is […]
Kathleen Lowe, MD, will be appointed to the rank of Instructor in Medicine, effective September 1, 2022. Dr. Lowe obtained her BS degree in 2009 at Truman State University in Kirksville, MO, and an MD degree in 2013 at Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, NE. She completed an Internal Medicine residency in 2016 […]
The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) Young Investigator Award recognizes young investigators who submit top-ranking abstracts to an ASBMR Annual Meeting. This year, Xiao Zhang in Erica Scheller’s Lab has received the ASBMR Young Investigator Award for the abstract presentation “Neural Contributions to Leptin-mediated Bone Marrow Adipocyte Catabolism”. The award will be […]
Kai Sun, Chun Wang, Gabriel Mbalaviele, and colleagues found that fracture healing is impaired in mice lacking gasdermin D – interleukin-1 receptor. Citation: Fracture healing is delayed in the absence of gasdermin – interleukin-1 signaling. Sun K, Wang c, Xiao J, Brodt MD, Yuan L, Yang T, Alippe Y, Hu H, Hao D, Abu-Amer Y, […]
LRP5 and LRP6 are important modulators of the WNT signaling pathway which is critical for bone growth and turnover. Mutations in the LRP5 and LRP6 genes cause a rare human genetic disorder of high bone mass. Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases faculty Steven Mumm, PhD, has been awarded a $433,125 two-year grant by the […]
The Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases is pleased to announce that Michael P. Whyte, MD, has been appointed emeritus professor in the Washington University John T. Milliken Department of Medicine, effective January 1st, 2022. Whyte has been a member of the Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases for 40 years and has had an […]
Chun Wang, PhD, was appointed to the rank of Instructor in Medicine, effective January 1, 2022. Dr. Wang obtained her MBBS degree in 2000 at Hengyang Medical College, and PhD degree in Pharmacology in 2009 through a joint program between Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine, China, and the Department of Medical Microbiology, Immunology […]
Gabriel Mbalaviele, PhD, has been appointed to the Scientific Advisory Board of Science Immunology to serve a 3-year term. He will assist the editorial team in assessing papers on inflammasomes, osteoimmunology, and other areas of his expertise. Members of this international group of 20-25 scientists/immunologists are selected on the basis of their competence and achievement […]
Tong Yang, Kai Sun, Gabriel Mbalaviele, PhD, and colleagues found that gasdermin D plays an important role in the pathogenesis of arthritis caused by traumatic injury. Citation: Gasdermin D deficiency attenuates arthritis induced by traumatic injury but not autoantibody-assembled immune complexes. Yang T, Sun K, Wang C, Swarnkar G, Quan S, Kress D, Xiao J, […]
Kathy Diemer, MD, has received the Honor Roll Award from the Academy of Educators at Washington University School of Medicine. The Honor Roll Award was established this year and recognizes current Washington University faculty members making outstanding contributions to education. Awardees are selected by department/program leadership or their designees who are able to best assess […]
Chun Wang MD, PhD, Jianqiu Xiao PhD, Gabriel Mbalaviele PhD, and colleagues published a paper in Science Immunology in which they discovered an unexpected function of the NLRP3 inflammasome in inflammation in the absence of gasdermin D. Citation: NLRP3 inflammasome activation triggers gasdermin D-independent inflammation. Wang C, Yang T, Xiao J, Xu C, Alippe Y, […]
Congratulations to three of our Bone Health Physicians for being placed on the 2021 Castle Connolly Top Doctors® List: James Avery, MD, Kathryn Diemer, MD, and Naga Yalla, MD. The Top Doctors® selection process is entirely merit-based. Doctors cannot pay to be listed. More information can be found at the Best Doctors® website. This list […]
Nicola Napoli, MD, PhD, was elected to the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) Council (Board of Directors). ASBMR is the premier professional organization promoting research, education, and patient care in the musculoskeletal and mineral metabolism field internationally. The ASBMR Council is vested with the powers and authority to manage all the activities […]
Deborah Veis, MD, PhD, has been appointed to serve as the next editor-in-chief of the journal JBMR® Plus. Launched in 2017, JBMR® Plus is the premier, monthly, open access journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR). A companion to the internationally recognized Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (JBMR®), JBMR® Plus […]
Kashif S. Shaikh, MD, has been appointed Fellow in Osteoporosis, Metabolic Bone Disorders for the academic year 2021-2022, and started his fellowship on July 1st, 2021. After graduating from Aga Khan University Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan, he completed his internal medicine residency training at the University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, in 2012. […]
Gary S. Gottesman, MD, has been appointed Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, with a part-time appointment in our division as of July 1st, 2021. An MD graduate of the University of Michigan, Gottesman completed his residency in Pediatrics at St. Louis Children’s Hospital in 1991, and a fellowship in Medical Genetics at WUSM in 1995. […]
Mahshid Mohseni, MD, has been promoted to the rank of Assistant Professor of Medicine on the Clinician Track effective July 1st, 2021. Mohseni graduated from Isfahan University, Iran, and completed her internal medicine residency at Marshall University School of Medicine, Huntington, West Virginia; followed by a fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at the University […]
Congratulations to three of our Bone Health Physicians for being placed on the Best Doctors in America for 2020 list: James Avery, MD, Roberto Civitelli, MD, and Michael P. Whyte, MD. The Best Doctors in America is an online resource developed by Best Doctors, Inc. Best Doctors believes physicians are the most qualified to evaluate […]
Jianqiu Xiao PhD, Chun Wang MD, PhD, Gabriel Mbalaviele PhD, and colleagues, published a paper in PLOS Biology in which they demonstrate that radiation causes tissue damage by dysregulating inflammasome pathways in both host and transplanted cells. Citation: Radiation causes tissue damage by dysregulating inflammasome-gasdermin D signaling in both host and transplanted cells. Xiao J, […]
We are delighted to announce that Dr. Nilton Salles Rosa Neto has joined our division as Clinical Fellow in our Osteoporosis, Bone and Mineral Diseases fellowship for the current academic year, 2020-2021. Dr. Salles Rosa Neto received his medical degree from Universidade Federal do Parana, Brazil, in 2004. In 2008, he completed his Internal Medicine […]
Gabriel Mbalaviele, PhD, was promoted to the rank of Professor of Medicine with tenure on July 1st, 2020. Dr. Mbalaviele has reached this outstanding academic achievement through an unusual professional and personal journey. A native of the Republic of the Congo, he received his graduate training in Developmental Physiology in Paris, France, in the early […]
Steven Mumm, PhD, was promoted to the rank of Professor of Medicine on July 1st, 2020. Dr. Mumm has developed his career almost entirely at Washington University and Shriners Hospitals for Children, where he has been a member of their Scientific Staff since 1998. He was appointed Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Bone and […]
The innervation of bone has been described for centuries, and our understanding of its function has rapidly evolved over the past several decades. In this review published in the August 2019 issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, Erica Scheller, DDS, PhD, and co-workers provide a historical perspective of skeletal neurobiology highlighting the […]
Gabriel Mbalaviele, PhD, has been appointed to serve a 3-year term as a member of the Merit Review Subcommittee, Endocrinology – B, Special Emphasis Panel, Veterans Affairs (VA). Members are selected on the basis of their competence and achievement in their scientific discipline as evidenced by the quality of research accomplishments, publications in scientific journals, […]
Bone and Mineral Division faculty Mahshid Mohseni, MD, ranked in the top 10% of patient satisfaction scores for the last 6 months of 2018. Electronic surveys are sent to patients after office visits to rate their experience, and Mohseni was among those Washington University Physicians with more than 10 survey responses and scores high enough […]
On January 30th, 2019, faculty of the Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases and of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery joined other members and leaders of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) in Capitol Hill, in Washington D.C., to advocate for the National Institutes of Health and predictable funding for scientific research […]
In a trio of recent papers, members of the Scheller & Craft lab and colleagues provide key insights about the function of the bone marrow adipocyte and its relationship with cells of the skeletal niche. First, they identify adrenergic receptors as key mediators of the biochemical and functional distinctions between peripheral fat and bone marrow […]
Jianqiu Xiao PhD, Chun Wang MD, PhD, Gabriel Mbalaviele PhD, and colleagues, published a paper in PLOS Biology in which they show that pyroptosis mediated by the pore-forming protein gasdermin D plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of a severe genetic autoinflammatory disorder known as neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease. Citation: Gasdermin D mediates the […]
Bone and Mineral Division Faculty Michael P. Whyte, MD, has been awarded the Society for Endocrinology Transatlantic Medal 2019. The Transatlantic Medal is awarded, on an annual basis, to a North American endocrinologist judged to have made significant contributions to the discipline. The award of this Medal was instituted to promote connections between endocrinology in […]
Bone and Mineral Division faculty Kathryn Diemer, MD, has been selected to receive the 2018 Excellence in Medical Student Career Advising Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). In addition to her role as the Clinical Director of the Bone Health Program, Diemer functions as the Assistant Dean of Career counseling. In this […]
Congratulations to five of our Bone Health Physicians for being placed on the Best Doctors in America for 2018 list: James Avery, MD, Roberto Civitelli, MD, Laura Colletti, MD, Kathryn Diemer, MD, and Michael P. Whyte, MD. The Best Doctors in America is an online resource developed by Best Doctors, Inc. Best Doctors believes physicians […]
Although not immediately obvious to many, nerves are present in bone and they do affect the skeleton in its response to systemic and local stimuli. Division faculty, Clarissa Craft, PhD, has been awarded a $272,000 grant by the NIH-NICDR to study key extracellular matrix determinants that modulate nerve growth in the craniofacial skeleton. She will […]
Four division faculty serve in leadership positions for the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR). Clarissa Craft, PhD, was appointed to the Finance Committee, which oversees the financial affairs of the society and advises on budget consideration and fiscal strategies. She will start her service in September 2018. Erica Scheller, DDS, PhD, is […]
XLH is a rare metabolic bone disease, but it is the most frequent cause of hereditary rickets nowadays, leading to permanent skeletal deformities, functional impairment and chronic pain. Conventional therapy for XLH, oral phosphorus and active vitamin D metabolites, can help control the metabolic abnormalities, but is unsatisfactory for preventing or reversing the skeletal deformities. […]
Kathryn Diemer, MD, has been promoted to the rank of Professor of Medicine on the Clinician Track effective July 1st, 2018. Diemer is a nationally recognized expert in osteoporosis and metabolic bone diseases and has been at the forefront in the application of bone densitometry in clinical practice to assess fracture risk. She is an […]
Dr. Gabriel Mbalaviele’s recent work on a new approach to treating bone loss and osteolysis in rheumatoid arthritis was published online in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. Please click to see the article featured on Washington University’s News site.
Gabriel Mbalaviele, PhD, was featured in the November 30, 2017 issue of The St. Louis American weekly newspaper highlighting his research in inflammation to fight disease. The St. Louis American has been a continuously published newspaper since 1928. It is a voice of the area’s African American community, and has extended its reach to become […]
On September 13-14, 2017, Deborah Veis Novack, MD, PhD, participated in the Rally for Medical Research in Washington, DC. This annual event brings together 300+ researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates from 300+ organizations to meet in the offices of our Senators and Representatives to demonstrate the value of medical research to all citizens. Through this […]
On Sunday, September 10, 2017 at the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, Roberto Civitelli, MD was presented with the Society’s Shirley Hohl Service Award by ASBMR President Jane Cauley, DrPh. This award is given to an individual whose activities best represent the dedicated and unselfish devotion in […]
In an article published in June 2017 issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, Francesca Fontana, MD, PhD, and colleagues in the laboratory of Roberto Civitelli, MD, report that mice genetically deficient in N-cadherin – a molecule that allows cells to adhere to each other and modulates Wnt signaling – accrue more bone […]
Steven Mumm, PhD, has recently received his Fifteen-Year Service Recognition from the Student and Teachers as Research Scientists (STARS) Program. The STARS Program offers academically-talented students who are entering their senior year of high school a rare opportunity to work within a laboratory research setting with top scientists at Confluence Life Science, Donald Danforth Plant […]
Congratulations to five of our Bone Health Physicians for being placed on the Best Doctors in America for 2017 list: James Avery, MD, Roberto Civitelli, MD, Laura Colletti, MD, Kathryn Diemer, MD, and Michael P. Whyte, MD. The Best Doctors in America is an online resource developed by Best Doctors, Inc. Best Doctors believes physicians […]
The article published by Mbalaviele and colleagues (PLoS One, 2012, 7:e35979) on the development of a mouse model of neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease (NOMID) is among the top 25% most cited PLOS ONE articles as of July 3, 2017. NOMID, which is caused by NLRP3 activating-mutations, is associated with excessive IL-1β secretion and skeletal deformities, […]
Deborah Novack, MD, PhD, was promoted to the rank of Professor of Medicine in the Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases, Department of Medicine, with secondary appointment as Professor of Pathology and Immunology, as of July 1st, 2017. Dr. Novack has been affiliated with our Division since 2003, where she developed her independent research program […]
Division faculty Gabriel Mbalaviele, PhD, has been appointed to serve a 6-year term as a member of the Skeletal Biology Development and Disease Study Section, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health. Members are selected on the basis of their competence and achievement in their scientific discipline as evidenced by the quality of research […]
Michael P. Whyte, MD’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM) manuscript entitled Asfotase Alfa Treatment Improves Survival for Perinatal and Infantile Hypophosphatasia is one of twelve that have been selected for a speaker slot in this year’s “Best of JCEM 2016” oral session to be held at ENDO 2017 in Orlando during the morning of […]
Dr. Michael P. Whyte will be awarded the 2016 Richard L. Day, MD Master Teacher Award in Pediatrics by the Alumni Association of the College of Medicine for SUNY Downstate. The award ceremony will be held on May 20, 2017 in Brooklyn, NY. The Master Teacher Award is given to an alumnus/a for excellence in […]
The American Society of Bone and Mineral Rearch Council is pleased to announce that Dr. Roberto Civitelli of the Washington University School of Medicine has been appointed as the sixth Editor-in-Chief of the Society’s official publication, the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (JBMR). Dr. Civitelli was selected after an editor search led by Dr. […]
The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) Young Investigator Award recognizes young investigators who submit top-ranking abstracts to an ASBMR Meeting. This year, three of our scientists received ASBMR Young Investigator Awards: Jennifer Davis, DBBS Pre-doctoral Trainee, from Deborah Novack’s Lab Francesca Fontana, MD, PhD, Post-doctoral Research Associate from Roberto Civitelli’s Lab Nidhi Rohatgi, […]
Washington University Department of Medicine’s Length of Service Awards Ceremony was held on July 22, 2016. Pictured on the bottom row, second from the left is Patricia Hagen from the Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases celebrating 20 years of service. Patricia is the Grant Specialist for the Division.
Clarissa Craft, PhD, published an article in Frontiers in Endocrinology’s special issue: “Bone marrow adipose tissue: formation, function, and impact on health and disease”. Insulin resistance is commonly associated with Type-II diabetes and obesity. In the article, Craft describes a link between insulin resistance, pathologic marrow adipose tissue expansion, and perturbed hematopoiesis. Citation: Walji TA, […]
Alumni Achievement Awards honor outstanding achievement and/or professional accomplishment. The recognition may include either community service or particular dedication to Washington University Medical Center. Deborah Novack, MD, PhD was honored at the 2016 Alumni Award Ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel on May 14, 2016.