4 physician-scientists named Dean’s Scholars
Program supports outstanding MDs committed to careers as physician-scientists
WashU MedicineThe Division of Physician-Scientists at WashU Medicine has named its sixth class of physicians for the Dean’s Scholars Program. The awardees will receive up to two years of financial support and mentorship, as well as dedicated lab time to conduct scientific research. The four physicians (from left) are: Roheena Z. Panni, Quazim A. Alayo, Ignacio A. Portales-Castillo and Whitney S. Brandt.
Physicians who divide their time between patients’ bedsides and the laboratory bench play a pivotal role in developing innovative new approaches to diagnosing and treating diseases. The Dean’s Scholars initiative at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis was formed in 2020 to support early-career doctors who also conduct biomedical research by providing them with up to two years of financial support and mentorship, along with designated lab time.
The program underscores WashU Medicine’s commitment to addressing a nationwide shortage of physician-scientists. While many physician-scientists hold medical and doctoral degrees, Dean’s Scholars aims to strengthen the research skills of those who have earned solely medical degrees.
The Division of Physician-Scientists recently announced its sixth class of scholars. They are Quazim A. Alayo, MD; Whitney S. Brandt, MD; Roheena Panni, MD; and Ignacio A. Portales-Castillo, MD.
“We are so glad to be able to support talented physicians who aspire to careers that also involve innovations in important areas of biomedical research,” said David H. Perlmutter, MD, executive vice chancellor for medical affairs, the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor and the George and Carol Bauer Dean of WashU Medicine. “Their clinical experiences help to guide and prioritize research that is focused on improving and extending the lives of those suffering from illnesses and diseases.
“By championing their success as physician-scientists, WashU Medicine is reaffirming its commitment to high-quality patient care and research, while also upholding its legacy as a leader in developing, nurturing and producing influential physician-scientists,” Perlmutter said.
According to the Division of Physician-Scientists, for every dollar it has provided in support to the scholars, they received around $4 in additional grant support from outside funders. Within a year of finishing the scholar program, 64% had received milestone career development awards such as K08s from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and within two years that number jumped to 84%.
The program is funded by a Physician-Scientist Institutional Award from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, a nonprofit that supports biomedical science through research and education. WashU Medicine and its departments also provide financial support.
This year’s Dean’s Scholars
Alayo is an instructor in the Department of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology. His research explores whether B cells — white blood cells essential to producing antibodies — help protect against weight loss and muscle weakening in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. Progressive loss of muscle mass, or sarcopenia, afflicts nearly half of the patients. Alayo’s work focuses on the role of B-cell-derived molecules, which may help preserve gut barrier function and maintain muscle mass during chronic inflammation. His mentor is Gwendalyn Randolph, PhD, the Emil R. Unanue Distinguished Professor of Immunology in the Department of Pathology & Immunology.
Brandt, an assistant professor of surgery in the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery in the Department of Surgery, focuses on identifying molecular pathways inherent in lung cancer, with the goal of developing targeted therapies to treat patients. In particular, she is studying squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, which is characterized by low survival rates with few targeted therapies. It comprises nearly one-third of all lung cancers. Her mentor is Jason D. Weber, PhD, a professor in the Division of Oncology.
Panni, an assistant professor of surgery in the Department of Surgery’s Section of Surgical Oncology, will continue to study pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, an aggressive cancer with a low survival rate due to limited treatment options at diagnosis. Her work focuses on understanding the disease’s immunology, which could pave the way for more effective therapies and vaccines for pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors. Panni’s mentor is David DeNardo, PhD, a professor of medicine and immunology in the Division of Oncology and co-director of the Tumor Immunology Program at Siteman Cancer Center, based at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine.
Portales-Castillo is an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Nephrology in the Department of Medicine. His research entails identifying molecular commonalities in bone and fatty tissues that may contribute to bone and mineral disorders in patients with chronic kidney disease. Uncovering such similarities, Portales-Castillo said, could pave the way to new therapeutics. His mentor is Roberto Civitelli, MD, the Sydney M. & Stella H. Shoenberg Professor of Medicine in the Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases.
“Our Dean’s Scholars provide testament to the fact that being a brilliant physician-scientist does not hinge on having a dual MD/PhD degree,” said Wayne M. Yokoyama, MD, associate dean, WashU Medicine Division of Physician-Scientists, and the Sam J. Levin and Audrey Loew Levin Professor of Arthritis Research. “Many paths can lead to becoming a successful physician-scientist.” Yokoyama himself is internationally lauded for his research on natural killer cells.
