You do not need to conduct research at WU, but if that is of interest to you, the following list of experienced WU faculty have expressed interest in, and are passionate about, supporting scholars in their labs. This is by no means an exhaustive list and does not guarantee that the mentor is currently available to accept students for a given summer. 

If you wish to conduct research closer to home or in another desired location, we will work with you upon acceptance to identify and secure a research institution and mentor that meets your research interest.

For additional information on what to expect if accepted, please visit STEP-UP What to Expect If Accepted – NIDDK (nih.gov).

Beau M. Ances, MD, PhD

Beau M. Ances, MD, PhD

Daniel J. Brennan, MD Professor, WashU Neurology

Research keywords: Alzheimer disease, HIV, neuroimaging, biomarkers

Mentor for Program(s):

KL2 Career Development Award
TL1 Predoctoral Program
TL1 Postdoctoral Program
STEP-UP (Short-Term Research Experience Program to Unlock Potential)

John Beals, PhD

John Beals, PhD

Instructor in Medicine, Department of Geriatrics and Nutritional Sciences

Research keywords: metabolism, exercise, muscle, sleep, liver

Kevin M Bennett, PhD

Kevin M Bennett, PhD

Associate Professor of Radiology

Research keywords: imaging, MRI, kidney, physiology, and metabolism

Bennett Lab

Rita Brookheart, PhD

Rita Brookheart, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department: Internal Medicine

Division: Nutritional Science & Obesity Medicine

Leadership Role(s):
Director, Summer Program for the Advancement of Research Relevant NIDDK (SPARK) (STEP UP R25)

Director, The Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases (PRIDE R25)

Mentor for Program(s):

Summer Program for the Advancement of Research Relevant NIDDK (SPARK) (STEP UP R25)

The Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases (PRIDE R25)

Research keywords: metabolism, skeletal, muscle, ER stress, mitochondria

Brookheart Lab

Jennifer Powers Carson, PhD

Jennifer Powers Carson, PhD

Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research | Lab Director, Core Lab for Clinical Studies

Research keywords: assay development, diabetes, peptides, and clinical studies

Daneil Castro, PhD

Daneil Castro, PhD

Assistant Professor, WashU Radiology

Research keywords: opioid, obesity, diabetes, molecular biology

Castro Lab

Daniel Ferguson, PhD

Daniel Ferguson, PhD

Instructor of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics and Nutritional Sciences

Research keywords: metabolism, obesity, diabetes, and the liver

Mary K Hastings, PT, DPT, MSCI, ATC

Mary K Hastings, PT, DPT, MSCI, ATC

Professor of Physical Therapy and Orthopaedic Surgery

Research keywords: physical therapy, rehabilitation, diabetes, foot, and ankle

Devesha Kulkarni, PhD

Devesha Kulkarni, PhD

Assistant Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology

Research keywords: immunology, microbiome research, intestinal immune responses, metabolic health, and obesity

 

Kim Liss, MD

Kim Liss, MD

Instructor in Pediatrics – GI

Research keywords: liver transplantation, acute liver injury, ischemia reperfusion injury, steatotic liver disease

Bettina Mittendorfer, PhD

Bettina Mittendorfer, PhD

Professor of Medicine, Adjunct Instructor, Division of Geriatrics and Nutritional Sciences

Research keywords: metabolism, obesity, ageing, insulin sensitivity, and beta-cell function

Sandip Mukherjee, PhD

Sandip Mukherjee, PhD

Instructor of Medicine, Division of Nutritional Science and Obesity

Research keywords: obesity, diabetes, fatty liver diseases, adipose tissue, liver

Natalie Niemi, PhD

Natalie Niemi, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department: School of Medicine

Division: Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics

Mentor for Program(s):

Summer Program for the Advancement of Research Relevant NIDDK (SPARK) (STEP UP R25)

The Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases (PRIDE R25)

Research keywords: mitochondria, metabolism, phosphorylation, signaling, and mitophagy

The Niemi Lab

 

Dolores Njoku, MD

Dolores Njoku, MD

Vice Chair; Chief of Pediatric Anesthesiology; Anesthesiologist-in-Chief at St. Louis Children’s Hospital; Professor of Anesthesiology, Pathology and Immunology

Research keywords: liver, immunology, drug-induced, NASH

David W Piston, PhD

David W Piston, PhD

Edward J. Mallinckrodt, Jr. Professor and Head of Cell Biology & Physiology

Department: Biology and Biomedical Sciences

Division: Cell Biology & Physiology

Mentor for Program(s):

Summer Program for the Advancement of Research Relevant NIDDK (SPARK) (STEP UP R25)

The Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases (PRIDE R25)

Research keywords: Pancreatic islets, glucagon, hypoglycemia

Piston Lab

Maria S Remedi, PhD

Maria S Remedi, PhD

Associate Professor of Medicine and Cell Biology & Physiology

Department:  Internal Medicine

Division:  Endocrinology, Metabolism & Lipid Research

Research keywords: diabetes, obesity, therapy, metabolism, dietary interventions/intermittent fasting

Remedi Lab

 

Brigida Rusconi, PhD

Brigida Rusconi, PhD

Instructor, Division of Pediatrics

Research keywords: microbial-host interactions, gut, early life, maternal protection

Dmitri Samovski, PhD

Dmitri Samovski, PhD

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics and Nutritional Sciences

Research keywords: insulin resistance, obesity, and exosomes

Erica Scheller, DDS, PhD

Erica Scheller, DDS, PhD

Associate Professor of Medicine

Research keywords: bone homeostasis, nervous system, integrative physiology, advanced imaging, diabetes, metabolic disease

Scheller Lab

Miriam Jacome-Sosa, PhD

Miriam Jacome-Sosa, PhD

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics and Nutritional Sciences

Research keywords: nutrition, metabolism, obesity, lifestyle interventions, and the Latino population