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Washington State University
Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine

Category: Research

Elson S. Floyd College of MedicineNewsResearch

‘Sleep gene’ offers clues about why we need our zzzs

Jason Gerstner in lab

Assistant Research Professor Jason Gerstner (center) in his research lab with colleagues Kit Hayworth (left), clinical assistant professor, and Becky Taylor (right), clinical laboratory specialist.

By Eric Sorensen, WSU science writer

SPOKANE, Wash. – Washington State University researchers have seen how a particular gene is involved in the quality of sleep experienced by three different animals, including humans. The gene and its function open a new avenue for scientists exploring how sleep works and why animals need it … » More …

Rewards Help Reduce Alcohol Abuse, Study Shows

Michael McDonnell

Michael McDonell demonstrates a prize draw used in his study on treating alcohol abuse.

By Judith Van Dongen, WSU Spokane

Researchers at Washington State University have shown that offering prizes—from simple shampoo to DVD players—can be an effective, low-cost treatment for alcohol abuse, one of the leading preventable causes of death.

The treatment was studied in Seattle-area participants with serious mental illness. A surprise benefit of the treatment was that it decreased study participants’ tobacco and drug use.

Findings from … » More …

WSU Tri-Cities readies itself for medical school

A view of the WSU Tri-Cities campus.

WSU Tri-Cities is growing in many ways as it prepares to become one of the clinical campuses for the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.

There is growth in the number of students who attend class on campus. There is physical growth with two new projects designed for students under construction on campus. And there is growth in the number and quality of the academic programs offered.

WSU Tri-Cities uses a polytechnic approach with a hands-on, career-focused approach. It offers 19 undergraduate and 33 graduate degrees in programs that range … » More …

Frank returns from prestigious speaking trip

Professor Marcos Frank in his laboratory.

If you’re a university faculty member, one of the benefits of being good at your work is that people ask you to visit them and give presentations. Many Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine faculty members are asked to do outside speaking engagements, sometimes overseas. For some it has become routine, for others, it’s still a big deal.

For Department of Biomedical Sciences Chair and Professor Marcos Frank, who has built a good name for himself in the world sleep research community, it’s a little of both. Frank frequently receives speaking … » More …

Researching rowers’ sleep habits

This is former WSU graduate sleep researcher Amy Bender.Lisa Roman is a WSU graduate who rowed on the Canadian 'women's eight' 2016 Summer Olympic team.Many of us cheered on our favorite athletes and teams during the recently completed Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Former WSU sleep research assistant Amy Bender (left) had a rooting interest in the Canadian “women’s eight” rowing team (eight rowers plus coxswain). After earning her Ph.D. from WSU in 2015, Bender became a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Calgary and the Centre for … » More …

John Roll becomes permanent vice dean

John Roll, Ph.D.
The Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine has named John Roll, Ph.D., as its new Vice Dean for Research. The appointment makes permanent Roll’s position within the college; he has for several months served as the Interim Vice Dean for Research.

Roll will be responsible for promoting and overseeing the college’s faculty research. He will also work with the dean and other administrators to develop a strategic plan to guide the growth and diversification of research in the College of Medicine.

In conjunction with this Roll has also been named as the university’s … » More …

Farewell to Janne Grønli

This is visiting Research Assistant Professor Janne Gronli.

When Research Assistant Professor Janne Grønli (pronounced YAWN-uh GROON-lee) came to WSU Spokane two years ago as a visiting faculty member from Norway, her goal was to gain a deeper understanding of the brain and its role in sleep.

On Friday, she’ll finish her time here having accomplished that. Along the way, she participated in sleep research, co-authored papers with her WSU colleagues and had a wonderful time traveling.

The well-regarded Norwegian sleep scientist – an associate professor at her home institution, the University of Bergen — came to … » More …

New grant to study chronic disease in Native/Pacific populations

Dr. Dedra Buchwald is a professor at the WSU College of Medicine.

Congratulations to ESFCOM Professor Dedra Buchwald (left), recipient of a new federal grant to create one of two Transdisciplinary Collaborative Centers for Health Disparities Research on Chronic Disease Prevention. The grant was announced Wednesday by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, part of the National Institutes of Health. The other center will be created at Michigan State University.

For this grant, Dr. Buchwald and her co-investigator, Dr. Spero Manson, will develop innovative ways to work with American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, … » More …

WSU Magazine article highlights Dr. Layton’s work

Clinical Associate Professor Matt Layton

We’re calling your attention to a great article by Rebecca Phillips from WSU Magazine that highlights the work done by ESFCOM Clinical Associate Professor Matt Layton and the Spokane Regional Health District. The article highlights the treatment received by people with heroin addiction and the work done to understand the power of that addiction. Dr. Layton is one of the leading addiction researchers in the region.

Stories from the research lab, part three

Research Assistant Professor Jason Gerstner looks at fruit flies through a microscope in his lab.

As he works in the lab, Research Assistant Professor Jason Gerstner is kept company by hundreds of little companions on his bench. Tiny fruit flies bounce off the walls of small, clear vials standing up in cardboard containers.

The flies are the featured actors in research done by Gerstner’s team. They’re exploring the role that specific fatty acid binding proteins can play in improving the quality of life for Alzheimer’s patients.

So how do the fruit flies fit in? Years ago, scientists decoding … » More …

Elson S. Floyd College of MedicineNewsResearch