Researchers elected to American Society for Clinical Investigation

Two Washington University physician-scientists at Siteman Cancer Center have been elected members of the American Society for Clinical Investigation in recognition of original, creative and independent investigations in the clinical or allied sciences of medicine. The new members — Julie K. Schwarz, MD, PhD, and Kory Lavine, MD, PhD — will be inducted April 8.

Schwarz, a professor of radiation oncology and director of the Cancer Biology Division in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Washington University School of Medicine, is a physician-scientist whose work is focused on understanding the biology of cervical cancer. Schwarz and her team study cervical tumor metabolism, radiographic imaging of these tumors and how best to use radiation and chemotherapy to attack these types of cancer cells. Her research helped establish routine use of a type of PET scan for monitoring response to cervical cancer treatment.

Lavine, an associate professor of medicine in the Cardiovascular Division at the School of Medicine and a cardio-oncologist at the Washington University Cardio-Oncology Center at Siteman, researches the role of the body’s immune system in the development and treatment of heart failure. He is developing new methods to image heart inflammation and crafting therapeutic strategies aimed at limiting damaging inflammation and promoting the heart’s capacity to repair itself and restore normal heart function.