Number of whooping cough cases on rise nationally

While it has been difficult to pinpoint the reason for the rise in cases, waning immunity and vaccine hesitancy may be the likely culprits.

By Jessica Pasley

Genetic risk, sexual trauma associated with mental illness: study

Evaluating how genetic risk interacts with environmental risk factors such as sexual trauma is important for understanding how mental illness develops and identifying high-risk groups for early intervention.

By Leigh MacMillan

New research highlights economic and employment challenges for parents of medically complex babies

The study highlights that having a preterm baby often forces parents to consider leaving their job, a decision that typically involves changes to health insurance plans and networks, and resets the annual out-of-pocket costs a worker incurs.

By Holly Fletcher

Blockbuster obesity drugs also may slow kidney disease

The report supports previous clinical trials that found the GLP-1 receptor agonist drug semaglutide reduced kidney disease progression in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

By Bill Snyder

Scott Zuckerman receives Credo Award for communication and commitment to colleagues

“The care we deliver in surgery is simply not possible without this army of devoted individuals.”

By Tom Wilemon

Anna Person honored for teaching by Infectious Diseases Society of America

Person, an award citation reads in part, “has been a champion for empathy and equity in caring for patients. … She models for her learners how to compassionately care and advocate for marginalized populations.”

By Paul Govern

Peter Embí elected to National Academy of Medicine

According to the organization’s citation for Embí, “his thought leadership and research led to the field of clinical research informatics, real-world evidence generation, the safe and effective use of AI in health care, and data-driven learning health systems that improve health and care.”

By Paul Govern

Mamie Williams honored for commitment to diverse nursing workforce

Awards from the Tennessee Hospital Association and Metro Nashville Public Schools recognize Williams’ efforts to ensure diversity in the nursing profession.

By Matt Batcheldor

VUMC, Nigeria teaching hospital to study genetic risk of fibroids based on regional African ancestry

The research team will analyze existing genome-wide association study data and RNA sequencing to compare fibroid development patterns in Nigerian women and U.S. Black women, which could point to targeted therapies and management strategies for affected women.

By Kristin Centers

All of Us tour stops at VUMC Oct. 22-25

The All of Us Research Program brings the future of health to VUMC and Nashville. 

Kimberlyn Ellis selected as 2024 Vanderbilt Prize Student Scholar

Ellis is a computational geneticist with a long-term goal of bridging genomics, bioethics and health policy to promote equitable precision medicine for minority populations.

By Leigh MacMillan

Distant relatedness in biobanks harnessed to identify undiagnosed genetic disease

VUMC researchers have developed a genetic method that clusters distantly related people to find rare variants that were present in a common ancestor.

By Leigh MacMillan

Award program celebrates improvement work across the VUMC enterprise

The overall winner was a project at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt to prevent peripheral IV infiltrations and extravasations.

By Paul Govern

Grant bolsters nursing workforce retention programs

The new grant will incorporate a two-hour training session that focuses on an aspect of healthy work environments and health equity.

By Matt Batcheldor

VUMC hosts symposium for aspiring physician-scientists

The event brings physician-scientists, resident physicians, MD, MD/PhD and undergraduate students together to promote mentorship, provide information and showcase student research.

By Bill Snyder

Q&A: Jeffrey Upperman on the need to emphasize the impact of disasters on children to improve responses, care

Jeffrey Upperman, a national leader in pediatric trauma and disaster preparedness, is among the authors of the Pediatric Disaster Science Series from the National Academy of Medicine that published in late September as scenes of Hurricane Helene’s devastation emerged across the Southeast, underscoring the need to formalize response, research and care efforts.

By Holly Fletcher