Kascey Malone, CST; Brandon Petree, MD; Aaron Williams, MD; Yatrik Patel, MD; and Sean Bunch, RN; work around a patient during a heart transplant surgery. (photo by Erin O. Smith) Kascey Malone, CST; Brandon Petree, MD; Aaron Williams, MD; Yatrik Patel, MD; and Sean Bunch, RN; work around a patient during a heart transplant surgery Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
Transplant

Vanderbilt Transplant Center nation’s largest after performing record number of solid organ transplants in 2025

Through dramatic growth, the VTC is now the largest transplant center in the country by volume, according to data from the United Network for Organ Sharing.

By Matt Batcheldor
(courtesy of Butterfly Records)
Inspiring the Future

Dolly Parton honors milestone birthday by giving back to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
By VUMC News and Communications
(iStock)
Genetics & Genomics

Study finds so-called super agers tend to have at least two key genetic advantages
By Paul Govern
Image of February 2026 cover art for Diabetes created by Christopher Wilson, PhD.

Research reveals B cells’ more sinister role in progression of Type 1 diabetes
By Jill Clendening
Some members of the Critical Care Outreach Team at Vanderbilt University Hospital include, front row, left to right, Casey Ernfelt, ACNP, Lindsay Trantum, ACNP, Rebekah Pike, ACNP. Back row, left to right, Liza Weavind, MBBCh, Cody Bowers, AG-ACNP, Kipp Shipley, DNP, Megan Shifrin, DNP, ACNP-BC, and Christopher Hughes, MD. (photo by Donn Jones)
Emergency & Trauma

Critical Care Outreach Team’s rapid response interventions improve patient safety, prevent ICU transfers
By Jill Clendening

News Releases

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(iStock)

Immunometabolism may be a key to controlling sepsis: study

This discovery may lead to new ways to block metabolic changes contributing to excessive and ineffective inflammation, reset the immune system, and bring sepsis under control.

By Bill Snyder

Weight loss drugs and bariatric surgery improve the body’s fat ‘balance:’ study

The retrospective study analyzed the electronic health records of 1,257 patients ages 18 to 65 who underwent bariatric surgery at Vanderbilt Health from 2017 to 2022, and 1,809 patients treated with the drugs semaglutide or tirzepatide from 2018 to 2023. 

By Guillermo Sanchez, PhD
Taylor Swift, longtime friend of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, is pictured here at the 2016 grand opening of the hospital’s Seacrest Studios.

Taylor Swift spreads hope to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt with recent gifts

By Jessica Pasley
Members of the transplant team pose for a photo after surpassing 200 adult and pediatric heart transplants. (photo courtesy of Ashish Shah)

Vanderbilt Health performs record number of adult and pediatric heart transplants during 2025

As in prior years, the success of Vanderbilt Health’s transplant program is a testament to the greatness of individuals and innovations alike and to the tremendous power of teamwork.

By Matt Batcheldor
(iStock)

Immunometabolism may be a key to controlling sepsis: study

This discovery may lead to new ways to block metabolic changes contributing to excessive and ineffective inflammation, reset the immune system, and bring sepsis under control.

By Bill Snyder

Weight loss drugs and bariatric surgery improve the body’s fat ‘balance:’ study

The retrospective study analyzed the electronic health records of 1,257 patients ages 18 to 65 who underwent bariatric surgery at Vanderbilt Health from 2017 to 2022, and 1,809 patients treated with the drugs semaglutide or tirzepatide from 2018 to 2023. 

By Guillermo Sanchez, PhD
Taylor Swift, longtime friend of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, is pictured here at the 2016 grand opening of the hospital’s Seacrest Studios.

Taylor Swift spreads hope to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt with recent gifts

By Jessica Pasley
Members of the transplant team pose for a photo after surpassing 200 adult and pediatric heart transplants. (photo courtesy of Ashish Shah)

Vanderbilt Health performs record number of adult and pediatric heart transplants during 2025

As in prior years, the success of Vanderbilt Health’s transplant program is a testament to the greatness of individuals and innovations alike and to the tremendous power of teamwork.

By Matt Batcheldor
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Explore VUSM’s pioneering history

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt

In 2004, three floors moved out of Vanderbilt University Hospital and into a different building. Demand soared. Now, that building is a 12-floor, 325-bed state-of-the-art hospital, with more beds coming later this year. Middle Tennessee’s first full-service children’s hospital is commemorating its mission of caring for children and their families.

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Sebastian Brook is what his parents call ‘the exception.’

Minutes to hours, to weeks, months and years … How a patient defied the odds

By Jessica Pasley

Sit, stay, heal: Meet the facility dogs of Vanderbilt Health 

By Danny Bonvissuto

Study seeks to determine best way to treat myopia in children

By Jessica Pasley
Sheridan Clawson and her son, Casey, in the NICU at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. (photo by Susan Urmy)

New NICU program cares for infants with complex lung and airway diseases

By Jessica Pasley
Hoyt Summerville walks on the GAITRite device while Ken Swantek PT, DPT, looks on. (photo by Susan Urmy)

New device collects data to measure gait, informing physical therapy programs, custom orthotic design

By Matt Batcheldor
(Adobe Stock)

Study finds that guidelines helped reduce food allergy rates in children

By Jessica Pasley
Patient Niah Carver hugs facility dog Squid. (photo by Erin O. Smith)

Facility dog’s calming presence helps young heart patient cope with anxiety

By Jessica Pasley
Country music star Kelsea Ballerini talks with patients during her visit to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. (photo by Donn Jones)

Country music star Kelsea Ballerini donates $100,000 to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and makes special appearance to visit patients and families

By Christina Echegaray

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt named No. 1 children’s hospital in Tennessee and Southeast by U.S. News & World Report

By Christina Echegaray
Jamie Phillips, MHA

Jamie Phillips named President of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt

By John Howser
The Be In The Zone program included a daylong event where students experienced a mock trauma simulation in the ED. (photo by Erin O. Smith)

Program shows students that distracted driving can take many forms

By Jessica Pasley
Kix Brooks. (photo by Tausha Dickinson)

Kix Brooks honored with star on Walk of Champions at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt

By Paige Turner
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Training Tomorrow’s Leaders

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Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery advances training of doctors from around the country through strong continuing medical education 

Its residency program was recently recognized by Doximity, an online professional network for U.S. physicians, as No. 1 by reputation for the fifth consecutive year.

By Evan Dorian
Kendra Parekh, MD, MHPE

Kendra Parekh named to key education leadership roles for VUMC and VUSM

Parekh succeeds Kyla Terhune, MD, MBA, who was named Senior Vice President for Education at the American College of Surgeons, effective Nov. 1.

By Jill Clendening

New Primary Care-Internal Medicine Residency Program to open in 2026 at Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital

The new residency program reflects the commitment to invest in VWCH, now a teaching hospital, and to advance health care in the surrounding community.

By Bill Snyder

From interns to experts: A remarkable century of residencies at Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s graduate medical education program has grown from an inaugural dozen to include more than 1,200 individuals, with more than 170 highly competitive residency and fellowship programs.

By Jill Clendening

Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery advances training of doctors from around the country through strong continuing medical education 

Its residency program was recently recognized by Doximity, an online professional network for U.S. physicians, as No. 1 by reputation for the fifth consecutive year.

By Evan Dorian
Kendra Parekh, MD, MHPE

Kendra Parekh named to key education leadership roles for VUMC and VUSM

Parekh succeeds Kyla Terhune, MD, MBA, who was named Senior Vice President for Education at the American College of Surgeons, effective Nov. 1.

By Jill Clendening

New Primary Care-Internal Medicine Residency Program to open in 2026 at Vanderbilt Wilson County Hospital

The new residency program reflects the commitment to invest in VWCH, now a teaching hospital, and to advance health care in the surrounding community.

By Bill Snyder

From interns to experts: A remarkable century of residencies at Vanderbilt

Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s graduate medical education program has grown from an inaugural dozen to include more than 1,200 individuals, with more than 170 highly competitive residency and fellowship programs.

By Jill Clendening
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Mission of Caring

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Academy for Excellence in Clinical Medicine adds 27 new members

The AECM was formed in 2021 to “honor exemplary clinicians who combine humanism, professionalism and a passion for patient care with a scholarly approach to improving patient health and establish a community of leaders to promote clinical excellence.”
Pi Beta Phi Rehabilitation Institute dog Norman.

Norman, Pi Beta Phi facility dog, celebrates his 9th birthday and new book

Norman, Vanderbilt Health’s first facility dog, celebrated his 9th birthday recently, surrounded by his biggest fans and human and canine co-workers.

By Danny Bonvissuto

DogTalk Q&A 

Norman, Squid, and Velour get candid with Pi, an honorary member of News & Communications, when she asks very important questions about treats, sleeping, and if they play like regular dogs.

By Pi Bonvissuto

Award program celebrates improvement work across VUMC

The 2025 QSRP Pursuit of Excellence Awards ceremony was combined with celebration of this year’s honorees of Vanderbilt’s Safety Superhero and Good Catch programs.

By Paul Govern

Academy for Excellence in Clinical Medicine adds 27 new members

The AECM was formed in 2021 to “honor exemplary clinicians who combine humanism, professionalism and a passion for patient care with a scholarly approach to improving patient health and establish a community of leaders to promote clinical excellence.”
Pi Beta Phi Rehabilitation Institute dog Norman.

Norman, Pi Beta Phi facility dog, celebrates his 9th birthday and new book

Norman, Vanderbilt Health’s first facility dog, celebrated his 9th birthday recently, surrounded by his biggest fans and human and canine co-workers.

By Danny Bonvissuto

DogTalk Q&A 

Norman, Squid, and Velour get candid with Pi, an honorary member of News & Communications, when she asks very important questions about treats, sleeping, and if they play like regular dogs.

By Pi Bonvissuto

Award program celebrates improvement work across VUMC

The 2025 QSRP Pursuit of Excellence Awards ceremony was combined with celebration of this year’s honorees of Vanderbilt’s Safety Superhero and Good Catch programs.

By Paul Govern
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Aliquots – Research Briefs

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AI gets risk wrong in the clinic

Large language models have become far better than you at solving math problems but may still be bad at employing probabilistic terms in medical contexts.

By Paul Govern
An initiative at VUMC is helping patients recover more quickly from major surgery, leave the hospital earlier and have fewer side effects from their pain management. (photo by Joe Howell)

Ketamine fails surgical recovery trial

In a large, placebo-controlled, randomized trial, the pain reliever ketamine posed side effects while failing to aid patient recovery after major surgery.

By Paul Govern

Inflammatory marker could predict response to therapy in bladder pain syndrome

Patients with chronic bladder pain syndrome who had higher baseline levels of the inflammatory molecule IL-1beta had greater overall improvement following cognitive behavioral therapy.

By Georgia Caso

Prescribing with purpose

A Vanderbilt University Medical Center study finds unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions in hospitalized children and highlights opportunity for antibiotic stewardship.

By Chelsea N. Campbell

AI gets risk wrong in the clinic

Large language models have become far better than you at solving math problems but may still be bad at employing probabilistic terms in medical contexts.

By Paul Govern
An initiative at VUMC is helping patients recover more quickly from major surgery, leave the hospital earlier and have fewer side effects from their pain management. (photo by Joe Howell)

Ketamine fails surgical recovery trial

In a large, placebo-controlled, randomized trial, the pain reliever ketamine posed side effects while failing to aid patient recovery after major surgery.

By Paul Govern

Inflammatory marker could predict response to therapy in bladder pain syndrome

Patients with chronic bladder pain syndrome who had higher baseline levels of the inflammatory molecule IL-1beta had greater overall improvement following cognitive behavioral therapy.

By Georgia Caso

Prescribing with purpose

A Vanderbilt University Medical Center study finds unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions in hospitalized children and highlights opportunity for antibiotic stewardship.

By Chelsea N. Campbell
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