Scott Smith
Patient Spotlight

How Scott Smith beat the odds to live a full life with hydrocephalus through over a dozen surgeries at Vanderbilt Health

The Tullahoma, Tennessee, native turned 60 this year — something that would’ve seemed like an impossibility when he was growing up with a neurological condition.
By Evan Dorian
Pediatrics

Experts call for better adherence to guidelines for antiviral prescribing for children at higher risk of severe influenza
By Jessica Pasley
Emergency & Trauma

Sedative choice could improve outcomes for breathing tube patients
By Craig Boerner
Employee Spotlight

DogTalk Q&A 
By Pi Bonvissuto
Sebastian Brook is what his parents call ‘the exception.’
Mission of Caring

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

News Releases

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Study finds that meditation may help stimulate the brain’s waste removal system, providing restorative benefits like sleep

New research is informing how mindfulness meditation contributes to improvements in cognitive health and may have relevance to treating a range of degenerative brain conditions.

By Evan Dorian
(iStock)

Women who receive mammograms also undergo lung scans if notified of eligibility

Study showed that the improvement in lung cancer screenings exceeded the target enrollment set by the researchers.

By Tom Wilemon
(Adobe Stock)

Kitchen fires most prevalent on Thanksgiving Day

Each Thanksgiving over 2,300 home fires nationwide are caused by cooking, according to the National Fire Protection Association. 

By Craig Boerner
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

Over the past two decades, there has been a steady increase in the number of patients born preterm with severe lung disease requiring highly specialized care.

By Jessica Pasley
(iStock)

Study finds that meditation may help stimulate the brain’s waste removal system, providing restorative benefits like sleep

New research is informing how mindfulness meditation contributes to improvements in cognitive health and may have relevance to treating a range of degenerative brain conditions.

By Evan Dorian
(iStock)

Women who receive mammograms also undergo lung scans if notified of eligibility

Study showed that the improvement in lung cancer screenings exceeded the target enrollment set by the researchers.

By Tom Wilemon
(Adobe Stock)

Kitchen fires most prevalent on Thanksgiving Day

Each Thanksgiving over 2,300 home fires nationwide are caused by cooking, according to the National Fire Protection Association. 

By Craig Boerner
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

Over the past two decades, there has been a steady increase in the number of patients born preterm with severe lung disease requiring highly specialized care.

By Jessica Pasley
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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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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
Greg and Monica Barton at home with their sons, Carter, left, and triplets Matthew, John and Weston.

Turn left for the plan, turn right for the miracle: when triplets couldn’t wait for Nashville

By Danny Bonvissuto
Patient Zoe Forman, right, and her mother, Heather Rossomme, back home in Alabama after Zoe’s surgery.

Quick action to treat young dancer’s rare heart condition a testament to what multidisciplinary teams can do

By Christina Echegaray
The multidisciplinary team at the Moderate-to-Severe Acquired Brain Injury Clinic includes, front row from left, Michael Wolf, MD; Elizabeth Martin, MD, MPH, MHS; Jane Owen Robbins, OT. Back row from left, Tisha Coggin Clay; Charles Hausman, SLP; Kat Hedden, PT, DPT; and Mackenzie Phillips, SLP. (Photo by Donn Jones)

Acquired brain injury clinic helps children rehabilitate and reenter school

By Evan Dorian
(iStock)

New clinic focuses on pediatric feeding and swallowing issues

By Jessica Pasley
Artist rendering of the gym area for the new inpatient pediatric rehabilitation unit at Monroe Carell. (courtesy Blair + Mui Dowd Architects)

Community comes together to bring inpatient rehabilitation to Tennessee children

By Christina Echegaray
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Education & Training

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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
From left, Vanessa Tatum, manager of International Partnerships at Charité, Anna van Santen, MD, director of International Affairs at Charité, Charité Dean Joachim Spranger, MD, Donald Brady, MD, Executive Vice President for Educational and Medical Staff Affairs at VUMC and Executive Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Marie Martin, PhD, MEd, Assistant Dean of Global Health Education at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Associate Vice President of Global Initiatives for VUMC, and Charité Chief Executive Officer Heyo Kroemer, MD, with the signed memorandum of understanding. Photo provided by Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin.

Vanderbilt Health deepens collaboration with Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin through memorandum of understanding

The partnership builds on established exchanges and collaborations, as well as joint working groups between Vanderbilt partners, the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH) and the German Heart Center at Charité.

By Jill Clendening
The team from Ukraine included (front row, from left) Yevhen Haidarzhi, MD, PhD, Andrii Zhylenko, MD, (back row, from left) Oleksandr Dubnevych, MD, Illia Yeremieiev, MD, and Vlad Kropelnytskyi, MD. (photo by Susan Urmy)

Ukrainian surgeons again come to VUMC to observe transplant protocols

With the help of the Vanderbilt Transplant Center and other centers, Ukraine has developed a growing transplant program in the country in the last five years.

By Matt Batcheldor
Jamie Pfaff, MD, right, and Katie Sunthankar, MD, both pregnant with their first children, pose for a photo at a residency conference.

Balancing babies with medical training is now easier thanks to VUMC duo’s hard work

They created a guidebook that covers everything from finding obstetrical care and early planning for childcare to the locations of lactation rooms at VUMC.

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
From left, Vanessa Tatum, manager of International Partnerships at Charité, Anna van Santen, MD, director of International Affairs at Charité, Charité Dean Joachim Spranger, MD, Donald Brady, MD, Executive Vice President for Educational and Medical Staff Affairs at VUMC and Executive Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Marie Martin, PhD, MEd, Assistant Dean of Global Health Education at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Associate Vice President of Global Initiatives for VUMC, and Charité Chief Executive Officer Heyo Kroemer, MD, with the signed memorandum of understanding. Photo provided by Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin.

Vanderbilt Health deepens collaboration with Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin through memorandum of understanding

The partnership builds on established exchanges and collaborations, as well as joint working groups between Vanderbilt partners, the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH) and the German Heart Center at Charité.

By Jill Clendening
The team from Ukraine included (front row, from left) Yevhen Haidarzhi, MD, PhD, Andrii Zhylenko, MD, (back row, from left) Oleksandr Dubnevych, MD, Illia Yeremieiev, MD, and Vlad Kropelnytskyi, MD. (photo by Susan Urmy)

Ukrainian surgeons again come to VUMC to observe transplant protocols

With the help of the Vanderbilt Transplant Center and other centers, Ukraine has developed a growing transplant program in the country in the last five years.

By Matt Batcheldor
Jamie Pfaff, MD, right, and Katie Sunthankar, MD, both pregnant with their first children, pose for a photo at a residency conference.

Balancing babies with medical training is now easier thanks to VUMC duo’s hard work

They created a guidebook that covers everything from finding obstetrical care and early planning for childcare to the locations of lactation rooms at VUMC.

By Jill Clendening
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Genetics & Genomics

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Large-scale integration of genomics, proteomics and clinical records identifies cancer risk proteins and potential therapeutics

A new study identifies previously unreported protein biomarkers and candidate drug targets across six major cancer types and highlights approved drugs with potential cancer preventive effects.

By Leigh MacMillan

New grant supports epilepsy study in Africa’s Sahel region

In this area, treatment gaps affect up to 96% of patients, leaving millions without care. The project is funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the NIH. 

By Kristin Centers

Martha Dudek receives Strategic Leader Award from National Society of Genetic Counselors

This award honors a genetic counselor who “advances genetic counseling as a vital part of health care through education, research or public policy.

By Danny Bonvissuto

Genetic variation impact scores: A new tool for earlier heart disease detection

The study will go a long way to improving the early diagnosis and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia, a common genetic driver of cardiovascular disease.

By Bill Snyder

Large-scale integration of genomics, proteomics and clinical records identifies cancer risk proteins and potential therapeutics

A new study identifies previously unreported protein biomarkers and candidate drug targets across six major cancer types and highlights approved drugs with potential cancer preventive effects.

By Leigh MacMillan

New grant supports epilepsy study in Africa’s Sahel region

In this area, treatment gaps affect up to 96% of patients, leaving millions without care. The project is funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the NIH. 

By Kristin Centers

Martha Dudek receives Strategic Leader Award from National Society of Genetic Counselors

This award honors a genetic counselor who “advances genetic counseling as a vital part of health care through education, research or public policy.

By Danny Bonvissuto

Genetic variation impact scores: A new tool for earlier heart disease detection

The study will go a long way to improving the early diagnosis and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia, a common genetic driver of cardiovascular disease.

By Bill Snyder
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Education & Training

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Ron Emeson retires from decades-long career devoted to science, students and service

Emeson has been on the Vanderbilt University faculty for nearly 35 years and has led the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee since 2008. During retirement, he plans to learn new skills at the Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts.

By Leigh MacMillan

Drug resistant infections are on the rise: Experts emphasize education, awareness

Teams at VUMC and Monroe Carell are focused on reaching more clinicians, patients and families through the Vanderbilt Antimicrobial Stewardship Program.

By Jessica Pasley
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

John Seibert to continue serving community through Department of Otolaryngology’s partnership with Nashville General Hospital

Seibert was officially reappointed to Nashville General in October.

By Evan Dorian

Ron Emeson retires from decades-long career devoted to science, students and service

Emeson has been on the Vanderbilt University faculty for nearly 35 years and has led the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee since 2008. During retirement, he plans to learn new skills at the Le Cordon Bleu School of Culinary Arts.

By Leigh MacMillan

Drug resistant infections are on the rise: Experts emphasize education, awareness

Teams at VUMC and Monroe Carell are focused on reaching more clinicians, patients and families through the Vanderbilt Antimicrobial Stewardship Program.

By Jessica Pasley
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

John Seibert to continue serving community through Department of Otolaryngology’s partnership with Nashville General Hospital

Seibert was officially reappointed to Nashville General in October.

By Evan Dorian
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