Author: Bill Snyder

PHOTO: Award recipients and presenters gather after Thursday’s State of the Department of Medicine address. From left are Brian Lindman, MD, MSCI, Alexandra Shingina, MD, MHS, Claude Shackelford, MD, Jill Gilbert, MD, Todd Hulgan, MD, MPH, Brian Christman, MD, Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, Ambra Pozzi, PhD, T. Alp Ikizler, MD, Maie El-Sourady, MD, Walter Clair, MD, MPH, and Ana Nobis, MD, MPH. (photo by Susan Urmy)

Inclusivity key to Department of Medicine: Rathmell

Jun. 27, 2022—Commitment to inclusion, professional development, research, and clinical care was the focus of this year’s State of the Department of Medicine address delivered June 23 by Department of Medicine Chair Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD.

Schwartz receives V Foundation for Cancer Research award

Jun. 24, 2022—The V Foundation for Cancer Research has awarded a $200,000 grant to Jason Schwartz, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, to support his studies of childhood myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), bone marrow disorders that can lead to cancer.

VUMC research aids approval of COVID-19 vaccine for young children

Jun. 16, 2022—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months old as early as tomorrow, following the unanimous recommendation by an FDA advisory panel on Wednesday.

Three Vanderbilt biomedical researchers named 2022 Pew Scholars

Jun. 15, 2022—Mariana Byndloss, DVM, PhD, and William Wan, PhD, have been named 2022 Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences and Alexander Bick, MD, PhD, was selected to join the 2022 class of Pew-Stewart Scholars for Cancer Research.

Research probes cause of acute flaccid myelitis in children

Jun. 8, 2022—Research that began at Vanderbilt University Medical Center has found evidence that a viral infection followed by a “robust” immune response is the cause of a polio-like paralyzing illness in children called acute flaccid myelitis (AFM).

Bacterial battle in 3D

Jun. 2, 2022—Using imaging mass spectrometry and microscopy, Vanderbilt researchers visualized how staph bacteria modifies lipids in its membrane to evade immune system-mediated killing.

Molecular ‘switch’ may illuminate stomach disorders

May. 19, 2022—An international team that included researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center has discovered a molecular switch that induces rapid proliferation of zymogen granule-secreting chief cells in the stomach to regenerate damaged tissue.

Panel considers ways to improve vaccine readiness, restore trust

May. 19, 2022—A recent Ethics Grand Rounds, sponsored by the Vanderbilt Center for Biomedical Ethics and Society, explored potential ways to overcome vaccine readiness and restore trust in health care providers.

From left, Raymond C. Harris, MD, Shirong Cao, MD, PhD, Ming-Zhi Zhang, MD, MSc, and colleagues are studying the role of inflammation in obesity.

Study sheds light on the dark side of obesity

May. 12, 2022—Vanderbilt research that promotes the anti-inflammatory pathway in macrophages could also reduce some of the bad side effects of obesity.

Resistance to COVID-19 drug detected in lab study

May. 10, 2022—Vanderbilt research shows that the virus that causes COVID-19 can develop partial resistance to the antiviral drug remdesivir during infection of cultured cells in the laboratory by more than one mechanism.

Award winners and faculty pose for a photo before last week’s School of Medicine Spring Faculty Meeting.

Faculty awards honor teaching, clinical, research excellence

May. 5, 2022—The 2022 Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Academic Enterprise Awards for Excellence in Teaching, Extraordinary Performance of Clinical Service, and Outstanding Contributions to Research were presented April 29 during the annual spring faculty meeting.

VUMC faculty members attending the meeting of the American Society for Clinical Investigation included, from left, Wesley Ely, MD, MPH, Patrick Hu, MD, PhD, Lorraine Ware, MD, Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, Consuelo Wilkins, MD, MSCI, Christopher Williams, MD, PhD, Lori Jordan, MD, PhD, Natasha Halasa, MD, MPH, ASCI Council Member Julie Bastarache, MD, Eric Tkaczyk, MD, PhD, and James Crowe Jr., MD.

VUMC a national leader in physician-scientist training

Apr. 21, 2022—Physician-scientists from Vanderbilt University Medical Center were well represented at the recent annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), Association of American Physicians (AAP) and the American Physician-Scientist Association.