Author: Emily Stembridge

Osama El Shamy, MD, and Megha Salani, MD, are working to expand VUMC’s Home Dialysis Program.

Home Dialysis Program experiencing rapid growth

Aug. 19, 2021—Osama El Shamy, MD, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, has long been a proponent of the benefits of home dialysis.

Fairbrother, Yunker to direct divisions in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Aug. 19, 2021—The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has named two new division directors — Erin Fairbrother, MD, will serve as director of the Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Amanda Yunker, DO, MSCR, will serve as director of the Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery.

VSP accredited as a Rare Disease Pharmacy Center of Excellence

Aug. 12, 2021—Vanderbilt Specialty Pharmacy (VSP) has received accreditation from the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC) as a Rare Disease Pharmacy Center of Excellence.

Participants in Radiology’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Week events were, from left, Marques Bradshaw, MD, MSCR, Lucy Spalluto, MD, MPH, Karen Winkfield, MD, PhD, Andrea Birch, MD, Virginia Planz, MD, and Reed Omary, MD, MS. (Photo taken prior to revised masking guidelines.)

Radiology Hosts DEI Week, Announces $1 Million Endowment

Aug. 11, 2021—The Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences recently hosted its inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Week, featuring in-person and livestreamed presentations and panel discussions focused on the relationship between medicine and DEI. Leaders from Vanderbilt University, Yale University, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Maryland and several other health care systems led the nuanced discussions.

The psychosis study team includes, from left, Neil Woodward, PhD, Maureen McHugo, PhD, Stephan Heckers, MD, MSc, Suzanne Avery, PhD, and Kristan Armstrong, PhD.

NIMH support bolsters early psychosis research efforts

Aug. 5, 2021—The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences has received an additional $4 million from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to study the evolution of hippocampal dysfunction in the early stage of psychosis.

VUMC sees increase of COVID-19 in pregnant patients

Aug. 2, 2021—Physicians at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) have recently noticed an increase in pregnant patients ill with COVID-19. These cases are especially concerning due an increased risk of hospitalization, ICU admission, need for mechanical ventilation and ventilatory support, and increased risk of death in pregnant patients with COVID-19 compared to non-pregnant patients.

Kennedy Center efforts enhance inclusivity in clinical trials

Jul. 30, 2021—Following the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s (VKC) renewal as a national Eunice Kennedy Shriver Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center in 2020, the center underwent a shuffling of their four scientific cores that support basic and applied research on intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Mood and cognition after chemotherapy

Jul. 26, 2021—Validation of cognitive complaints appears to improve mood in patients with persistent chemotherapy-cognitive impairment, Vanderbilt researchers report.

Resident’s opioid-related efforts become TMA priority

Jul. 22, 2021—Leah Jesse, MD, a Psychiatry resident, successfully brought an anti-stigma resolution to the floor of the Tennessee Medical Association (TMA) House of Delegates meeting in May.

Members of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Vanderbilt recently celebrated receiving an additional grant from the Bernard Osher Foundation.

Grant bolsters Osher Center for Integrative Medicine

Jul. 15, 2021—The Bernard Osher Foundation has given an additional $2.1 million to the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Vanderbilt. This grant supplements the original endowment established in 2014 through the Bernard Osher Foundation’s leadership and commitment to holistic medicine.

Virtual study of stress in parents of children with developmental disabilities seeks participants

Jun. 23, 2021—Otolaryngology researchers from the Music Cognition Lab are seeking to recruit parents of children with developmental disabilities for a study about the connection between mindfulness, music and stress levels.

NBA player brings message of hope to Camp T.A.L.K.S.

Jun. 23, 2021—The children of Camp TALKS (Talking and Learning with Kids who Stutter) were excited to welcome Michael Kidd-Gilchrist — NBA player and person who stutters — to camp recently, where they were able to listen to his story and advice. Kidd-Gilchrist, an advocate for the stuttering community, recently launched Change & Impact, a stuttering initiative focused on improving access to health care and expanding services and resources for those who stutter.