Metastatic pancreatic cancer — cancer that has spread from the pancreas to other tissues and is responsible for most patient deaths — changes its metabolism and is “reprogrammed” for optimal malignancy, according to new findings reported Jan. 16 in Nature Genetics.

Vanderbilt investigators recommend that the presence of tumor deposits in the abdomen be included when staging midgut neuroendocrine tumors.

Vanderbilt researchers have made the surprising discovery that the protease plasmin, known for its clot-busting role in the blood, protects soft tissue from turning to bone after severe injuries and certain orthopaedic surgeries.

Blood-forming stem cells play a role in immune tolerance and acceptance of organ transplants, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered.

At the intersection of immunology and metabolism is a burgeoning new field: immunometabolism. It’s an area where Vanderbilt has exceptional strengths, said Jeffrey Rathmell, Ph.D., Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Immunobiology.

Vanderbilt researchers have shown that an injectable material improves wound healing and may be useful for large skin wounds such as those in patients with diabetes.