Having a “leaky” gut may protect against colitis, a paradoxical finding that alters understanding of the role of cell permeability in intestinal homeostasis and immune regulation.

Dynamic measurements of the bacterial leucine transporter shed light on the transporters that play roles in neuropsychiatric and addiction disorders.

Vanderbilt University researchers have discovered how intestinal cells build the "brush border" -- a specialized surface structure that is critical for absorbing nutrients and defending against pathogens.

Vanderbilt researchers have identified a new signaling system that anthrax bacteria uses to infect its host.

A protein in the myelin coating on nerves helps form a “seal” that enables effective nerve conduction; loss of the protein causes inherited neuropathies.

Electronic medical records linked to DNA biobanks are a valid resource for defining and understanding the genetic factors that contribute to drug response.