A drug discovery team at Vanderbilt University Medical Center led by Jeffrey Conn., Ph.D., has been awarded a $4.4 million "LEAPS" grant by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research to jump-start development of a new class of Parkinson's disease drugs.

A team of Vanderbilt researchers has demonstrated for the first time that a new type of gene therapy, called RNA interference, can heal a genetic disorder in a live animal.

Vanderbilt Medical Group Westhaven is pleased to announce the opening of a new Primary Care Practice. The new practice, opening Jan. 2, 2008, is located off Highway 96, at1025 Westhaven Blvd, Franklin, Tenn., in the Westhaven Community.

Poisonous plants, holiday decorations and unsafe toys are just a few of the potential hazards children face during the holidays.

Some studies indicate that death rates from heart attacks and stroke as well as non-heart-related causes spike during the holiday season. Researchers have coined this phenomenon "Merry Christmas Coronary and Happy New Year Heart Attack."

Vanderbilt sleep researchers are reporting a relationship between good sleep and how much melatonin the body produces ñ the first in a series of research studies intended to help children with autism spectrum disorders sleep through the night.