Aliquots - Research Briefs

May 21, 2018

New target to stop Ebola

A new Vanderbilt study suggests it may be possible to develop antibody therapies or a universal vaccine effective against multiple Ebola virus family members.

By VUMC News and Communications
May 18, 2018

Shaping reward circuits

Using techniques to control and monitor the activities of individual neurons, Vanderbilt investigators are probing the brain’s reward circuitry.

By Leigh MacMillan
May 17, 2018

Alphavirus “Achilles heel”

Targeting the protein that mosquito-borne viruses use to enter cells could be a strategy for preventing infection by multiple emerging viruses.

By Bill Snyder
3d rendering white blood cells with red blood cells
May 9, 2018

Putting the brakes on sepsis

An enzyme called PTEN reduces inflammatory signaling and mortality in sepsis, suggesting it may be a good therapeutic target for this life-threatening complication of infection.

By Leigh MacMillan
May 7, 2018

Records point to drug-drug interaction

Patients who take a cholesterol-lowering statin drug while taking the antibiotic daptomycin have increased risk of developing muscle weakness or a more severe form of muscle damage.

By Paul Govern
May 4, 2018

New breast cancer targets

A special genetic analysis has revealed candidate genes associated with increased risk of breast cancer.

By Bill Snyder
May 3, 2018

Understanding HDL structure

Structural features of newly formed HDL particles will help guide understanding of “good cholesterol” and its function.
By Leigh MacMillan
April 23, 2018

Toxin floats on lipid rafts

The bacterium H. pylori is a leading cause of stomach cancer, and Vanderbilt researchers are studying how one of its toxins gets into cells.
By Leigh MacMillan
April 20, 2018

Disease-fighting antibody production

New research links nutrient-responsive cellular signaling to the antibody-mediated immune response.
By Leigh MacMillan
April 19, 2018

How the skin protects

Treatments for common skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis may be improved by understanding the enzymes responsible for forming the skin’s water-tight barrier.
By Sanjay Mishra
April 11, 2018

“Idling” cancer cells may return

Vanderbilt investigators have discovered that cancer treatment induces an “idling” state for cells, which could promote resistance to treatment.
By Bill Snyder
April 10, 2018

Aqueous humor, microRNAs and glaucoma

New findings highlight microRNAs — molecules that regulate gene expression — that are differentially expressed in glaucoma and could be candidate biomarkers or targets for therapy.
By Leigh MacMillan
April 6, 2018

New view of the heartbeat

Structural views of the proteins that regulate the heartbeat may help improve existing treatments for cardiac arrhythmias.
By Sanjay Mishra