News Releases

Recent and archived press releases with clinical and research news

January 9, 2026

Weight loss drugs and bariatric surgery improve the body’s fat ‘balance:’ study

The retrospective study analyzed the electronic health records of 1,257 patients ages 18 to 65 who underwent bariatric surgery at Vanderbilt Health from 2017 to 2022, and 1,809 patients treated with the drugs semaglutide or tirzepatide from 2018 to 2023. 

By Guillermo Sanchez, PhD
Taylor Swift, longtime friend of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, is pictured here at the 2016 grand opening of the hospital’s Seacrest Studios.
December 30, 2025

Taylor Swift spreads hope to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt with recent gifts

By Jessica Pasley
Members of the transplant team pose for a photo after surpassing 200 adult and pediatric heart transplants. (photo courtesy of Ashish Shah)
December 23, 2025

Vanderbilt Health performs record number of adult and pediatric heart transplants during 2025

As in prior years, the success of Vanderbilt Health’s transplant program is a testament to the greatness of individuals and innovations alike and to the tremendous power of teamwork.

By Matt Batcheldor
December 15, 2025

Antibody research may lead to broadly protective flu vaccine

These findings could lead to the development of cross-reactive and neutralizing antibody therapies for individuals who are severely ill from the flu.

By Bill Snyder
Photo of the exterior of Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt shows the four new floors added atop the pediatric facility. (photo by Anne Rayner)
December 15, 2025

Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt named 2025 Leapfrog Top Hospital

This year, Monroe Carell is one of only 15 children’s hospitals nationwide to receive the Top Hospitals designation.

By Christina Echegaray
December 12, 2025

Lucy Spalluto and Jennifer Lewis awarded $1 million lung cancer screening grant

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, with incidence higher in veterans compared to the civilian population.

By Derek Scancarelli
December 12, 2025

Vanderbilt Health now offering patients a new treatment for sleep apnea

The bilateral hypoglossal nerve stimulation device is available to qualified patients who have not been able to benefit from CPAP.
By Evan Dorian
December 10, 2025

Study finds that meditation may help stimulate the brain’s waste removal system, providing restorative benefits like sleep

New research is informing how mindfulness meditation contributes to improvements in cognitive health and may have relevance to treating a range of degenerative brain conditions.
By Evan Dorian
December 10, 2025

Sedative choice could improve outcomes for breathing tube patients

It's the first study to demonstrate cardiovascular risks of high doses of ketamine (low blood pressure, arrhythmia), side effects that have not been well studied in the past.
By Craig Boerner
December 2, 2025

Women who receive mammograms also undergo lung scans if notified of eligibility

Study showed that the improvement in lung cancer screenings exceeded the target enrollment set by the researchers.
By Tom Wilemon
November 26, 2025

Kitchen fires most prevalent on Thanksgiving Day

Each Thanksgiving over 2,300 home fires nationwide are caused by cooking, according to the National Fire Protection Association. 
By Craig Boerner
November 25, 2025

New NICU program cares for infants with complex lung and airway diseases

Over the past two decades, there has been a steady increase in the number of patients born preterm with severe lung disease requiring highly specialized care.
By Jessica Pasley
November 13, 2025

VUMC’s Wesley Ely inducted into the American Academy of Sciences and Letters

Established in 2023, the academy honors outstanding scholarly achievements reflecting “independence of mind and intellectual courage” in the arts, sciences and learned professions.
By Bill Snyder