Reporter

In its 64th year, the Nashville Christmas Parade on Dec. 2 — themed “The Musical Mile!” — was a celebration of music with a record number of celebrities, marching bands, floats and large balloons filling the streets of downtown Music City with holiday festivity.

A reindeer, polar bears and an ice skater are among the artistic creations adorning products available through the annual Gifts from Friends Holiday Project benefiting patients and families at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt researchers have identified a biomarker that could be used to predict pancreatic cancer risk.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is the first health system in the nation to receive the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) Program of Distinction designation, an acknowledgement of excellence for infection prevention and control programs that meet stringent standards established by the association.

Structural details about a protein involved in the repair of damaged DNA provide insight into xeroderma pigmentosum disorders, which are characterized by increased risk for skin cancer.

Recent findings suggest that vitamin C deficiency could contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting that avoiding deficiency through diet and supplementation could protect against disease onset.

Kristin Archer, PhD, DPT, associate professor and vice chair of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, will serve as principal investigator at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) for a clinical trial that is examining strategies for reducing opioid use among patients with chronic pain.