Health and Medicine

October 2, 2014

Regenerative visual neuroscience effort launched

Vanderbilt University has launched a regenerative visual neuroscience initiative to develop new ways of treating — and restoring sight to — people who have been blinded by glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and eye injuries.

By Bill Snyder
red laser beam
October 1, 2014

Optical imaging in drug therapy screens

A non-invasive imaging tool could test potential cancer therapies quickly to personalize therapy for patients.

By VUMC News and Communications
brain and lightning
September 30, 2014

Seizure mutation impairs receptor

Defects in the production of certain receptors are linked to the pathogenesis of genetic epilepsies and fever-induced seizures.

By Yan Su
September 26, 2014

Biomarker for diabetic eye disease

A person’s mitochondrial gene “signature” could predict risk for diabetic retinopathy and guide early intervention strategies.

By Leigh MacMillan
September 25, 2014

A path to sarcoidosis treatment

Vanderbilt investigators identify a new therapeutic target for the inflammatory lung disease sarcoidosis.

By VUMC News and Communications
September 24, 2014

Alexander’s visit highlights efforts to confront Ebola

Don’t panic over Ebola. But don’t ignore it, either. That was the take-home message for U.S. citizens from a “mini-hearing” held by U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., at Vanderbilt University Medical Center on Wednesday with researchers and health officials from Vanderbilt and the State of Tennessee.

By Bill Snyder
September 24, 2014

Study finds accuracy of lung cancer imaging varies by region

A new analysis of published studies found that FDG-PET technology is less accurate in diagnosing lung cancer versus benign disease in regions where infections like histoplasmosis or tuberculosis are common.
By VUMC News and Communications
September 18, 2014

VU study reveals shared pathways in psychiatric disorders

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder share common genetic underpinnings. Vanderbilt researchers combined high-resolution gene expression studies with gene association data to reveal signaling pathways linked to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
By Leigh MacMillan
September 18, 2014

Initiative seeks to develop therapies to combat Ebola

Vanderbilt University researchers have partnered with Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc. to develop new human antibody therapies for people exposed to the deadly Ebola and Marburg viruses.
By Bill Snyder
September 18, 2014

Heart Institute testing world’s tiniest pacemaker

Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute is participating in a global clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of the world’s smallest pacemaker.
By Kathy Whitney
September 18, 2014

Dioxin, fathers and preterm birth

Exposure of male mice to the pollutant dioxin causes preterm birth across multiple generations, suggesting that efforts to prevent preterm birth should include pre-conception interventions for dads.
By VUMC News and Communications
September 16, 2014

Patient-derived stem cells shed light on pulmonary hypertension

Stem cells derived from patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension provide a unique resource for studying the molecular defects that cause the disease and testing potential therapies.
By Leigh MacMillan
September 12, 2014

Schizophrenia ‘switches’ discovered

Drugs developed at Vanderbilt could provide a new way to treat schizophrenia in a personalized way.
By Bill Snyder