Basic Sciences

August 20, 2020

Salt, immune cells and hypertension

Excess dietary salt activates immune cells to induce inflammation and hypertension, supporting current recommendations for low sodium consumption.

By Leigh MacMillan
August 20, 2020

A “torque” for tumor blood vessels

Vanderbilt scientists have discovered a new target for normalizing tumor blood vessels to improve cancer immunotherapies.

By Bill Snyder
August 6, 2020

The importance of estrogen cycles

Deborah Lannigan and colleagues identify a key regulator of the estrogen receptor and suggest that its downregulation by oral contraceptives may increase oxidative stress and DNA damage, a common cause of cancer.

By Sarah E. Glass
July 23, 2020

Cellular antiviral defenses

A cellular RNA quality control mechanism was known to restrict replication of RNA viruses. Vanderbilt researchers have discovered it is also antiviral against DNA viruses.

By Leigh MacMillan
July 14, 2020

New tools to study bioactive lipids

Vanderbilt researchers have identified and characterized inhibitors of an enzyme that synthesizes lipid signaling molecules with roles in energy balance, inflammation and addiction.

By Leigh MacMillan
July 9, 2020

Keeping beta cells “fit”

Vanderbilt cell biologists are defining the factors that help beta cells in the pancreas stay healthy, secrete insulin and prevent diabetes initiation and progression.

By Leigh MacMillan
June 22, 2020

Single mutation causes seizure disorder

A single mutation in one gene can impair inhibitory signaling in the brain and cause multiple types of seizures and behavioral abnormalities.
By Leigh MacMillan
June 18, 2020

Probing DNA damage repair

After discovering a new mechanism for DNA damage repair last year, Vanderbilt biochemists now provide direct evidence for how it works.
By Leigh MacMillan
June 18, 2020

Studying cells in reduced dimensions

Vanderbilt cell biologists have developed an unbiased, quantitative framework for evaluating single-cell data.
By Bill Snyder
May 19, 2020

Probing innate immunity

Manuel Ascano team validates an inhibitor of the cGAS-STING signaling pathway, which is important for cellular innate immunity against bacteria, viruses, and our own damaged DNA.
By Leigh MacMillan
May 13, 2020

Recognition of graduating students takes new approach

On Friday, May 8, Vanderbilt University Schools of Medicine and Nursing and the Basic Sciences celebrated students earning degrees. They will have the opportunity to return to the Vanderbilt University campus in May 2021 for the University-wide official Commencement ceremony.
By Kathy Whitney, Leigh MacMillan and Nancy Wise
May 7, 2020

New method captures early viral-host protein interactions

Researchers have developed a method to identify the primary interactions between incoming viral RNA genomes and host proteins.
By Bill Snyder
May 5, 2020

A dual-purpose metabolic switch

John York and colleagues have demonstrated that the protein Vip1 is a rare type of bifunctional enzyme: it can both synthesize and destroy key cellular signaling molecules.
By Leigh MacMillan
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