David Merryman

Vanderbilt study suggests way to prevent rare lung disease

Research by Vanderbilt scientists suggests that it may be possible to prevent or even reverse pulmonary arterial hypertension, a rare, progressive disease characterized by narrowing of and high blood pressure in the small arteries of the lungs.

David Merryman, associate professor of biomedical engineering, found that a drug developed for rheumatoid arthritis stops a common binding protein from calcifying heart valves. (Vanderbilt University)

Drug developed for arthritis could be first to stop heart valve calcification

The first drug to treat calcification of heart valves may be one originally designed for rheumatoid arthritis.

tiny petri dishes with wires in them

Organ-on-a-chip mimics heart’s biomechanical properties

Scientists at Vanderbilt University have created a three-dimensional organ-on-a-chip that can mimic the heart’s amazing biomechanical properties in order to study cardiac disease, develop heart drugs.

Twelve faculty members selected as 2017 Chancellor Faculty Fellows

The 2017 class of Chancellor Faculty Fellows comprises highly accomplished, recently tenured faculty from across the university.

Hypertension hiatus

New findings offer a potential strategy for preventing heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Cell connections key in valve disease

A protein that connects cells together participates in the calcification that occurs in heart valve disease.