Department of Biochemistry

June 15, 2022

Three Vanderbilt biomedical researchers named 2022 Pew Scholars

Mariana Byndloss, DVM, PhD, and William Wan, PhD, have been named 2022 Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences and Alexander Bick, MD, PhD, was selected to join the 2022 class of Pew-Stewart Scholars for Cancer Research. 

By Bill Snyder
Lawrence Marnett, PhD, left, and Jennifer Pietenpol, PhD, right, presented 2021 Research Staff Awards to Kimberly Newsom, second from left, Tracie Baker, CCRP, and Pavlo Gilchuk, PhD.
March 9, 2022

Research Staff Awards honor those who help drive science forward

Laboratory and administrative personnel at Vanderbilt University Medical Center were honored March 4 for research excellence during the 18th annual Research Staff Awards Ceremony.

By Bill Snyder
December 9, 2021

Former chair of Biochemistry Michael Waterman has died

Michael Waterman, PhD, former chair of the Department of Biochemistry for 18 years, died Nov. 7

By VUMC News and Communications
September 30, 2021

Molecular imaging of C. diff infection

C. difficile — the leading cause of hospital-associated intestinal infections — induces a rapid influx of bile acids into the gut, which could provide a novel target for blocking infection.

By Leigh MacMillan
August 19, 2021

Expression atlas for cell regulators

Vanderbilt researchers report a comprehensive tissue-specific atlas of protein and mRNA expression for p63 and p73, members of the p53 family signaling network that is the most frequent target of mutations in human cancers.

By Leigh MacMillan
July 29, 2021

Cortez named chair of Department of Biochemistry

David Cortez, PhD, Richard N. Armstrong, PhD, Professor of Innovation in Biochemistry and professor of Biochemistry, has been appointed chair of the Department of Biochemistry.

By Wendy Bindeman
July 22, 2021

Researchers discover that protein switches functions to regulate DNA replication

Vanderbilt biochemists have discovered what the DNA damage response protein RADX does — and how it does it.
By Leigh MacMillan
April 15, 2021

Arrhythmia culprit: supertrafficking ion channel

Charles Sanders, PhD, and colleagues show how a “supertrafficking” mutant potassium channel contributes to heart rhythm abnormalities.
By Leigh MacMillan
February 4, 2021

Gene network for leukemia factor

A new method speeds the analysis of factors that control gene expression from days to minutes, allowing researchers to uncover new targets for cancer treatment.
By Leigh MacMillan
December 8, 2020

Cortez named interim chair of the Department of Biochemistry; York named Impossible Foods chief science officer

David Cortez, PhD, Richard N. Armstrong Professor of Innovation in Biochemistry and professor of biochemistry, has been named interim chair in the Department of Biochemistry beginning Jan. 1, 2021.
By Marissa Shapiro 
September 3, 2020

Assembling cell power plant machinery

Tina Iverson and colleagues provide a structural view into the assembly of a protein machine essential for cellular energy production.
By Leigh MacMillan
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
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