Department of Medicine

February 18, 2021

Beckman named president of VIVA Physicians

Joshua Beckman, MD, MSc, professor of Medicine and director of VUMC’s Section of Vascular Medicine, has been named president of VIVA Physicians, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing the field of vascular medicine and intervention through education, research, advocacy and collaboration.

By Matt Batcheldor
February 11, 2021

Vanderbilt, Zambia researchers find delirium in hospitalized patients linked to mortality, disability in Sub-Saharan Africa

Delirium, a form of acute brain dysfunction, is widespread in critically ill patients in lower resourced hospitals, and the duration of delirium predicted both mortality and disability at six months after discharge, according to a study published in PLOS ONE.

By Holly Fletcher
The Endoscopy Lab at One Hundred Oaks can serve 50 to 60 patients per day in five state-of-the-art procedure rooms.
February 10, 2021

Vanderbilt Health now offering endoscopy at One Hundred Oaks

The new Endoscopy Lab at One Hundred Oaks has expanded Vanderbilt Health’s options for endoscopic procedures including colonoscopies to screen for colorectal cancer.

By Leigh MacMillan
February 5, 2021

Convalescent plasma improved survival in COVID-19 patients with blood cancers

Treatment with convalescent plasma vastly improved the survival rate of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 who also had hematologic malignances that compromise the immune system, according to new data released by the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium (CCC19).

By Tom Wilemon
February 4, 2021

New clue to postural tachycardia

Insight into the pathophysiology of an enigmatic and debilitating disease suggests new treatment approaches.

By Bill Snyder
A new medical device called the Zephyr Valve offers a minimally invasive alternative to lung surgery for emphysema patients.
February 4, 2021

Device offers less invasive option to treat emphysema

Life with emphysema, a lung condition that causes shortness of breath, can be miserable. People with advanced emphysema, a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are so short of breath they may need supplemental oxygen just to walk from room to room. They often have trouble with everyday tasks like bathing or cooking a meal.

By Nancy Humphrey
February 4, 2021

Potential biomarker for IBD severity, cancer risk identified

A selenium transport protein produced in the colon may be a novel biomarker for assessing disease severity and cancer risk in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
By Leigh MacMillan
February 3, 2021

Transplant patient celebrates milestone 30th anniversary

Pam Everett-Smith celebrated a milestone this past November — 30 years since she received a lung transplant at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She is the longest-surviving single-lung transplant patient known in the United States.
By Matt Batcheldor
January 27, 2021

Study shows healthy diet is associated with diverse and health-promoting microbiome

Scientists are just beginning to understand the impact of diet on the gut microbiome and how this interaction affects human health, but baselines must first be established to yield answers.
By Tom Wilemon
January 21, 2021

NIH grant bolsters research on heart disease, cholesterol

Thanks to major funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have made major inroads in understanding how high-density lipoprotein (HDL), commonly known as good cholesterol, in some cases may actually contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.
By Bill Snyder
January 21, 2021

Study finds genetic clues to pneumonia risk and COVID-19 disparities

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and colleagues have identified genetic factors that increase the risk for developing pneumonia and its severe, life-threatening consequences.
By Bill Snyder
January 21, 2021

Congenital Heart Program gains accreditation from ACHA

The Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) has awarded the Vanderbilt Adult Congenital Heart Program status as an Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Accredited Comprehensive Care Center — the first in Tennessee.
By Matt Batcheldor
January 14, 2021

Bick selected as first VUMC Discovery Scholar in Health and Medicine

Alexander Bick, MD, PhD, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Genetic Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has been selected as the first VUMC Discovery Scholar in Health and Medicine.
By Bill Snyder