Vanderbilt University researchers have achieved the first “image fusion” of mass spectrometry and microscopy — a technical tour de force that could, among other things, dramatically improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

During the past five years, Vanderbilt University Medical Center has become a leader in “personalized medicine,” the use of genomic information to individualize patient care.

Progress against America’s most intractable health challenges, among them heart disease, cancer and diabetes, requires the best minds, the latest tools and the easy collaboration demanded by 21st century science.

Vanderbilt University’s Richard Caprioli, Ph.D., is participating in a national, federally funded collaboration to develop an intravaginal ring capable of delivering antiretroviral drugs to women at risk for HIV infection.

New mass spectrometry imaging methods will enable studies of the distribution and identification of membrane proteins directly within tissues.

Amanda Hachey had just crossed the finish line at Monday's Boston Marathon when she heard the first of two loud explosions. She reflects on her experience, while other members of the Vanderbilt community respond to the tragedy.