Molecular Physiology & Biophysics

Insulin in vials
October 20, 2022

Aging beta cells hasten Type 2 diabetes

Vanderbilt investigators have found that aging induces chronic cellular stress in pancreatic beta cells, which could contribute to the development of diabetes as we age.

By Bill Snyder
October 6, 2022

Stress, obesity and food intake

Vanderbilt researchers are elucidating the neuronal pathways that contribute to food consumption in response to stress — “comfort feeding” — and how they differ in males versus females and in the context of obesity.

By Kelsey Pinckard
September 8, 2022

Immune cells drive beta cell loss in Type 2 diabetes

Vanderbilt researchers have discovered details of pancreatic beta cell loss — and potential therapeutic targets — during conditions of overnutrition, as occurs in obesity.

By Kelsey Pinckard
March 4, 2021

Targeting glucagon action in diabetes

Disrupting the action of glucagon — a pancreatic hormone that works to raise blood glucose — restores functional insulin-producing cells in mouse models of type 1 diabetes and may be a promising treatment strategy.

By Leigh MacMillan
October 29, 2020

Histamine circuits in brain reward center

Histamine — commonly associated with allergies — also has a signaling role in the brain’s reward center and may offer a novel target for treating addiction.

By Leigh MacMillan
close up of blood vessels
October 15, 2020

Brain blood vessel response to hypoxia

The brain’s response to low oxygen — growth and remodeling of blood vessels — involves certain cell types and molecular pathways, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered.

By Leigh MacMillan
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
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
April 16, 2020

Transporter’s role in gut barrier

A disease-associated mutation in a transporter protein impairs gut barrier function, leading to gastrointestinal disease and chronic infections.
By Leigh MacMillan
March 19, 2020

Blocking stress-induced relapse

Danny Winder and colleagues are teasing apart the actions of neurotransmitter receptors in a brain region linked to anxiety and addiction, with a goal of finding treatments for substance use disorders.
By Bill Snyder
February 20, 2020

Protein interactions and brain function

Roger Colbran and colleagues have discovered new molecular details about the function of an enzyme with a key role in shaping learning and memory.
By Bill Snyder
February 20, 2020

Transporter mutation alters cell energy

A disease-associated mutation in a transporter protein causes cells to increase energy production, as if they are starving, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered.
By Leigh MacMillan
February 11, 2020

A key to calcium signaling

Erkan Karakas and colleagues used cryo-electron microscopy to determine structural details of a calcium channel protein that has numerous cell signaling roles.
By Sanjay Mishra