NIDDK

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.

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.

Gender differences in the pain experiences and treatment needs of people with a urologic pain syndrome could be used to improve interventions, Vanderbilt researchers report.

Immature nerves and neural precursor cells increase in density as a type of premalignant tumor in the pancreas progresses to invasive disease, suggesting that blocking these cells may arrest malignant progression.

The Vanderbilt Diabetes Research and Training Center is celebrating its 49th year of continual operation with the five-year competitive renewal of a $10.9 million grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health.

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

New Vanderbilt research could inform therapeutic strategies for enhancing thymic function when desired — such as during aging, recovery from radiation therapy or chemotherapy, or other conditions that reduce T cell output.