Reporter May 1 2015

Neurofibromin fine-tunes bone growth

The protein neurofibromin acts as a brake in a signaling pathway that is important in bone development, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered.

Kids more likely to react to blood transfusions

Pediatric patients have a significantly higher incidence of transfusion reactions compared to adults, according to a study by Vanderbilt University researchers.

New player in neuronal communication

Vanderbilt researchers have discovered a novel mechanism for the development of dendritic spines – sites of nerve cell communication.

RNA defects in multiple sclerosis

Vanderbilt researchers have discovered that profound defects exist in the integrity of structural RNA molecules in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.

elderly man in wheelchair in skilled nursing facility

Study links post-acute care costs with lower survival rates

A nationwide study, “Uncovering Waste in U.S. Healthcare,” from authors at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, finds that spending on post-acute care in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) provides a key signal of inefficiency in the health care system, leading to higher spending and lower patient survival.

Study team uses metabolomics to study longevity

The keys to longevity have been a source of curiosity and the basis of many research studies for years, yet the mechanisms underlying a person’s ability to live a long life are still not fully understood.

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