Reporter Oct 30 2020

November 3, 2020

New treatment for a rare obesity

Diabetes drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as exenatide (Byetta), are a promising and safe treatment for a rare form of obesity.

By Bill Snyder
November 2, 2020

Frog peptides as anti-HIV microbicides

Peptides derived from the antimicrobial peptides secreted by frogs could function as microbicides to limit HIV transmission, while sparing protective vaginal bacteria.

By Leigh MacMillan
Hacker typing on a laptop
October 30, 2020

VUMC Enterprise Cybersecurity warns of increased threat of cyberattacks

VUMC Enterprise Cybersecurity (VEC) has received credible intelligence regarding the potential for an increased threat of cyberattacks in the coming days that are specifically directed toward the U.S. health
care sector.

By VUMC News and Communications
October 30, 2020

Former Vanderbilt Prize winner Amon mourned

Angelika Amon, PhD, a pioneering cell and molecular biologist and winner of the 2018 Vanderbilt Prize in Biomedical Science, died Oct. 29 from cancer. She was 53.

By Bill Snyder
October 29, 2020

Vanderbilt Health Employer Solutions launches asymptomatic COVID-19 testing service for area employers

Employers across the state can now provide asymptomatic COVID-19 testing for their workforce thanks to a new service from Vanderbilt Health Employer Solutions.

October 29, 2020

VUMC’s resilience amid COVID: Caring for ourselves as we care for others

Caring for ourselves and for one another will be fundamental to the people of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the coming weeks as COVID-19 is surging, and over the year as the enterprise adapts further to changes while expanding locally and regionally.

By Holly Fletcher
October 29, 2020

COVID doesn’t slow Friends of Children’s Hospital’s support

In the thick of the pandemic, friends are as important as ever. Since 1972, Friends of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, a volunteer organization, has been supporting the hospital through fundraising, outreach and patient and family programs.
By Christina Echegaray
October 29, 2020

Surgery risk model proves invaluable during pandemic

When Gov. Bill Lee halted all elective, or scheduled rather than urgent, surgical procedures in Tennessee on March 19 in order to slow the spread of COVID-19 and conserve medical supplies and equipment, surgical and administrative leaders at Vanderbilt University Medical Center began seeking solid data to drive any future decision to safely restart these procedures.
By Jill Clendening
October 29, 2020

Grant helps expand VI4’s Artist-in-Residence program

An innovative Vanderbilt program that brings together scientists and artists with the shared goal of scientific communication is set to expand with support from a three-year grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.
By Leigh MacMillan
October 29, 2020

Telementoring project aims to improve access for adults with autism

A team at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center is launching a program to improve access to primary care for adults with autism.
By Paul Govern
October 29, 2020

Rini to lead NCI study of COVID-19 in cancer patients

Brian Rini, MD, is leading a study launched by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) that will closely monitor cancer patients who acquire COVID-19 with the goal of providing highly detailed data to guide future care.
By Tom Wilemon
October 29, 2020

New tool rapidly identifies health records for studies

Electronic health records (EHR) are increasingly a resource for biomedical discovery, and automated searches for records that reflect a phenotype of interest, typically a disease, are a common starting point.
By Paul Govern
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