Reporter

Fairbrother, Yunker to direct divisions in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Aug. 19, 2021—The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has named two new division directors — Erin Fairbrother, MD, will serve as director of the Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Amanda Yunker, DO, MSCR, will serve as director of the Division of Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery.

Concepcion named medical director of the Vanderbilt Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program

Aug. 19, 2021—Beatrice Concepcion, MD, associate professor of Medicine, has been appointed medical director of the Vanderbilt Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Program.

Jackson elected fellow of American Association of Nurse Practitioners

Aug. 19, 2021—Heather Jackson, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, NEA-BC, administrative director of Advanced Practice for Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC), has been elected a fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP).

Churchwell, Creech, Wilkins among NBJ award winners

Aug. 18, 2021—Three leaders of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center community are among the winners of the Nashville Business Journal’s 2021 Health Care Innovation awards.

Haynes named interim chair of Otolaryngology

Aug. 18, 2021—David Haynes, MD, has been named interim chair of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (OHNS) effective July 1. He will serve in this role until Eben Rosenthal, MD, the John and Ann Doerr Medical Director and associate director of Clinical Care with Stanford Cancer Center, joins Vanderbilt University Medical Center as the department’s next chair on Oct. 11.

Miniat named director of VUMC Nursing Support Services

Aug. 18, 2021—Chandler Miniat, MMHC, has been named director of Nursing Support Services at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Miniat will report to Marilyn Dubree, MSN, RN, Executive Chief Nursing Officer.

VUMC members of the Quality Improvement Collaborative for COVID-19 Prevention and Control in Middle Tennessee Nursing Homes are, from left, Monique George, RN, FNP, Carole Bartoo, MSN, AGNP-BC, Jacy Weems, Mattie Brady, MSN, Sunil Kripalani, MD, MSc, Sandra Simmons, PhD, Anna Gallion, DNP, APRN, Tara Horr, MD, and April Hanlotxomphou, MSN, FNP. Not pictured are Victor Legner, MD, MS, and Kristina Niehoff, PharmD. (Photo taken by Donn Jones prior to revised mask guidelines)

Collaborative helping Midstate nursing homes control COVID-19

Aug. 18, 2021—Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) has received a two-year, $1.2 million award from the Tennessee Department of Health and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to provide tailored education and coaching to 75 Middle Tennessee nursing homes focused on infection control, quality improvement and other pandemic-related challenges.

Vanderbilt Transplant Center to be focus of national TV series

Aug. 17, 2021—A new documentary television series premiering this fall follows the life-saving stories of organ transplant patients at the Vanderbilt Transplant Center.

First Listen: Season 2 ‘Vanderbilt Health DNA’ podcast trailer

Aug. 16, 2021—New episodes of the #ListenDNA podcast series drop every week starting Aug. 23.

Mariana Byndloss, DVM, PhD, Woongjae Yoo, PhD, and colleagues are studying how a high-fat diet may contribute to heart disease. (Photo taken prior to revised masking guidelines.)

Study reveals missing link between high-fat diet, microbiota and heart disease

Aug. 12, 2021—A high-fat diet disrupts the biology of the gut’s inner lining and its microbial communities — and promotes the production of a metabolite that may contribute to heart disease, according to a study published Aug. 13 in the journal Science.

VUMC expands programming in effort to help pregnant and postpartum women, infants in opioid crisis

Aug. 12, 2021—A newly created program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center is aiming to address the increasing toll the opioid crisis is having on pregnant and postpartum women and their infants.

The Structural Heart and Valve Center team has recently completed multiple groundbreaking transcatheter clinical trial procedures treating severe regurgitation of the mitral and tricuspid valves.

Structural Heart and Valve Center reaches procedure milestones

Aug. 12, 2021—The Structural Heart and Valve Center at Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute (VHVI) has recently completed multiple groundbreaking transcatheter clinical trial procedures treating severe regurgitation of the mitral and tricuspid valves, a continuation of a decade of research that is revolutionizing the treatment of these conditions.