Research
Miscarriage risk increases each week alcohol is used in early pregnancy
Aug. 10, 2020—Each week a woman consumes alcohol during the first five to 10 weeks of pregnancy is associated with an incremental 8% increase in risk of miscarriage, according to a study published this week by Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers.
A step toward cancer prevention
Aug. 10, 2020—A computational technique that combines the effect of multiple genomic variants has the potential to identify high-risk individuals for cancer prevention.
ID of ‘stomach flu’ culprit
Aug. 6, 2020—Identifying the norovirus genotypes associated with more severe infections in children could guide strain selection for candidate norovirus vaccines.
The importance of estrogen cycles
Aug. 6, 2020—Deborah Lannigan and colleagues identify a key regulator of the estrogen receptor and suggest that its downregulation by oral contraceptives may increase oxidative stress and DNA damage, a common cause of cancer.
Appendix cancer survival in young patients varies by race: study
Aug. 6, 2020—The first study of appendiceal cancer patterns and survival by race/ethnicity among patients younger than 50 in the U.S. showed survival disparities.
Study gauges specific site stomach cancer risks among ethnic groups
Aug. 6, 2020—Non-white Americans, especially Asian Americans, are at disproportionately higher risk for gastric cancer compared to non-Hispanic white Americans. A new study breaks down this risk according to specific ethnicities and locations within the stomach.
Team to create customizable cochlear implant programming
Aug. 6, 2020—A team of Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers has received a $3.1 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to develop advanced, patient-specific cochlear implant stimulation models for customized implant programming.
Pseudoislet system expected to advance pancreas and diabetes research
Jul. 30, 2020—The multicellular, 3-D structure of human pancreatic islets — the areas of the pancreas containing hormone-producing or endocrine cells — has presented challenges to researchers as they study and manipulate these cells’ function, but Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers have now developed a pseudoislet system that allows for much easier study of islet function.
Protein study may be key to treating fibrotic diseases
Jul. 30, 2020—A protein linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurological disease that causes muscle weakness, may be a key to treating fibrotic disease of the kidneys and other organs, researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center reported recently.
Post-transplant complication
Jul. 28, 2020—Vanderbilt researchers conducted the largest analysis to date of a heart complication in children following stem cell transplant. The findings may help guide screening practices to improve outcomes.
Soy food, metabolism and the microbiome
Jul. 27, 2020—Consumption of soy foods may shape the microbiome and protect against hypertension only in individuals with soy-responsive microbiota, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered.
Stomach bug hit-and-run
Jul. 23, 2020—The H. pylori machinery that “injects” an oncoprotein into stomach cells contributes to the development of gastric cancer, Vanderbilt researchers demonstrate.
