An international research group led by Vanderbilt University scientists has shown for the first time that a lipid, or fat molecule, can regulate “psychostimulant” behaviors by interacting with a brain protein.

Russ Altman, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Bioengineering, Genetics and Medicine at Stanford University, posed an intriguing question at last week’s Discovery Lecture: is it possible to predict drug side effects from the 3D-structure of proteins?

Vanderbilt University researchers and their Belgian colleagues have discovered the mechanism behind a multidrug transporter. Their findings, posted this week by Nature Chemical Biology, could lead to new treatments for multidrug resistant bacterial infections.

Tucked in a data center in the basement of Vanderbilt University Hospital, a new computer the size of a large armoire, called a data warehouse appliance, is delivering a new order of speed to Vanderbilt clinical scientists as they search, filter, analyze and annotate the de-identified medical records of approximately 2 million patients.

Diagnostic codes used for billing purposes effectively identify smokers in a general clinic population and can be used to adjust smoking status in genetic and epidemiologic studies.

Blackford Middleton, M.D., MPH, M.Sc., corporate director of clinical informatics research and development at Partners Healthcare in Boston, will join Vanderbilt later this month in the role of assistant vice chancellor for Health Affairs and chief informatics officer for Vanderbilt University Health System. He succeeds John Doulis, M.D.

Vanderbilt’s Department of Biomedical Informatics remains exceptionally well represented on the nine-member executive committee of the American College of Medical Informatics (ACMI).