Aliquots Archives

Treating C. diff: new purpose for an old drug?

Sep. 24, 2019—An inexpensive generic drug once used to prevent gastrointestinal ulcers in people taking daily NSAIDs protects against C. diff infection in mice.

Tailoring treatment for heart defect

Sep. 23, 2019—By defining the clinical and genetic factors that predict treatment response, Vanderbilt investigators aim to personalize therapy for a common heart complication in preterm infants.

Microvilli in motion

Sep. 19, 2019—Live cell imaging studies have revealed that microvilli — finger-like protrusions on the surface of epithelial cells — move and collide as they form the brush border.

Potential prostate cancer biomarkers

Sep. 19, 2019—An analysis of more than 140,000 people of European ancestry has identified blood protein biomarkers associated with prostate cancer risk.

Relational memory in early psychosis

Sep. 10, 2019—Studies of relational memory function may reveal novel mechanisms for therapeutic intervention for patients in the early stages of psychosis.

Astrocytes and epilepsy

Sep. 9, 2019—A protein with important functions in astrocytes — star-shaped brain support cells — may alter neuronal excitability and contribute to seizure activity, Vanderbilt researchers report.

How salt increases blood pressure

Sep. 5, 2019—Vanderbilt researchers have discovered that a protein called SGK1 in immune cells is activated by sodium, leading to the development of salt-sensitive hypertension.

The plus and minus of microtubules

Sep. 5, 2019—Understanding the dynamic regulation of cytoskeletal microtubules may suggest new ways to treat disorders ranging from Alzheimer's disease to cancer.

A “rheostat” for cancer signals

Aug. 27, 2019—Jason MacGurn and colleagues have characterized a “rheostat” that sets WNT pathway signaling in breast cancer cells.

Cancer susceptibility genes

Aug. 26, 2019—Gene variants associated with cancer risk appear to contribute to carcinogenesis by regulating target genes that in turn promote the generation of mutations.

How nerves may lose their insulation

Aug. 22, 2019—Vanderbilt’s Bruce Carter and colleagues have discovered how genetic changes in the protein PMP22 may contribute to a disease of peripheral nerves.