biovu Archives
New high-tech biobank safeguards critical specimens
Aug. 25, 2022—by Bill Snyder Vanderbilt University Medical Center has opened a state-of-the-art automated biobanking system that can store as many as 10 million biospecimens, including blood and body fluids, tissue, and genetic and protein material, at temperatures down to minus 80 degrees Celsius. The “BioStore” was purchased from its manufacturer, Massachusetts-based Azenta Life Sciences, with the...
Genotype-specific blood counts
Aug. 11, 2022—Vanderbilt researchers report genotype-specific reference ranges to improve interpretation of laboratory blood results in African Americans with a common gene variant that lowers white blood cell counts.
Study shows genotype leads to discontinued, decreased medication
Jun. 29, 2022— by Jill Clendening Patients whose race is recorded as Black in their electronic health record (EHR) are more likely to have azathioprine, an immunosuppressant medication, discontinued or its dose reduced because their laboratory results show a low white blood cell count. This lab finding was not a factor of race, but instead was linked...
BMI genetics influence heart function
Jun. 16, 2022—Vanderbilt researchers have discovered that a genetic predisposition to elevated body mass index increases the risk of diastolic dysfunction — a cardiac condition that can lead to heart failure.
BioVU celebrates 15 years supporting personalized medicine
Jun. 8, 2022—BioVU is celebrating its 15th year and has enabled hundreds of studies and publications exploring the genetic underpinnings of a host of conditions including cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Genetics and blood pressure
May. 19, 2022—Including polygenic risk scores for blood pressure may improve predictive models to identify people at risk for treatment-resistant hypertension.
A clue to an adverse drug event in children
May. 19, 2022—Considering metabolic (CYP2D6) enzyme activity score and patient age may aid in determining an individual’s risk for an adverse event with administration of the anti-arrhythmic drug propafenone.
Gene variants and transplant drug dose
May. 9, 2022—Genotyping multiple enzymes that metabolize the immunosuppressive drug tacrolimus — common used for lung transplant recipients — is important for correct dosing of the drug, Vanderbilt researchers found.
Gene network linked to Type 2 diabetes
May. 5, 2022—Vanderbilt researchers used a novel analytical approach to identify a network of genes associated with Type 2 diabetes, including 31 genes that had not previously been associated with the disease.
Calculating risk for uterine fibroids
Apr. 26, 2022—Vanderbilt researchers have constructed a polygenic risk score for uterine fibroids that will be useful for exploring causes of these benign tumors and identifying novel drug targets and therapies.
Major grant renewal to provide five more years of support for VICTR
Apr. 6, 2022—Vanderbilt University Medical Center has competed successfully for a third renewal of its Clinical and Translational Science Award by the National Institutes of Health.
Nashville Biosciences and Illumina announce agreement to establish preeminent clinico-genomic resource for life sciences research & development
Jan. 10, 2022—Nashville Biosciences, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has announced an agreement with Illumina, a leading genomic technology company, to realize the full potential of VUMC’s DNA databank, BioVU.
