Borden Lacy

C. difficile bacteria (image courtesy of CDC/Jennifer Oosthuizen)
February 18, 2026

Vanderbilt research offers new hope for preventing repeated C. diff infections

Treatment options are limited for the more than 500,000 people in the U.S. who are diagnosed annually with C. diff infections, but researchers are working on potential vaccines, therapeutic antibodies and — most recently — nanobodies, to prevent and treat C. diff infections.

By Bill Snyder
February 18, 2026

Novel vaccine protects against C. diff disease and recurrence

New study represents a major step forward for vaccine development for C. diff, the leading cause of health care- and antibiotic-associated infection.

By Leigh MacMillan
The study team includes, from left, Maribeth Nicholson, MD, MPH, Ben Spiller, PhD, Buddy Creech, MD, MPH, Borden Lacy, PhD, Eric Skaar, PhD, MPH, Isaac Thomsen, MD, MSCI, Ivelin Georgiev, PhD, and Danyvid Olivares-Villagomez, PhD.
March 30, 2023

NIH grant launches C. diff vaccine research initiative

Vanderbilt has received an NIH grant to launch the Vanderbilt Antibody and Antigen Discovery for Clostridioides difficile Vaccines, or VANDy-CdV.

By Anthony Czelusniak
January 10, 2020

Structural views of a C. diff toxin

D. Borden Lacy and colleagues used cryo-electron microscopy to define the structure of a C. diff toxin, providing a framework for the design of novel therapeutics.

By Leigh MacMillan
Clostridium difficile bacterium, 3D illustration
January 26, 2018

Versatile C. difficile blocker

New research reveals a unique mechanism of C. difficile toxin neutralization by a monoclonal antibody, suggesting new therapeutic approaches.

By Bill Snyder
November 20, 2017

15 faculty members elected as AAAS fellows

Fifteen Vanderbilt faculty members conducting a range of biomedical and clinical research have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Six of the 15 have received funding through the university’s Trans-Institutional Programs initiative, which facilitates research and teaching collaborations across disciplines and are a core pillar of the university’s Academic Strategic Plan.

By Bill Snyder
January 14, 2016

Crystal structure reveals secrets of virulent bacterium

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have obtained the crystal structure of a toxin from the bacterium Clostridium difficile (“C. diff”) — the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea in the United States.
By Bill Snyder
June 4, 2015

Study identifies C. diff toxin receptor, suggests new treatment approaches

Vanderbilt University investigators have identified a cellular receptor for a toxin from Clostridium difficile (“C. diff”) — the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea in the United States.
By Leigh MacMillan
May 1, 2014

Cutting-edge research to be showcased in May

By Bill Snyder
November 8, 2013

Defusing ‘C. diff’ infection

By Leigh MacMillan
September 19, 2013

Lacy’s crystallographic research achievements recognized

D. Borden Lacy, Ph.D., associate professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, and Biochemistry, will receive the 2014 Margaret Etter Award from the American Crystallographic Association (ACA) for outstanding achievement and exceptional potential in crystallographic research demonstrated by a scientist at an early stage of their independent career.
By Nancy Humphrey