Department of Cell and Developmental Biology

February 28, 2018

Structure of a stem cell niche

Understanding the specialized environment where stem cells reside is important for developing stem-cell based regenerative therapies.

By Leigh MacMillan
January 31, 2018

Cell skeleton and the brush border

Vanderbilt researchers have discovered a role for microtubules — part of the cellular “skeleton” — in organizing the unique sidedness of the epithelial cells that line organs like the intestines.

By Leigh MacMillan
January 11, 2018

Macara named ‘Pink Tie Guy’ for Komen breast cancer research

Ian Macara, PhD, Louise B. McGavock Professor and Chair of Cell and Developmental Biology and co-leader of the Signal Transduction and Chemical Biology Research Program at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC), has been named one of the Pink Tie Guys for the Susan G. Komen Central Tennessee organization.

By VUMC News and Communications
January 4, 2018

Research sheds light on how microtubules are assembled

Microtubules are the “railroad tracks” essential for moving intracellular “freight” around in the cell. They’re also part of the spindle that pulls the two centrosomes apart during cell division.

By Bill Snyder
tree roots
November 30, 2017

Lineage tracing in the gut

Vanderbilt investigators have developed an algorithm to classify cell types from experimental data, making it possible to understand how organs develop.

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
November 10, 2017

A lipid’s role in cell division

Lipids in the plasma membrane regulate the position of the contractile ring that is required for cell division, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered.
By Natalya Ortolano
November 9, 2017

Advanced imaging tools reveal architecture of cell division machinery

Using super-resolution microscopy tools in the Nikon Center of Excellence, Vanderbilt investigators have determined the molecular architecture of the contractile ring machinery that functions during cell division — a process that is essential for life.
By Leigh MacMillan
October 26, 2017

Gut response to fluid flow

Vanderbilt researchers have discovered that microvilli – finger-like projections from cells in the intestine – respond to the shear stress of fluid flow to drive a cellular pathway that regulates nutrient balance.
By VUMC News and Communications
October 17, 2017

Researchers find novel mechanism of resistance to anti-cancer drugs

Vanderbilt investigators have discovered a novel non-genetic cause of resistance to the targeted anti-cancer therapy cetuximab. Their findings, reported this week in Nature Medicine, suggest a strategy for overcoming this resistance.
By Leigh MacMillan
September 20, 2017

Goal of new tissue-chip research is to assess efficacy of novel epilepsy drugs

An interdisciplinary team of Vanderbilt University researchers has received a two-year, $2-million federal grant to develop an “organ-on-chip” model for two genetic forms of epilepsy.
By VUMC News and Communications
August 31, 2017

Epigenetics expert Allis set for Sept. 7 Discovery Lecture

Internationally known epigeneticist C. David Allis, Ph.D., will deliver the first Flexner Discovery Lecture of the academic year at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, in room 208 Light Hall.
By Bill Snyder
August 17, 2017

Discovery sheds light on protein key to nerve cells’ myelin sheath

Genetic mutations in PMP22 (peripheral myelin protein 22) cause a variety of peripheral neuropathies, underscoring the importance of the protein to a healthy peripheral nervous system. But the precise function of PMP22, a major component of the myelin sheath that surrounds and insulates peripheral nerve cell axons, has been unclear.
By Leigh MacMillan