Department of Medicine

March 17, 2022

Blood test figures in cancer risk for people with HIV

A Vanderbilt study found that, among adult patients with HIV, those who have lower counts of certain types of blood cells have a markedly higher risk of developing cancer.

By Paul Govern
P. Brent Ferrell, MD, is part of a multidisciplinary team studying new approaches to understand and treat cancer.
March 17, 2022

Ferrell lands Mark Foundation for Cancer Research award

Vanderbilt’s Brent Ferrell, MD, is one of the recipients a 2022 Endeavor Award from the The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research.

By Tom Wilemon
March 17, 2022

Study compares kidney injury risk for COVID, flu patients

A Vanderbilt study found that renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAASi) inhibitor drugs, which are commonly used to regulate high blood pressure, do not disproportionately increase the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with COVID-19 compared to patients hospitalized with influenza.

By Emily Stembridge
March 17, 2022

Talbot named to infection prevention society’s leadership

Vanderbilt’s Tom Talbot, MD, MPH, was recently elected to serve in the leadership of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.

By Paul Govern
José Ontiveros, center, and his wife, Isela Morales, to his left, are surrounded by some of the team members who helped save his life as he battled post-COVID complications, including from left, infectious disease specialist Karen Bloch, MD, MPH; interpreter Eleazar Jimenez; orthopaedic surgeon Amir Abtahi, MD; infectious disease specialist Christina Fiske, MD, MPH; and otolaryngologist Sarah Rohde, MD, MMHC.
March 16, 2022

Teamwork returns man with severe post-COVID complications to his life

A multidisciplinary team at Vanderbilt helped José Ontiveros cope with a long list of severe complications arising from his COVID-19i infection.

By Jill Clendening
March 14, 2022

Microbiome reflects COVID-19 severity

Characterization of the upper respiratory tract microbiome could help predict outcomes for COVID-19 infection, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered.

By Elliot Jaffe 
March 10, 2022

Bots boost liver cancer outcome

Vanderbilt researchers report that robotic-assisted surgery is comparable, if not superior, to laparoscopic surgery for early-stage liver cancer patients.
By Leah Mann 
March 10, 2022

ICU study confirms safety of delabeling penicillin allergies

A Vanderbilt study shows that physicians can safely identify and disprove low-risk penicillin allergies using an oral amoxicillin challenge in consenting patients, even those in the intensive care unit who are recovering from critical illness.
By Nancy Humphrey
March 7, 2022

Study finds World Trade Center responders at higher risk for blood cancer-associated mutations

A study by Vanderbilt and New York City researchers found that 9/11 first responders to the World Trade Center have increased levels of mutations that escalate their risk for blood cancers or cardiovascular disease
By Tom Wilemon
March 3, 2022

Chest Pain Center receives reaccreditation from ACC

Vanderbilt University Medical Center has been reaccredited as a Chest Pain Center with Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) and Resuscitation.
By Kristin Smart
February 28, 2022

Invasive strep can defy zinc toxicity

Vanderbilt researchers find that invasive Group B Streptococcus strains, a significant risk to pregnant patients and infants, can grow in presence of toxic zinc levels.
By Taylor Engdahl
February 24, 2022

VUMC researchers find clue to drug-induced arrhythmias

Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers have made a fundamental discovery about how the heart compensates for genetic variations that otherwise could trigger abnormal and potentially fatal heart rhythms.
By Bill Snyder
February 24, 2022

Study finds LGBQ people report higher rates of adverse childhood experiences than straight people, worse mental health as adults

A new study led by researchers at Vanderbilt found that 83% of lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer (LGBQ) individuals reported going through adverse childhood experiences such as sexual and emotional abuse, and worse mental health as adults when compared to their heterosexual peers.
By Jake Lowary