Department of Pathology Microbiology and Immunology Archive

HIV cell
February 8, 2021

Key factors in HIV-1 replication

HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS, exploits inositol phosphates in T cells to aid its own assembly and maturation — suggesting that targeting inositol phosphate binding could inhibit HIV-1 replication.

By Anivarya Kumar
January 5, 2021

VUMC, Case Western apply artificial intelligence to “customize” oral cancer treatment

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland have been awarded a five-year, $3.3 million grant by the National Cancer Institute to apply artificial intelligence (AI) to help customize treatment for oral cancer patients.

By Bill Snyder
December 10, 2020

Exploiting viral vulnerabilities

The isolation of human monoclonal antibodies against dangerous viruses including EEEV, Hendra and Nipah could offer new ways to treat and prevent these infections.

By Bill Snyder
C. Henrique Serezani, PhD, right, and colleagues, from left, Amondrea Blackman, Nathan Klopfenstein and Júlia Miranda Ribeiro Bazzano are studying the early events of the inflammatory response to infection.
December 10, 2020

Study details early events of inflammatory response

Vanderbilt University Medical Center investigators have identified a key molecular player in the early events of the inflammatory response to infection. The findings suggest new therapeutic possibilities for enhancing the inflammatory response to protect against pathogens and for blocking inflammation gone awry in diseases like arthritis and atherosclerosis.

By Leigh MacMillan
Alice Coogan, MD, has been named chair of the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology.
December 8, 2020

Coogan named chair of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

After an extensive national search Alice Coogan, MD, interim chair of the Department and professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology (PM&I), has been named as the department’s next chair, effective immediately. Coogan will be the seventh chair of the department and the first female chair.

By John Howser
December 3, 2020

Team tracks sources of false positives in urine drug screens

False positives on urine drug screens are common and are frequently due to cross-reactivity of these tests to medications. Last year, Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers Jacob Hughey, PhD, assistant professor of Biomedical Informatics, and Jennifer Colby, PhD, at that time assistant professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, devised, tested and published a method to systematically identify medications that interfere with screenings for drugs of abuse.

By Paul Govern