Department of Pathology Microbiology and Immunology Archive — Page 21 of 31

October 12, 2017

A switch for autoimmunity

Vanderbilt investigators have discovered a class of compounds that inhibit a mediator of inflammation and autoimmune disorders, and that could pave the way for development of future therapies.

September 21, 2017

Excess dietary manganese increases risk of staph infection in heart

Too much dietary manganese — an essential trace mineral found in leafy green vegetables, fruits and nuts — promotes infection of the heart by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (“staph”).

HIV cell
September 1, 2017

Restricting HIV-1 infection

Vanderbilt researchers are discovering ways that host proteins block HIV-1 infection, which could suggest new avenues for treatment.

spotlight on a black background
July 27, 2017

Investigators use light to kill microbial ‘vampires’

On July 24 Vanderbilt scientist Eric Skaar, Ph.D., MPH, summarized his group’s latest paper in a tweet: “If S. aureus is going to drink our blood like a vampire, let’s kill it with sunlight.”

July 21, 2017

Probing the genetics of autoimmunity

Vanderbilt researchers have found that non-coding regions of the genome appear to contribute to the risk of autoimmune diseases and may represent attractive therapeutic targets.

July 20, 2017

Immune responses linked to cell’s recycling system

Autophagy is the cellular equivalent of trash pickup and recycling — it is a process by which proteins, protein aggregates and damaged cellular organelles are degraded in order to reuse nutrients and promote cellular metabolism.