Department of Pathology Microbiology and Immunology Archive

November 21, 2014

Host sequesters zinc to control stomach bug

Understanding how zinc and the host’s immune response control H. pylori’s cancer-causing potential could suggest new therapeutic strategies to reduce infection and cancer risk.

By Leigh MacMillan
staph colonies on red petri dish
October 16, 2014

Staph ‘gangs’ share nutrients during infection: study

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria can share resources to cause chronic infections, Vanderbilt investigators have discovered. The findings shed light on a long-standing question in infectious diseases and may inform new treatment strategies.

By Leigh MacMillan
discarded clothing size tags
October 16, 2014

Lymphocyte study reveals obesity clues

Vanderbilt University researchers are closer to understanding the link between obesity, chronic inflammation and type 2 diabetes.

By Bill Snyder
October 9, 2014

Immune cells that guard against ingested pathogens discovered

Vanderbilt investigators have discovered a new type of immune cell residing in the intestinal epithelium that may function as a first line of defense against ingested pathogens.

By Leigh MacMillan
September 25, 2014

A path to sarcoidosis treatment

Vanderbilt investigators identify a new therapeutic target for the inflammatory lung disease sarcoidosis.

By VUMC News and Communications
September 3, 2014

Aggressive bone cancers build more blood vessels

A subpopulation of bone cancer cells may be responsible for driving clinically aggressive behavior, suggesting new treatment options.

By Katherine Venmar
August 28, 2014

Ascano seeks to shed light on cellular stress response

Ebola. Chikungunya. Influenza. What’s to be done about these headline-grabbing, debilitating, often lethal viruses?
By Bill Snyder
July 31, 2014

Cassat lands Burroughs Wellcome Fund award

James Cassat, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of Pediatrics and Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, has received a Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF) Career Award for Medical Scientists.
By Leigh MacMillan
July 31, 2014

New target for breast cancer therapy

The protein MTBP is overexpressed in an aggressive type of breast cancer, and it regulates another protein implicated in many cancer types, suggesting that it may be a good target for new therapeutics.
By Leigh MacMillan
July 25, 2014

Treatments for frog fungus

The fungicide amphotericin B may be a useful treatment for a frog fungus that is killing amphibians worldwide.
By Leigh MacMillan
July 23, 2014

Natural killer cells don’t clear HMPV

Understanding how the immune system responds to the respiratory virus HMPV is crucial for developing vaccines and anti-viral treatments.
By Leigh MacMillan
July 18, 2014

Neural receptor for reovirus

A newly identified receptor allows mammalian reovirus to infect neurons, shedding light on factors important for viral encephalitis.
By Leigh MacMillan
July 17, 2014

Regulating immune regulators

Understanding how to control the generation of regulatory T cells could have important implications for treating autoimmunity and cancer.
By Leigh MacMillan