Vanderbilt researchers have identified cancer cell-specific genetic alterations that reprogram the immune “landscape,” thereby driving tumor growth, and discovered a potential new drug target for stopping it.

The annual awards highlight outstanding achievements by women in the biological sciences.

Laboratory and administrative personnel at Vanderbilt University Medical Center were honored on March 29 for research excellence during the 20th annual Research Staff Awards Ceremony.

John Koethe, MD, MSCI, associate professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has been appointed director and principal investigator of the Tennessee Center for AIDS Research.

Using a technique developed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, researchers identified antibodies that are excellent leads as potential therapies for human parainfluenza virus 3, a leading cause of acute and potentially fatal respiratory illness.

While immune checkpoint inhibitors that target the PD-1 molecule on T-cells have proven to be effective with many cancers, these immunotherapies have not worked for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but new research has identified a “cousin” molecule as a potential therapeutic target for AML. 

Jerome is the 2024 recipient of the Distinguished Scientist Award, which honors “preeminent senior scientists for a long-standing record of achievement in the field of microscopy and microanalysis.”