Department of Pathology Microbiology and Immunology

From left, Xiang Ye, PhD, Suba Rajendren, PhD, Antiana Richardson, and John Karijolich, PhD, are studying how the cancer-causing virus KSHV commandeers host gene expression and regulatory machinery.
April 20, 2023

Study details RNA editing in virus-infected cancer cells

Vanderbilt researchers detail the landscape of RNA editing — a form of RNA modification — in primary effusion lymphoma cells during Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection and identify an edited viral microRNA that is critical for infection.

By Leigh MacMillan
The study team includes, from left, Maribeth Nicholson, MD, MPH, Ben Spiller, PhD, Buddy Creech, MD, MPH, Borden Lacy, PhD, Eric Skaar, PhD, MPH, Isaac Thomsen, MD, MSCI, Ivelin Georgiev, PhD, and Danyvid Olivares-Villagomez, PhD.
March 30, 2023

NIH grant launches C. diff vaccine research initiative

Vanderbilt has received an NIH grant to launch the Vanderbilt Antibody and Antigen Discovery for Clostridioides difficile Vaccines, or VANDy-CdV.

By Anthony Czelusniak
Wenhan Zhu, PhD, recently received a research award from the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation.
March 23, 2023

Mathers Foundation award supports study of bacterial physiology

Vanderbilt’s Wenhan Zhu, PhD, has received a three-year award from the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation to support his research that aims to answer a fundamental question about bacterial physiology and engineer probiotics to improve gut inflammatory diseases.

By Leigh MacMillan
March 23, 2023

E. coli uses serine to abide acidity

Vanderbilt researchers have discovered another acid resistance mechanism for UTI-causing E. coli, laying the foundation for targeted antibacterial therapies.

By Cherie Saffold
February 20, 2023

Probing hellbender health

Understanding how hellbenders — large, fully aquatic salamanders — fight fungal pathogens and disease is important for protecting these unique stream predators; Vanderbilt researchers add new insights.

By Leigh MacMillan
February 2, 2023

Discovery of “cross-reactive” antibodies could aid treatment of viral co-infections

By Bill Snyder
January 20, 2023

Study reveals new genetic disorder that causes susceptibility to opportunistic infections

An international consortium co-led by Vanderbilt's Rubén Martínez-Barricarte, PhD, has discovered a new genetic disorder that causes immunodeficiency and profound susceptibility to opportunistic infections including a life-threatening fungal pneumonia. 
By Bill Snyder
January 13, 2023

Study identifies potential new approach for treating lupus

A Vanderbilt study found that targeting iron metabolism in immune system cells may offer a new approach for treating systemic lupus erythematosus — the most common form of the chronic autoimmune disease lupus.
By Leigh MacMillan
January 12, 2023

Antibody “fingerprinting” method potential advance to slow spread of dengue

Vanderbilt researchers have reported a major advance in understanding and potentially preventing dengue, a devastating, mosquito-borne tropical viral infection that is spreading across the globe.
By Bill Snyder
January 12, 2023

Study may lead to new diabetes, heart disease treatments

Vanderbilt research found that deletion of an autophagy-participating factor named PIK3C3 from the fat cells of mice led to compromised body temperature control, abnormal blood lipid levels, fatty liver and diabetes.
By Bill Snyder
December 15, 2022

Dooley honored by Treatment Action Group

Vanderbilt's Kelly Dooley, MD, PhD, MPH, recently received the Research in Action Award from the Treatment Action Group (TAG).
By Paul Govern
November 17, 2022

Several from VUMC among most highly cited researchers

Nine current faculty members of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine have made this year’s list of scientists whose papers have been cited most frequently by other researchers.
By Bill Snyder
September 29, 2022

VUMC lands grant to build top-line biosafety facility

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is set to construct a state-of-the-art BioSafety Level 3 (BSL3) facility for research involving the COVID-19 virus, anthrax and other dangerous microorganisms.
By Bill Snyder