Department of Veterans Affairs Archives

Heather Pua, MD, PhD, and Neil Sprenkle, PhD, have discovered a protective role for microRNAs in immune cell macrophages during obesity, potentially opening new therapeutic avenues.

MicroRNAs in immune cells help protect against metabolic defects in obesity: study

Sep. 5, 2023—Vanderbilt researchers have demonstrated that a cluster of microRNAs — small pieces of RNA that regulate gene expression — work in a type of immune cells called macrophages to help protect against metabolic defects in obesity.

Billing codes aid lupus diagnosis

May. 18, 2023—Vanderbilt researchers used billing codes in electronic health records to develop a “phenotype risk score” that identified established and undiagnosed people with lupus.

Tracking lung macrophages

May. 4, 2023—A new technique will allow researchers to track subsets of immune cells that patrol and defend the lungs, to better understand the roles of these cells during lung inflammation, infection and injury.

Low potassium injures kidney

Jan. 19, 2023—Vanderbilt researchers have discovered that low dietary potassium causes direct kidney injury, suggesting potential new targets for treating chronic kidney disease.

The study team included, from left, Raymond Harris, MD, J.P. Arroyo, MD, PhD, and Gautam Bhave, MD, PhD.

VUMC researchers upend dogma about vasopressin production

Jan. 5, 2023—Vanderbilt investigators have discovered that vasopressin, which has long been thought to be produced only in the brain, is also produced in the kidney.

Craig Brooks, PhD, and colleagues are studying a molecular mechanism that promotes chronic kidney disease following kidney injury. (photo by Erin O. Smith)

Novel therapeutic target identified for chronic kidney disease

Dec. 15, 2022—Vanderbilt investigators have discovered a molecular mechanism that promotes chronic kidney disease following kidney injury.

A Vanderbilt study shows that reducing consumption of simple sugars helped improve gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Study finds that reducing intake of simple sugars improves GERD

Oct. 6, 2022—A Vanderbilt study found that reducing dietary carbohydrates improved both symptoms and objective measurements of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in a randomized controlled trial.

Policy, resources crucial for lung cancer screening: study

Sep. 29, 2022—Vanderbilt reseach shows that resources for lung cancer screening programs increased the number of veterans screened.

Luc Van Kaer, PhD, left, Luke Postoak and colleagues have identified a protein that is key to the “education” of immature T cells in the thymus.

Study identifies key player in T cell “education”

Sep. 1, 2022—New Vanderbilt research could inform therapeutic strategies for enhancing thymic function when desired — such as during aging, recovery from radiation therapy or chemotherapy, or other conditions that reduce T cell output.

A new mechanism for lupus

Aug. 30, 2022—Vanderbilt researchers describe a new mechanism for the most common form of lupus and suggest a new treatment approach to this autoimmune disease.

Research by Christopher Peek, PhD, left, Jim Cassat, MD, PhD, and their colleagues reveals how gut inflammation leads to bone loss.

Vanderbilt researchers discover how gut inflammation leads to bone loss

Aug. 25, 2022—Gastrointestinal inflammation, such as occurs in inflammatory bowel disease, triggers the expansion of a population of “bone-eating” cells, leading to bone loss.

Rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease: a common path

Aug. 25, 2022—An increase in certain antibodies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis can serve as a predictive biomarker for cardiovascular disease, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered.