Division of Infectious Diseases

May 8, 2023

Harris named Department of Medicine’s executive vice chair for Clinical Affairs

Bryan Harris, MD, MPH, MMHC, has been named executive vice chair for Clinical Affairs for Vanderbilt’s Department of Medicine, effective July 1.

By Jill Clendening
April 27, 2023

Phillips elected to Association of American Physicians

Vanderbilt’s Elizabeth Phillips, MD, has been elected to membership in the Association of American Physicians

By Bill Snyder
April 25, 2023

COVID alters respiratory microbiota

COVID-19 infection alters the microbes of the upper respiratory tract for at least several weeks, and such disturbances could impact disease severity and be targets for therapeutic interventions.

By Leigh MacMillan
March 9, 2023

Study finds RSV may evade vaccines via rapid mutation

A Vanderbilt study concluded that RSV’s ability to mutate rapidly to escape detection by the body’s immune system makes it more challenging to design and develop vaccines that can stop it from spreading.

By Bill Snyder
February 23, 2023

NIH grant supports TB research network in Brazil

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a five-year, $5 million grant to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for continued support of the Brazil Regional Prospective Observational Research in Tuberculosis network, or RePORT-Brazil.

By Paul Govern
February 8, 2023

New Chief Medical Officers announced

Rick W. Wright, MD, has been appointed as Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s new Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Senior Vice President for Clinical Affairs and Patty Wright, MD, will be transitioning from her role as Chief of Staff for Adult Ambulatory, Davidson County to the role of Chief Medical Officer for Adult Ambulatory Clinics.

By John Howser
February 6, 2023

Gut microbiota and lung fibrosis

Microorganisms residing in the gut influence the severity of lung fibrosis in mouse models, suggesting that modifying the gut microbiota may offer therapeutic benefit for patients.
By Leigh MacMillan
February 2, 2023

COVID-19 battle begins in the nose

A high upper airway concentration of the virus that causes COVID-19 was associated with changes in gene expression that could impact disease progression, Vanderbilt researchers discovered.
By Sarah E. Glass
February 2, 2023

Risk of household flu spread skyrocketed during pandemic

A Vanderbilt study found that the household spread of flu during the 2021-2022 season was more than twice as high as it was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Jake Lowary
January 26, 2023

Study to explore COVID’s impact on essential workers

Vanderbilt researchers are inviting non-health care essential workers to participate in a study to better understand how they continue to be impacted by COVID-19.
By Jill Clendening
January 19, 2023

Emerging Infections Program lands national award for COVID response

Vanderbilt's Emerging Infections Program (EIP) recently received the Toby Merlin Award for Excellence in Emergency Response, presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
By Jake Lowary
December 21, 2022

Flu season came early, hit hard in Tennessee

Flu season came a month early this year in Tennessee and hit hard, disproportionately affecting children, according to Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) data gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Tennessee Department of Health and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
By Craig Boerner
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