medicine Archives

‘Longevity’ gene aids kidney survival

Apr. 17, 2013—A gene associated with cell survival and longevity may protect the kidney from acute injury.

Lung damage protector

Apr. 12, 2013—Targeting repair pathways in the lung’s air sacs may be a valuable therapeutic direction for pulmonary fibrosis – the scarring of lung tissue.

Leukemia culprit’s cellular actions

Apr. 11, 2013—Overexpression of a gene that is a common culprit in leukemia induces stem cell-like features in T cells, which may enable the cells to become cancerous.

“Silent” B cells trigger autoimmunity

Apr. 3, 2013—Immune cells that recognize self antigens (e.g. insulin), but are functionally silent, can trigger autoimmune diseases such as diabetes.

Acetaminophen: protective in sepsis?

Mar. 28, 2013—In critically ill patients with sepsis, plasma hemoglobin may be a new indicator of disease severity – and a potential target for treatment with acetaminophen.

Bacterial resistance breaks bridges

Mar. 14, 2013—Understanding how bacteria become resistant to quinolone antibiotics could guide strategies for developing new antibacterial drugs.

Tick-tock – predicting menopause

Mar. 6, 2013—An ultrasound count of potentially egg-producing follicles could predict the timing of menopause.

Target for inflammatory bowel disease

Mar. 1, 2013—The factor STAT6 appears to play a role in the pathogenesis of an inflammatory bowel disease, suggesting it may be a promising target for new treatments.

Factor CITED in pediatric liver cancer

Feb. 20, 2013—Vanderbilt researchers report that they have found a factor involved in the persistence of embryonic cells implicated in childhood liver cancer.

Cell connections key in valve disease

Feb. 14, 2013—A protein that connects cells together participates in the calcification that occurs in heart valve disease.

Study tracks genes involved in heart rhythm disorders

Feb. 7, 2013—A team led by Vanderbilt University investigators has discovered two new genes — both coding for the signaling protein calmodulin — associated with severe early-onset disorders of heart rhythm.