Reporter July 16 2021
Update on COVID-19 for VUMC workforce: what you need to know
Jul. 19, 2021—COVID-19 is still very much part of our daily lives, and infection rates are on the increase in the community. VUMC continues to effectively manage COVID-19, and outpatient and inpatient volumes are back to pre-COVID levels.
Jaser to lead new Pediatric Psychology division
Jul. 15, 2021—Sarah Jaser, PhD, associate professor of Pediatrics, has been named the inaugural director for the new Division of Pediatric Psychology within the Department of Pediatrics.
Study shows continuous glucose monitors improve management of type 2 diabetes
Jul. 15, 2021—For patients with type 2 diabetes treated with basal or long-acting insulin, the use of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) can result in significantly lower hemoglobin A1C (a blood test that reflects average blood glucose levels over three months), and better management of the disease according to a study recently published in the journal JAMA.
Arterial stiffening linked to Alzheimer’s disease
Jul. 15, 2021—A research team from Vanderbilt University Medical Center reports in Neurology that greater stiffening of the aorta, the main artery in the human body, is associated in older adults with increased Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology as reflected in a range of neurochemical indicators measured in cerebrospinal fluid.
Grant bolsters Osher Center for Integrative Medicine
Jul. 15, 2021—The Bernard Osher Foundation has given an additional $2.1 million to the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Vanderbilt. This grant supplements the original endowment established in 2014 through the Bernard Osher Foundation’s leadership and commitment to holistic medicine.
Susan G. Komen funds VICC breast cancer initiatives
Jul. 15, 2021—Susan G. Komen has announced breast cancer research grants totaling $14 million, including funding for three separate initiatives led by Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) researchers.
Davis promoted to Vice President for VUMC Cancer Care Network and Strategy
Jul. 14, 2021—Nancy Davis, MD, has been promoted to Vice President for Cancer Care Network and Strategy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, a new position responsible for developing provider relationships with other health care systems and expanding access to oncology care throughout Tennessee and other states.
Clair named inaugural chair of Department of Vascular Surgery
Jul. 14, 2021—After an extensive national search, Daniel Clair, MD, has been named the inaugural chair of the newly formed Department of Vascular Surgery in the Section of Surgical Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and professor of Vascular Surgery in the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, effective Oct. 1.
Study finds children ingested small objects like coins and batteries more frequently during the pandemic
Jul. 14, 2021—Foreign bodies, like coins, button batteries, tiny magnets and sharp objects, were more frequently ingested by children during the coronavirus pandemic than in the same months the year before, according to a single-center study conducted at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt Transplant Center reaches new record number of transplants performed
Jul. 12, 2021—The Vanderbilt Transplant Center performed a record number of solid organ transplants in fiscal year 2021 (FY 21) — 637 life-saving procedures among its adult and pediatric programs — despite occurring entirely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Medical Center Staff Advisory Council elects new leaders
Jul. 12, 2021—The Medical Center Staff Advisory Council has elected new leaders.
Study finds genetic risk factors for severe COVID-19 illness
Jul. 8, 2021—A massive worldwide collaboration including researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) has identified several genetic factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 illness.