Vanderbilt Institute for Infection Immunology and Inflammation Archives

Sage Davis, 4, observes microbial “snakes” and “space bears” (tardigrades) under the microscope with his parents, Corinne and Gerald.

Educational event zooms in on complex world of microbes

Sep. 29, 2023—More than 100 children and their families attended the sixth annual MEGAMicrobe community science recently at Gower Elementary School in Nashville.

Children had a field day on Oct. 19 exploring with Vanderbilt scientists the “great big world of tiny microbes” — bacteria, viruses and other germs. The third annual MEGAMicrobe event, hosted by the Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation (VI4), was held at Granbery Elementary School in Brentwood. MEGAMicrobe’s goal is to make science fun and accessible. For more information, go here.

Free MEGAMicrobe interactive event set for Sept. 23

Aug. 23, 2023—MEGAMicrobe, a free exploration of the world of microbes, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at Gower Elementary School.

VI4 Artist-in-Residence exhibition opens Aug. 7

Jul. 28, 2023—The Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation Artist-in-Residence Program (VI4-AiR) invites the public to the opening celebration of its “Molecular Muse” exhibition Aug. 7 at the Vanderbilt Fine Arts Gallery.

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.

Study details RNA editing in virus-infected cancer cells

Apr. 20, 2023—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.

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.

NIH grant launches C. diff vaccine research initiative

Mar. 30, 2023—Vanderbilt has received an NIH grant to launch the Vanderbilt Antibody and Antigen Discovery for Clostridioides difficile Vaccines, or VANDy-CdV.

Wenhan Zhu, PhD, recently received a research award from the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation.

Mathers Foundation award supports study of bacterial physiology

Mar. 23, 2023—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.

E. coli uses serine to abide acidity

Mar. 23, 2023—Vanderbilt researchers have discovered another acid resistance mechanism for UTI-causing E. coli, laying the foundation for targeted antibacterial therapies.

Probing hellbender health

Feb. 20, 2023—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.

Jeffrey Rathmell, PhD, left, and Kelsey Voss, PhD, led a multidisciplinary team that identified iron metabolism in T cells as a potential target for treating lupus.

Study identifies potential new approach for treating lupus

Jan. 13, 2023—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.

VUMC lands grant to build top-line biosafety facility

Sep. 29, 2022—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.

Kaydi Naylor, 4, touches an eastern chain kingsnake at last week’s “MEGAMicrobe Express” community science fair at the Warner Elementary Arts Magnet School in East Nashville.

MEGAMicrobe event shows children that science can be fun

Sep. 22, 2022—More than 100 children who attended the “MEGAMicrobe Express” community science fair on Sept. 17 at the Warner Elementary Arts Magnet School in East Nashville.

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.