Research

March 25, 2025

C. diff uses toxic compound to fuel growth advantage

The findings of a new research study increase understanding of the molecular drivers of C. diff infection and point to novel therapeutic strategies aimed at a pathogen that causes about half a million infections in the U.S. each year.

By Leigh MacMillan
Colleagues, trainees and family members attended the recent Beauchamp Research Day. Left to right are invited lecturer Jen Jen Yeh, MD, Beauchamp’s wife Shannon, daughter Bryn, James Goldenring, MD, PhD, Paul W. Sanger Professor of Experimental Surgery and vice chair for Surgical Research, and Seth Karp, MD, H. William Scott Jr. Professor of Surgery and chair of the Section of Surgical Sciences. (photo by Khristina Prince)
March 19, 2025

R. Daniel Beauchamp’s legacy shines at research symposium spotlighting investigations

Beauchamp Research Day honors his legacy and celebrates the achievements of others he inspired, collaborated with or advised.

By Jill Clendening
March 17, 2025

Where are all the Alzheimer’s drugs?

A new study will use innovative methods developed at VUMC to look for drugs already approved for other uses that could potentially be repurposed to treat Alzheimer’s.

By Paul Govern
(iStock image)
March 14, 2025

Blood formation and disorders expert Stuart Orkin to present Discovery Lecture March 27

Orkin’s research led to a gene therapy for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia; it is the first Food and Drug Administration-approved CRISPR-based gene therapy.

By Leigh MacMillan
March 12, 2025

Potential therapeutic for Duchenne muscular dystrophy takes step forward

Positive findings from a clinical trial support further study of the investigational drug ifetroban to treat cardiac complications, the leading cause of death in patients with DMD.

By Leigh MacMillan
(Adobe Stock)
March 12, 2025

‘Trajectories’ of poor sleep over time may shorten your life: study

Long-term trajectories of irregular sleep durations outside the optimal range (more or less than the healthy duration of seven to nine hours of sleep per night) increased the risk of death from all causes by as much as 29%.

By Bill Snyder
March 11, 2025

Virtual reality eases pain, stress for chemotherapy patients: study

The patients exhibited lower heart rates, reported high satisfaction with virtual reality and experienced no feelings of cybersickness.
By Tom Wilemon
March 10, 2025

Evolution, genomics and disease: a very special Discovery Lecture

Sarah Tishkoff described her groundbreaking research during a talk titled “African Evolutionary Genomics: Reconstructing Human Evolution and the Genetic Basis of Complex Adaptive Traits.”
By Bill Snyder
March 10, 2025

VUMC to develop AI technology for therapeutic antibody discovery

The approach will address “bottlenecks” that slow the traditional antibody discovery process, and it aims to make it possible to generate monoclonal antibody therapies against any target of interest.
By Leigh MacMillan
March 5, 2025

Team finds a better way to identify newborns at risk for opioid withdrawal

By 2017, on the back of the opioid crisis, the rate of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome in the U.S. was estimated to have reached 7.3 per 1000 deliveries. Meanwhile, many newborns exposed to opioids in utero never develop the syndrome and must undergo needless monitoring in the hospital after birth.
By Paul Govern
March 4, 2025

Skin tone may affect accuracy of blood oxygen measurement in children: study

One of two commonly used oximetry devices failed to detect low oxygen levels in 7% of patients with the darkest skin tone.
By Bill Snyder
March 3, 2025

Jeffrey Rathmell named to leadership role in cancer research at the University of Chicago

Rathmell has been named chair of the Ben May Department for Cancer Research and director of the Ludwig Center at the University of Chicago, effective July 1.
By Bill Snyder
February 27, 2025

VUMC part of new study validating curative therapy for sickle cell disease

Of 38 adults with severe SCD who participated in the study, more than 97% no longer required immunosuppressive therapy one year after the transplant.
By Bill Snyder
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