Research

September 30, 2021

Molecular imaging of C. diff infection

C. difficile — the leading cause of hospital-associated intestinal infections — induces a rapid influx of bile acids into the gut, which could provide a novel target for blocking infection.

By Leigh MacMillan
September 30, 2021

Fibroids and preterm birth

In a large, prospective study, Vanderbilt researchers found no association between fibroids and any clinical subtype of preterm birth, supporting a reconsideration of the impression that fibroids increase preterm birth risk.

By Emily Stembridge
Interventions such as daily spontaneous waking trials can help patients avoid injuries associated with intensive care.
September 30, 2021

AI predicts next-day delirium or coma in ICU patients

A team at Vanderbilt University Medical Center used machine learning to predict the likelihood of next-day brain function status changes in critical care patients.

By Paul Govern
September 30, 2021

Study shows how a protein coding gene confers breast cancer susceptibility during DNA transcription

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center research is providing new insights into how genetic variants convey breast cancer susceptibility by altering the transcription factor proteins that convert DNA strands into RNA.

By Tom Wilemon
September 29, 2021

Neurotransmitter transporters expert Amara set for Oct. 7 Discovery Lecture

Susan Amara, PhD, scientific director of the Intramural Research Program at the NIMH and an expert on the biology of neurotransmitter transporters, will deliver Vanderbilt’s next Discovery Lecture via Zoom at 4 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 7.

By Bill Snyder
September 22, 2021

“Ultra-potent” antibody against COVID-19 variants isolated at VUMC

A technology developed at Vanderbilt has led to the discovery of an “ultra-potent” monoclonal antibody against multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, including the delta variant.

By Bill Snyder
September 21, 2021

The role of polarity in early cancer

Mutations in the protein epiregulin, an EGF receptor ligand, affect larger epithelial cell reorganization and may contribute to early cancer development, Vanderbilt researchers discovered.
By VUMC News and Communications
September 20, 2021

Brain circuits in schizophrenia

Vanderbilt psychiatrists are probing brain circuit hyperactivity implicated in schizophrenia, with the idea that normalizing the hyperactivity may improve cognitive processes.
By Leigh MacMillan
September 16, 2021

Structural variants in breast cancer risk genes

Vanderbilt epidemiologists conducted in-depth whole genome sequencing of breast cancer risk genes in Black women, who die at higher rates and have more aggressive disease, to discover mutations that may improve testing and treatment selection.
By Leigh MacMillan
September 16, 2021

Chung receives early investigator award from ASCPT

Vanderbilt's Cecilia Chung, MD, MPH, has received the 2022 Leon I. Goldberg Early Investigator Award from the American Society of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT).
By Bill Snyder
September 16, 2021

‘Pre-conditioning’ restores immune tolerance

A treatment targeting T-cell metabolism could reinvigorate immune tolerance mechanisms to combat autoimmune disease and transplant rejection, Vanderbilt researchers discovered.
By Bill Snyder
September 15, 2021

Older age, chronic co-morbidities associated with more severe COVID disease in children

Vanderbilt research found that multiple factors are associated with the severity of COVID-19 disease in children, including older age and chronic co-morbidities such as obesity, diabetes and neurologic conditions.
By Jessica Pasley
September 10, 2021

Caught in a web: study reveals that immune cells cooperate to trap and kill bacteria

Vanderbilt researchers have identified a new antibacterial mechanism that could inspire novel strategies for combating staph and other extracellular bacterial pathogens.
By Leigh MacMillan