Research

January 7, 2021

Building a cohort, the easy way

An automated system using keyword searches can help identify candidates for clinical trials on adverse drug reactions.

By Paul Govern
January 7, 2021

Functional seizures associated with stroke, psychiatric disorders in electronic health records study

In a large-scale study of electronic health records, Vanderbilt University Medical Center investigators have determined the prevalence of functional seizures and characterized comorbidities associated with them.

By Leigh MacMillan
January 6, 2021

Genome editing technique “rescues” mice from accelerated aging disorder: study

Researchers from the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Vanderbilt University Medical Center for the first time have used a novel genome-editing technique to “rescue” mice from progeria, a rare genetic disease that causes accelerated aging.

By Bill Snyder
January 5, 2021

VUMC, Case Western apply artificial intelligence to “customize” oral cancer treatment

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland have been awarded a five-year, $3.3 million grant by the National Cancer Institute to apply artificial intelligence (AI) to help customize treatment for oral cancer patients.

By Bill Snyder
December 22, 2020

Pancreatlas provides access to complex images of the human pancreas

Images of cells and tissues are a critical part of biomedical research as they show which molecules or proteins are present and where these molecules are located in the tissue. Using increasingly sophisticated microscopes and imaging approaches, scientists can now look at more than 40 different molecules at once, an approach known as multi-plex imaging, where in the past they could only look at three or four molecules at a time.

By Jill Clendening
December 22, 2020

Arthritis drug may treat immunotherapy-related heart complication

By Tom Wilemon
December 17, 2020

Study reveals new strategy for reducing tumor growth, metastasis

A team of Vanderbilt investigators has discovered that blocking a certain signaling pathway boosts antitumor immunity and reduces tumor growth and metastasis in models of breast cancer and melanoma.
By Leigh MacMillan
December 17, 2020

COVID-associated delays for elective services studied

This spring in the U.S., there were widespread delays in elective health care procedures and screenings. Hospitals, in observance of federal guidelines, were, for a time, conserving beds and protective equipment in preparation for a surge in COVID-19 admissions. And, perhaps on a more prolonged basis, patients in many areas of the country stayed away due to anxiety over catching COVID-19 from other patients or their health care team.
By Paul Govern
December 17, 2020

Study reveals distinct genomic landscape for young adults with appendiceal cancer

The first study to compare molecular landscapes of early-onset and late-onset appendiceal cancer has revealed distinct non-silent mutations in the tumors of younger patients, setting the stage for the development of potential therapeutic advances for this rare disease.
By Tom Wilemon
December 15, 2020

A deeper look at out-of-home care

Geographically targeted efforts to prevent children being placed in out-of-home care might be possible, Vanderbilt researchers report.
By Bill Snyder
December 14, 2020

Polymer protection for heart muscle

Vanderbilt researchers demonstrate that the polymer P188 has promise as a therapy to prevent reperfusion injury — the cellular damage that occurs when blood flow returns after an ischemic event like a heart attack.
By Leigh MacMillan
December 10, 2020

Model students: improving clinical decision-making

Vanderbilt investigators have devised a system to alert health IT teams to deteriorating performance in clinical prediction models.
By Paul Govern
December 10, 2020

Exploiting viral vulnerabilities

The isolation of human monoclonal antibodies against dangerous viruses including EEEV, Hendra and Nipah could offer new ways to treat and prevent these infections.
By Bill Snyder