Research

September 7, 2020

Possible key to COVID-19 infectivity

New findings demonstrate how genetic variations in the receptor that binds SARS-CoV-2 impact virus recognition and infectivity and offer insights to COVID-19 susceptibility and treatment.

By Sarah E. Glass
September 3, 2020

New clue to Alzheimer’s disease

Combining studies of genetically diverse mouse populations and human data led to the identification of a gene associated with cognitive decline and brain changes in Alzheimer’s disease.

By Bill Snyder
September 3, 2020

Assembling cell power plant machinery

Tina Iverson and colleagues provide a structural view into the assembly of a protein machine essential for cellular energy production.

By Leigh MacMillan
August 27, 2020

Study to track if COVID can spread during minimally invasive surgery

Physician-scientists at Vanderbilt University Medical Center are investigating whether SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can be spread through aerosolized emissions (microscopic droplets and particles) during minimally invasive surgery in children.

By Bill Snyder
August 27, 2020

Study uses AI to sort patient messages by complexity

Taking an interest in electronic message threads between surgical patients and their health care teams, a research group at Vanderbilt University Medical Center has tested how well certain commonly used machine learning algorithms can classify such exchanges according to their clinical decision-making complexity.

By Paul Govern
August 25, 2020

Blocking tumor ‘signals’ and ‘fuel’

Combining two drugs reduced colorectal cancer cell growth in vitro and in an animal model, suggesting the combination may be a promising treatment for patients.

By Leigh MacMillan
August 24, 2020

Land of plenty (of opioids)

Surgical patients are being given more opioids than they need for postsurgical pain management, raising the risk of addiction.
By Paul Govern
August 20, 2020

Salt, immune cells and hypertension

Excess dietary salt activates immune cells to induce inflammation and hypertension, supporting current recommendations for low sodium consumption.
By Leigh MacMillan
August 20, 2020

A “torque” for tumor blood vessels

Vanderbilt scientists have discovered a new target for normalizing tumor blood vessels to improve cancer immunotherapies.
By Bill Snyder
August 20, 2020

‘Scavenger’ molecule may point to new atherosclerosis treatment

A small-molecule “scavenger” that reduces inflammation and formation of atherosclerotic plaque in blood vessels in mice potentially could lead to a new approach for treating atherosclerosis in humans, according to researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
By Bill Snyder
August 20, 2020

Study identifies antibodies that block alphaviruses

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have identified antibodies that, in animals, block infection by alphaviruses, which can cause chronic and debilitating joint pain and arthritis and are an increasing global health concern.
By Bill Snyder
August 17, 2020

Cashew shell compound appears to mend damaged nerves

In laboratory experiments, a chemical compound found in the shell of the cashew nut promotes the repair of myelin, a team from Vanderbilt University Medical Center reported Aug. 17 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
By Paul Govern
August 11, 2020

Risk marker for repeat sinus surgery

An inflammatory factor in mucus could be a biomarker of treatment-resistant chronic sinusitis used to determine which patients are at risk for repeat sinus surgery.
By Leigh MacMillan