Leigh MacMillan
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New tools to probe manganese biology
Vanderbilt researchers have developed tools to probe the role of the essential metal manganese in neurons, and which offer a started point for developing therapeutic agents for manganese-related neurological disorders. Read MoreNov 26, 2014
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Host sequesters zinc to control stomach bug
Understanding how zinc and the host’s immune response control H. pylori’s cancer-causing potential could suggest new therapeutic strategies to reduce infection and cancer risk. Read MoreNov 21, 2014
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VU study reveals factor’s new role in cell division, migration
Vanderbilt University investigators have discovered a new molecular mechanism that regulates microtubule dynamics. The unexpected finding, reported in Developmental Cell, has implications for cancer drug discovery. Read MoreOct 30, 2014
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Immune cells’ role in hypertension
Vanderbilt researchers have discovered that certain immune cells contribute to the development of hypertension, suggesting novel targets for treating the disease. Read MoreOct 24, 2014
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Staph ‘gangs’ share nutrients during infection: study
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria can share resources to cause chronic infections, Vanderbilt investigators have discovered. The findings shed light on a long-standing question in infectious diseases and may inform new treatment strategies. Read MoreOct 16, 2014
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Neuronal culprit in genetic disease
A particular neuronal cell population is involved in the pathogenesis of a rare neurological disorder, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered. Read MoreOct 14, 2014
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Immune cells that guard against ingested pathogens discovered
Vanderbilt investigators have discovered a new type of immune cell residing in the intestinal epithelium that may function as a first line of defense against ingested pathogens. Read MoreOct 9, 2014
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Long-range signaling to stem cells
The potential for long-range signaling factors – such as those identified in the current study – to regulate stem cell behaviors has implications in tumor progression and metastasis. Read MoreOct 9, 2014
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Biomarker for diabetic eye disease
A person’s mitochondrial gene “signature” could predict risk for diabetic retinopathy and guide early intervention strategies. Read MoreSep 26, 2014
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Doherty set for next Discovery Lecture
Nobel laureate Peter Doherty, Ph.D., who discovered how the immune system recognizes virus-infected cells, will deliver the next Flexner Discovery Lecture on Thursday, Oct. 2. Read MoreSep 25, 2014
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VU study reveals shared pathways in psychiatric disorders
Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder share common genetic underpinnings. Vanderbilt researchers combined high-resolution gene expression studies with gene association data to reveal signaling pathways linked to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Read MoreSep 18, 2014
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Research ethics expert Lo set for Discovery Lecture
Bernard Lo, M.D., president of the Greenwall Foundation and director emeritus of the Program in Medical Ethics at the University of California, San Francisco, will deliver the next Flexner Discovery Lecture on Thursday, Sept. 25. Read MoreSep 18, 2014
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Patient-derived stem cells shed light on pulmonary hypertension
Stem cells derived from patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension provide a unique resource for studying the molecular defects that cause the disease and testing potential therapies. Read MoreSep 16, 2014
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Study finds coronary arteries hold heart-regenerating cells
Endothelial cells residing in the coronary arteries can function as cardiac stem cells to produce new heart muscle tissue, Vanderbilt University investigators have discovered. Read MoreAug 20, 2014
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Keeping an eye on blast trauma
Understanding the cellular and molecular responses of the eye to blast injury could guide new treatment development. Read MoreAug 19, 2014
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Weight regain after gastric bypass
Early weight regain after gastric bypass surgery does not reverse metabolic improvements, and the "hunger hormone" ghrelin might indicate who is susceptible to weight regain. Read MoreAug 15, 2014
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Novel treatment strengthens bones in genetic disease
An enzyme therapy may prevent skeletal abnormalities associated with the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis type-1, Vanderbilt investigators have discovered. Read MoreAug 7, 2014
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Cassat lands Burroughs Wellcome Fund award
James Cassat, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of Pediatrics and Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, has received a Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF) Career Award for Medical Scientists. Read MoreJul 31, 2014
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New target for breast cancer therapy
The protein MTBP is overexpressed in an aggressive type of breast cancer, and it regulates another protein implicated in many cancer types, suggesting that it may be a good target for new therapeutics. Read MoreJul 31, 2014
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Treatments for frog fungus
The fungicide amphotericin B may be a useful treatment for a frog fungus that is killing amphibians worldwide. Read MoreJul 25, 2014