Reagan Villet

Think of cells as factories that hold sets of machines doing different things. How those machines are organized and used determines the efficiency of the factory. Vanderbilt researchers are looking into how cells reorganize those machines over time—and what that means for aging. They’re focused on a cell structure (machine) called the ER, which is known to be vital to cell processes but has not yet been thoroughly studied. “Changes in the ER occur relatively early in the aging process,” says Assistant Professor Kris Burkewitz. “One of the most exciting implications of this is that it may be one of the triggers for what comes later: dysfunction and disease.” And identifying the trigger could lead to being able to stop the firing. Read More

Cyberattacks on medical devices and health care systems can endanger patient lives. A project led by a team of Vanderbilt faculty—the Advance Risk Management and Operational Resilience for Hospitals system—is a vulnerability mitigation platform to help avert and thwart such threats. Its development got a $7 million boost from the federal ARPA-H program. Read More

Birdsong performed by males has a direct role in evolution—its main functions are to attract mates and defend territory from rival males. But female birds sing, too, and their abilities may reflect generations of cooperation in breeding and parenting. “Birdsong … sits at the intersection of genetics, learning, culture and social interaction,” says Associate Professor Nicole Creanza, who has just published a paper about female birdsong with postdoctoral scholar Kate Snyder. “By studying how cooperation and territorial behavior influence communication in birds, we gain insight into how social complexity shapes evolution more generally,” Snyder adds. Their research was funded through a Vanderbilt Scaling Success Grant. Read More

On February 25 and 26, Squishmallows made their debut at a college sporting event for the very first time. The idea was developed by Owen Graduate School of Management MBA students, shaped through coursework with faculty member Mario Avila, and brought to life by Jeremy Padawer, MBA’01. What started as a classroom connection turned into one of the most unexpected game weekends Memorial Gym has seen. Read More

Vanderbilt University Public Safety will conduct an off-cycle test of the Big Voice Outdoor Siren System on Saturday, March 14, at noon. This brief test is necessary to complete scheduled maintenance and ensure that the system stays fully operational. If Vanderbilt experiences inclement weather at the scheduled time, the test will be rescheduled. Read More

Kevin Galloway, research associate professor of mechanical engineering, has been named the new Evans Family Executive Director of the Wond’ry, Vanderbilt’s Center for Innovation and Design. Galloway, formerly director of making at the Wond’ry, succeeds David A. Owens in a planned leadership transition. After a decade of service to the Wond’ry, Owens will return to teaching in Owen Graduate School of Management and will continue to contribute to Vanderbilt’s innovation ecosystem. Read More

The Eagles are bringing “The Long Goodbye, Act III” to FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University on Saturday, May 9 — and Vanderbilt faculty, staff and students have access to a special presale. Read More

Vanderbilt University now maintains its own REDCap instance, a secure web application for building and managing online surveys and databases. University staff and postdoctoral researchers currently using REDCap through the Vanderbilt University Medical Center instance must migrate their projects to the university instance by Wednesday, April 15, 2026, to avoid loss of project data. Read More

A new report by Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator director of artificial intelligence and technology policy Asad Ramzanali and Akhil Rajan analyzes the foundational model market, highlights a case study of a startup that experienced unfair treatment from a foundation model provider, and recommends a requirement for AI neutrality similar to “net neutrality” rules in broadband. Read More

For patients with advanced melanoma without BRAF mutation who no longer respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors, treatment options remain frustratingly limited. A new study from Vanderbilt researchers led by Professor Emerita of Pharmacology Ann Richmond outlines a promising therapeutic strategy that may re-sensitize these resistant tumors to immunotherapy. Read More

Vanderbilt’s Central Library second-floor gallery is awash with color with the opening of Brighter and Brighter: The Poetry Prints of Sam Maitin. The exhibit is on view at Central through August, when it will move to Special Collections and University Archives and be on display there through November 2026. Read More

The United States’ global leadership in science and technology depends on sustained federal investment in engineering research and education. With that message, Krish Roy, Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of Engineering at Vanderbilt University, joined fellow Tennessee engineering leaders on Capitol Hill to underscore the importance of funding for agencies that power innovation and workforce development. Read More

The Vanderbilt Writing Studio marked its 20th anniversary Feb. 13 with a reception in the Alumni Hall Reading Room, bringing together students, alumni, faculty and staff to celebrate two decades of mentorship, collaboration and academic support. The location held special significance: Alumni Hall served as the Writing Studio’s original home from 2005 to 2015.  Read More

Vanderbilt University invites faculty, students, staff and community collaborators to submit proposals for the inaugural Bridging Campus and Community: Community Engagement Symposium, taking place Thursday, April 23, 2026, from 10 a.m. to noon on Vanderbilt’s campus. Read More

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing’s nurse anesthesia program has received accreditation from the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. The three-year program of study will be part of the school’s doctor of nursing practice degree program. Read More

The Vanderbilt Center for Sustainability, Energy, and Climate (VSEC) is seeking research proposals that could be awarded up to $200,000 through its Seed Project Fund. The SPF is designed to support early-stage, exploratory research on transformative ideas that foster interdisciplinary collaborations on topics relevant to the VSEC mission. The goal is to generate preliminary results that enhance Vanderbilt’s research reputation and position projects for securing external funding from federal agencies or philanthropic organizations. Read More

Vanderbilt University co-hosted the inaugural Defense Tech Leadership Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida, convening leaders from business, government, defense and academia in a city emerging as a hub for defense and high-technology innovation. Read More

Among the artifacts librarian Mary McSparran selected from Vanderbilt’s Special Collections and University Archives for a pop-up exhibit last fall were a NASA space suit and a journal listing books about UFOs. Neither would seem a likely choice for a literary salon, where the exhibit was on display, but this was no ordinary discussion of writers and their works. The gathering was part of a growing collaboration between Special Collections staff and Vanderbilt faculty, in which the curators and archivists play an active role in teaching by offering students access to unique materials that bring their coursework to life. Read More

Two staffers at the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation have received Live Long and Prosper Tribute Awards from the Nimoy-Knight Foundation. Director of Communications Jessica Schonhut-Stasik, founder of The Neuroverse Initiative, works to create pathways for neurodivergent people in the space sciences. Project manager and author Dave Thompson champions the unique perspectives and talents of the neurodivergent community. The LLAP award recognizes people who embody the values of Star Trek: exploration, diversity and the pursuit of a better future for all. Read More

Being able to tell whether an image is real or generated by AI may be something you’re born with: object recognition. “It’s a stable trait that helps people meet new perceptual challenges,” study author Professor Isabel Gauthier said. “We were shocked to see how intelligence or even technology training did not help accurately judge if a face is AI.” Object recognition has been linked to success in a wide range of tasks, such as X-ray analysis and cancer cell categorization. Read More