Research

Learn about the path that brought dynamic engineering duo Dan Work and Jonathan Sprinkle together and how they're using AI to prevent traffic jams and make highways safer. Read More

A recent pair of papers from the Vanderbilt University labs of Benjamin Spiller, associate professor of pharmacology, and Scott Smith, associate professor of medicine, dig into how peanut allergies are provoked and providing support for the use of a potential treatment option: hypoallergens. Both papers were published in February in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Read More

Medicine often takes a one-size-fits-all approach, but a disorder’s root cause can vary. Vanderbilt researchers have found that, for people with long QT syndrome, a heart condition that causes an irregular heartbeat, a more tailored approach could be beneficial. The research, led by Vanderbilt University Professor of Biochemistry and Vice Dean of Basic Sciences Charles Sanders and Northwestern University Professor and Chair of Pharmacology Dr. Al George, was published in PNAS in February 2025. Read More

Vanderbilt University may submit one application to The Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust grant program. Read More

Vanderbilt University may select one nominee per major school/division for the William T. Grant Foundation Scholars Program. Read More

The Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy has asked Republicans in a quarterly national poll since June 16, 2023, if they consider themselves supporters of the Make America Great Again or MAGA movement. In that first poll, 37 percent of respondents identified more with the MAGA movement than with the traditional GOP. Now, the share of MAGA identifiers within the GOP has swelled to 52 percent—a majority—for the first time in the poll.  Read More

According to new research from Panka Bencsik, assistant professor of medicine, health and society, on days when highways are more congested, particularly during weekday afternoon rush hour, people are more likely to choose the fast-food option. Read More

Major Jackson, Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair in the Humanities, has been awarded the inaugural Patricia Cannon Willis Prize for American Poetry by Yale Library. Jackson was recognized for his acclaimed collection Razzle Dazzle: New and Selected Poems 2002–2022, published by W.W. Norton in 2023.   Read More

Vanderbilt University may submit one proposal to the Huo Family Foundation 2025 Special Project Grant. Read More

Matias Fresard Rapid technological innovation continues to demand specialized training for workers, meaning that higher education plays an increasingly important role in supporting the development of local labor markets. For Matias Fresard—a fourth-year Ph.D. student in education policy and leadership at Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and… Read More

The Vanderbilt Institute of National Security has launched the Wicked Problems Lab to tackle some of the toughest challenges in national security. By combining cutting-edge research with real-world expertise, the Lab develops practical, actionable solutions that bridge the gap between policy and implementation. Read More

Vanderbilt’s Innovation Catalyst Fund has awarded seven new faculty-led projects, advancing translational research and innovation in health care, engineering and AI-driven solutions. Read More

By Jenna Somers Many young children struggle in math due to difficulty in understanding place value and calculating with two-digit numbers. But would the burden of learning these foundational concepts ease if they were introduced to children through the fun of playing a board game? A multi-institutional research team, including… Read More

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s report “Understanding and Addressing Misinformation about Science” In December, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine released the consensus study report, “Understanding and Addressing Misinformation about Science.” The report documents two years of research by a multi-disciplinary expert committee to “characterize… Read More

Researchers at Dr. Mark Magnuson's lab discovered that the formation of the gallbladder and bile duct system critically depends on the precise concentration of the Sox17 transcription factor, with even small reductions preventing gallbladder development in mice. Read More

Vanderbilt scientists developed new dialysis membranes using ultra-thin graphene that automatically seal larger holes while keeping smaller ones open, making them more effective than current medical filters and potentially improving dialysis treatment. Read More

In the ongoing battle against triple negative breast cancer, Vanderbilt researchers have uncovered a promising non-invasive method to track how tumors respond to radiation and immunotherapy, which uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. Read More

Recent research from the Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, resulted in the proposal of a novel target and mechanism for improving cognition—a negative symptom—while also treating positive symptoms of the disease. Read More

A transdisciplinary team at Vanderbilt University seeks to identify Tennessee communities at risk of exposure to toxic man-made chemicals in their drinking water. Read More

How do we create a more “person-centered” judicial system and when is fairness more valued than winning? Listen to the latest episode of Provost Cybele Raver’s ‘Quantum Potential’ podcast with law professor Lauren Sudeall, Lauren Sudeall, the David Daniels Allen Distinguished Professor of Law and Director, Vanderbilt Access to Justice Initiative. Read More