Health And Medicine

One of the most promising new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease may already be in your kitchen. Curcumin, a natural product found in the spice turmeric, has been used by many Asian cultures for centuries, and a new study indicates a close chemical analog of curcumin has properties that may make it useful as a treatment for the brain disease. Read More

Vanderbilt University researchers have made an important advance in understanding lung development, which one day could lead to improvements in treating lung disease in premature infants and adults. Read More

A protein that degrades the “matrix” between cells participates in the development of lung metastases from primary breast cancer in mouse models and may be a good target for breast cancer treatment. Read More

Vanderbilt University researcher William Mitchell, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues in Germany and Canada have demonstrated a method for detecting “cell-free” tumor DNA in the bloodstream. Read More

High consumption of trans fatty acids (TFA) has been linked to increased risk of heart disease, stroke and even cancer. Read More

Stephen Camarata, Ph.D., professor of Hearing and Speech Sciences, has been honored by Autism Speaks, a national autism advocacy and research organization, for dedicated service. Read More

The following is a roundup of the news that made headlines at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2014. Read More

A “transformational” $6.4 million gift from Dallas couple Donald Test Jr., and his wife, Charlotte, who have a very personal connection to the devastating disease of schizophrenia, is supporting Vanderbilt Department of Psychiatry research and treatment into schizophrenia and related disorders. Read More

New findings suggest that misfolded proteins accumulate in the heart atria, particularly in patients with hypertension, and may contribute to atrial heart disease. Read More

A newly identified “atheroprotective” gene is a tool for exploring plaque pathophysiology and may be a good target for therapies to slow atherosclerosis progression. Read More

Understanding how the protein TRPV1 helps neurons survive after glaucoma-related stressors could lead to new therapeutic strategies for glaucoma and other neurodegenerative conditions. Read More

New structural findings reveal how "gatekeeper" proteins participate in the secretion systems bacteria use to infect host cells. Read More

When it comes to taking care of our hearts, there is a big divide between what we should do and what we actually do, a new multi-institution study reports. Read More

Nursing research was on full display in Light Hall recently during the Research Day Poster Presentations, organized by the Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) and Nursing Research Committee. Read More

Size may not matter in a lot of things, but when it comes to cognitive decline, the size of the hippocampus definitely seems to be an issue. Read More

Replenishing the supply of a molecule that normally activates cannabinoid receptors in the brain could relieve mood and anxiety disorders and enable some people to quit using marijuana. Read More

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 More

Vanderbilt researchers have discovered a new target for the prevention of atherosclerotic plaque development and cardiovascular disease. Read More

A particular gene is associated with a specific type of inflammatory response in people with asthma – a finding that could suggest new therapeutic targets for treating asthma. Read More

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 More