Health and Medicine
New algorithm calculates drug synergy; initial tests involve melanoma, lung cancer
Feb. 20, 2019—Drug combinations used for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and melanoma aren’t as effective as they could be. Oncologists haven’t had the right tools to predict drug interactions, other than in costly clinical trials. That could change with a new algorithm developed by a cross-disciplinary Vanderbilt University team for calculating drug synergy. The...
Study finds children with autism more likely to face maltreatment
Feb. 15, 2019—Middle Tennessee children with autism spectrum disorder are 2.5 times more likely than children without ASD to be reported to the Child Abuse Hotline by age 8.
Adhesion protein optimizes border
Feb. 15, 2019—Matthew Tyska and colleagues have found that an adhesion protein in the gut is necessary for proper intestinal functioning.
Modulating stress circuits
Feb. 15, 2019—Danny Winder and colleagues have demonstrated how norepinephrine and a stress factor call CRF interact, which may lead to new treatments for stress-related disorders.
The balancing act of cell signaling
Feb. 15, 2019—Lawrence Marnett and colleagues have demonstrated how two enzymes cooperate to maintain even levels of an important cellular signaling molecule.
Probing H. pylori cancer protein
Feb. 15, 2019—Timothy Cover, john Loh and colleagues have identified how a certain type of mutation influences the risk of premalignant and malignant changes in the stomach.
Major initiative launched to advance the application of AI to health care
Feb. 13, 2019—IBM Watson Health has announced plans to make a 10-year, $50 million investment in joint research collaborations with Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Brigham and Women’s Hospital to advance the science of artificial intelligence and its application to major public health issues.
Researchers push forward frontiers of vaccine science
Feb. 13, 2019—Using sophisticated gene sequencing and computing techniques, Vanderbilt researchers have achieved a first-of-its-kind glimpse into how the body’s immune system gears up to fight off infection.
Women’s hormones play role in drug addiction, higher relapse rates
Feb. 8, 2019—But long before female-specific medications are available, treatment centers could use the information in this study to educate women about their stronger mental connections to places and objects.
Symposium shines light on research by medical students
Feb. 8, 2019—The symposium featured research by students in Vanderbilt's Medical Scholars Program, a one-year, in-depth research experience available to Vanderbilt and Meharry Medical College students with the central goal of training leaders in academic medicine.
New option could increase minority kidney transplants
Feb. 7, 2019—People with blood type B, a relatively rare blood type, can expect similar outcomes from kidney transplants from type A2 donors, which increases the number of available kidneys for these patients. However, it requires additional monitoring and medication that can raise costs for patients.
New target for chronic kidney disease
Jan. 31, 2019—Craig Brooks and colleagues have identified a mechanism of kidney fibrosis progression, suggesting a potential new angle for treating chronic kidney disease.