Biological Sciences

Biological scientist discovers the third way by which bees can tell time: temperature. Est. reading time: 2 mins. Read More

Nine outstanding faculty members from across the university have been selected for the 2021 cohort of Chancellor Faculty Fellows. This group is composed of highly accomplished, recently tenured faculty from a wide variety of disciplines and areas of expertise. Read More

Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Larisa DeSantis discusses pizzly bears (grizzy + polar bear hybrid species)! Read More

Chemical signatures and microscopic wear patterns in dental fossils show that the diet of sabertooth cats included mammoths. Read More

Dental analysis from Larisa DeSantis shows that polar bears may not be able to compete for food sources as their environment melts away. Read More

Seth Bordenstein, Centennial Professor of Biological Sciences and director of the Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative, has been elected to fellowship in the American Academy of Microbiology. Read More

Molecule 147 neutralizes 95 percent of Dengue and Zika viruses, a promising direction for host-directed treatments and combination therapy. Read More

A new study shows that insect immune and circulatory systems cooperate to fight infection, similar to those in mammals. Read More

Isotope analysis of ancient Peruvian teeth gives anthropologists a clearer image of how cooperating societies function. Read More

Understanding the function of host cells when infected with SARS-CoV-2 may lead to host-directed antiviral therapeutics. Read More

Six Vanderbilt University faculty members have been elected 2020 fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers. Read More

Vanderbilt research shows the unintended consequence of pesticides is the death of a bee’s circadian rhythm, not the bee herself. Read More

Kids and lifelong learners can hear directly from paleontologists about bizarre creatures of the past during a free virtual National Fossil Day event on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 10 a.m. CT. Registration is required. Read More

New research shows surprising effects of interbreeding between Neanderthals and ancestors of some modern humans. Read More

As the new academic year approaches, Vanderbilt’s faculty heads of house are revealing some things about themselves in this special portrait series. Get to know Douglas McMahon, professor of biological sciences and faculty head of Crawford House. Read More

The first comprehensive study of how diverse evolutionary forces influence the leading cause of infant mortality is led by Vanderbilt researchers. Read More

Katherine Amidon, a PhD student in the Department of Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt University, has been selected as the 2020 Vanderbilt Prize Student Scholar. Read More

Vanderbilt awarded NIH funds to establish the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) program to support diverse and research-focused undergraduates in biomedical sciences. Read More

International collaboration shows that marsupial saber-tooth cats were more closely related to possums than fearsome predators. Read More

The Vanderbilt Undergraduate Microbiome Society recently made a donation of $1,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee as part of VUMS’ efforts to raise awareness about the microbiome and to better the local community. Read More