biological sciences
Diet of Homotherium sabertooth cat included baby mammoths, according to new research
Apr. 15, 2021—Chemical signatures and microscopic wear patterns in dental fossils show that the diet of sabertooth cats included mammoths.
Vanderbilt research shows how polar bears maintained highly specialized diets during periods of Arctic warming—until now
Apr. 1, 2021—Dental analysis from Larisa DeSantis shows that polar bears may not be able to compete for food sources as their environment melts away.
Bordenstein elected to American Academy of Microbiology
Mar. 2, 2021—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.
Newly discovered molecule disrupts virus infections through protein quality control pathways
Jan. 26, 2021—Molecule 147 neutralizes 95 percent of Dengue and Zika viruses, a promising direction for host-directed treatments and combination therapy.
Immune and circulatory systems are functionally integrated in all insects, Vanderbilt biologists demonstrate
Dec. 16, 2020—A new study shows that insect immune and circulatory systems cooperate to fight infection, similar to those in mammals.
Analysis of ancient teeth reveal clues about how sociopolitical systems grow
Dec. 15, 2020—Isotope analysis of ancient Peruvian teeth gives anthropologists a clearer image of how cooperating societies function.
To understand how SARS-CoV-2 replicates, Vanderbilt scientists look at host cell-virus interactions
Dec. 7, 2020—Understanding the function of host cells when infected with SARS-CoV-2 may lead to host-directed antiviral therapeutics.
Six Vanderbilt faculty elected as AAAS fellows in 2020
Nov. 24, 2020—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.
Honey bees lose sleep after ingesting pesticides, leading to greater stress and lower hive survival rates
Nov. 5, 2020—Vanderbilt research shows the unintended consequence of pesticides is the death of a bee’s circadian rhythm, not the bee herself.
Vanderbilt paleontologists host National Fossil Day event for kids Oct. 10
Oct. 2, 2020—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.
Neanderthal DNA contributes to genetic diversity, bringing more understanding to human evolution
Jul. 31, 2020—New research shows surprising effects of interbreeding between Neanderthals and ancestors of some modern humans.
Get to know Vanderbilt’s residential faculty: Professor Douglas McMahon
Jul. 29, 2020—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.