Infectious Disease

Infectious diseases pose a significant global health challenge, accounting for a substantial proportion of deaths worldwide, according to recent data from the World Health Organization. Vanderbilt’s Life Science Showcase: Advancing Innovation in Infectious Diseases held on July 18 emphasized the vital importance of advancing research and innovation to combat these persistent threats. Read More

Carl Johnson, Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Biological Sciences and expert in biological clocks, identifies temporal component to COVID-19 viral shedding. Est. reading time: 2.5 mins. Read More

L.J. Zwiebel and his lab show that mosquito larvae, the age group targeted for most control programs, are far more sophisticated than previously thought. Est. reading time: 2 mins. Read More

For the second year in a row, Professor of Biochemistry Houra Merrikh has been named a finalist for the 2021 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists in the life sciences category for her discovery of a potential solution to prevent the evolution of antimicrobial resistance and, in some cases, even reverse existing resistance. Read More

An unprecedented view of bacterial products within infected tissues opens new opportunities to explore infection biology and devise novel therapeutic strategies. Read More

In this episode, Dr. Sean Kelly, assistant professor in the Division of Infectious Disease at VUMC, talks about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP is a medication regimen to prevent transmission of HIV in high risk populations. Read More

Diarrhea has many causes, and when there are prolonged or severe symptoms clinicians sometimes consider lab testing to help guide treatment. But sometimes they stray from published guidelines in the direction of overtesting. Read More

Children who experience recurrent C. diff infections may have fecal inflammatory markers that could predict risk and improve management of these infections. Read More

Vanderbilt engineers have developed a new method for duplicating DNA that makes devices small enough to hold in your hand that are capable of identifying infectious agents before symptoms appear. Read More

Seth Bordenstein, associate professor of biological sciences and pathology, microbiology and immunology, has been awarded a $950,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for research into the regulation of bacterial infections that are passed from mother to offspring. Read More

Dr. Ian Crozier, a graduate of the infectious diseases fellowship program at Vanderbilt, was the "mystery patient" being treated for Ebola at Emory. Crozier will speak from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8, in Light Hall, Room 208, as part of the Flexner Dean's Lecture Series at Vanderbilt. Read More

Twelve members of Vanderbilt's faculty have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for their “scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.” Read More

Scott Hultgren, Ph.D., an expert on the interactions between bacteria and human hosts, will deliver the next Flexner Discovery Lecture on Thursday, March 7. Read More

Vanderbilt’s April Pettit, M.D., MPH, instructor in Medicine, is being recognized as the “Tennessean of the Year” by the readers and editorial board of The Tennessean. Read More

Vanderbilt biologists have discovered that mosquitoes possess a previously unknown mechanism for destroying pathogens which takes advantage of the peculiarities of the insect’s circulatory system to increase its effectiveness. Read More

The New England Journal of Medicine has published a detailed account by April Pettit and colleagues at Vanderbilt University describing one man’s rapid deterioration after receiving a tainted steroid injection for back pain from the New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass. Read More

A new 3-D view of the body’s response to infection — and the ability to identify proteins involved in the response — could point to novel biomarkers and therapeutic agents for infectious diseases. Read More

Anti-retroviral therapy can prevent tuberculosis, even in people with early HIV disease. Read More

Vanderbilt researchers have discovered a rare, but important risk posed by the antibiotic azithromycin, commonly called a “Z-pack.” The study found a 2.5-fold higher risk of death from cardiac arrhythmia in the first five days of taking azithromycin when compared with another common antibiotic or no antibiotics at all. Read More

Vanderbilt pediatric infectious disease researchers studying antibiotic-resistant staph say fears that mothers carrying the germ may set their newborns up for infection are unfounded. Read More