Medicine

An international study co-led by researchers at Vanderbilt University has uncovered six new “susceptibility loci,” chromosomal regions located in or near genes that may play a role in atrial fibrillation, the most commonly diagnosed heart condition. Read More

Vanderbilt researchers have developed a biomarker for beta cells that could make it easier to detect diabetes earlier. Read More

A newer version of an old class of blood pressure lowering drugs may offer advantages for obese patients with metabolic syndrome. Read More

Removing a child’s ruptured appendix sooner rather than later significantly lowers hospital costs and charges, according to a recently published study. Read More

Study suggests that the “kynurenine” biochemical pathway could be a target for reducing delirium and coma in critically ill patients. Read More

Targeting diabetes that develops after a stem cell transplant may help moderate graft-vs.-host disease, an adverse effect of the procedure, and improve outcomes. Read More

A new screening tool – using glowing fish embryos – could identify therapeutics for myocardial hypertrophy and heart failure. Read More

Berberine, an herbal remedy for diarrhea and intestinal parasites, may be an effective treatment for gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases. Read More

Treating H. pylori infection in children may help their growth rebound, a recent study suggests. Read More

Studies offer new insights into how obesity impairs the function of HDL, the “good” cholesterol. Read More

A molecule detectable in urine may be helpful in diagnosing colon cancer. Read More

Some patients may need a combo of medications to combat a condition that causes dizziness. Read More

New details on the DNA-cutting activity of topoisomerase II, a target of anti-cancer drugs, could lead to better chemotherapeutic agents. Read More

Signaling pathway discoveries suggest ways to induce stem cells to become cardiac muscle cells, which could be useful for regenerating damaged heart muscle. Read More

The Vanderbilt Digestive Disease Research Center celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with a second five-year renewal of its federal research grant. Read More

A new study in the American Journal of Human Genetics, led by Vanderbilt researchers Josh Denny, M.D., M.S., and Dana Crawford, Ph.D., takes random volumes of human genotypes and matches them with data siphoned from de-identified medical records and sheds new light on the genetic basis of the common… Read More

Vanderbilt researchers are studying how the supplement melatonin can ease the sleep difficulties that often afflict children with autism spectrum disorders. (iStock) A new Vanderbilt study shows that the over-the-counter supplement melatonin is promising in helping children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and their families, sleep better. Read More

Ela Knapik, associate professor of medicine, and colleagues are using zebrafish to explore the molecular and cellular mechanisms that cause birth defects of the face and skeleton. Read More

The progression of new drug candidates for schizophrenia with partner Janssen Pharmaceutica is the latest evidence that a new collaborative model for drug discovery pioneered at Vanderbilt may help identify and develop innovative candidate drugs for treatment of major brain disorders. Read More

Children of childhood cancer survivors who were treated with radiation or some forms of do not have an increased risk for birth defects compared to children of cancer survivors who did not receive such treatments. Read More