Michelle Southard Smith
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Researchers uncover critical genetic drivers of the gut’s “nervous system” development, offering insights into gut motility disorders
Vanderbilt researchers, including those from the Vanderbilt Brain Institute, have made significant strides in understanding how the enteric nervous system—sometimes called the “brain” of the gut—forms and functions. Read MoreSep 4, 2025
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Researchers create molecular ‘atlas’ of GI tract neurons
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have generated the first comprehensive molecular “atlas” of genes expressed by the neuronal cells within the intestine that coordinate the functions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Read MoreOct 8, 2020
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Grant spurs research on how nerves guide organ function
Michelle Southard-Smith, Ph.D., associate professor of Medicine in the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, has won a major award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support her research on how nerves control organ function. Read MoreOct 13, 2016
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New clue to a devastating disease
New findings suggest a previously unrecognized role for the Sox10 transcription factor in Hirschsprung’s disease, and may lead to improved diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for this disease. Read MoreJan 28, 2015
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Digestive disease research bolstered by grant renewal
The Vanderbilt Digestive Disease Research Center celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with a second five-year renewal of its federal research grant. Read MoreJan 20, 2012