Molecular Physiology And Biophysics

An analysis of Amish populations revealed novel risk genes for late-onset Alzheimer disease. Read More

A transcription factor called LIP is capable of causing one cell to consume another. Read More

Biophysicist Erin Rericha spent 12 days in Shanghai this summer demonstrating inexpensive methods for studying cell migration to graduate students and young faculty members from developing countries as part of an annual meeting organized by The Hands-on Research in Complex Systems School. Read More

A California high school student helped accelerate an anti-obesity drug discovery program at Vanderbilt University this summer — and provided the proof-of-principle for a new technique that could save the lab an estimated $250,000 in the process. Read More

New findings point to brain circuitry that communicates about the body’s nutritional status and regulates how nutrients are mobilized. Read More

An interdisciplinary team of scientists have successfully tagged a protein that regulates the neurotransmitter serotonin with tiny fluorescent beads, allowing them to track the movements of individual molecules for the first time. This capability makes it possible to study the manner in which serotonin regulates mood, appetite and sleep at a new level of detail. Read More

A rare genetic change adds support to the idea that altered dopamine signaling is a key risk factor for ADHD. Read More

Understanding how mutations in neuronal receptors contribute to epilepsy could lead to improved therapies. Read More

In this Academic Minute podcast, Danny Winder, associate professor of molecular physiology and biophysics, explains why the effects of alcohol can vary widely among individuals. Read More

Mutations in hundreds of genes involved in wiring the brain may contribute to the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Read More

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

Individuals who are outside the normal range of expression for the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene have an increased risk of colorectal cancer, according to a study published in the January issue of Gastroenterology. Read More

Therapeutic agents focusing on the brain region involved in stress-induced relapse may be effective in preventing relapse in patients with alcohol use disorders. Read More

A growth factor may help grow transplantation-quality pancreas cells for treating diabetes. Read More

Brain systems involved in the body’s stress response may drive drug relapse. Read More

First appearance from "Uncanny X-Men" #96. Art by Dave Cockrum. Via Wikipedia. Here’s another reason to love the X-Men: real science. Listen carefully to the dialogue between Professor Charles Xavier and CIA agent Dr. Moira MacTaggart in the new movie, “X-Men: First Class,” and you’ll hear a… Read More

Vanderbilt researchers provide new information about how the genome inside our cellular “power plants” – the mitochondria – has evolved. Read More

An obesity-associated genetic variation makes fatty food more rewarding yet less satisfying, new research in mice suggests. Read More

New molecular views of an enzyme may inform therapies for neurological, psychiatric or cardiac diseases. Read More

Ten Vanderbilt University faculty members who have been named to new endowed chairs were recognized for their remarkable achievements and contributions on Feb. 28. Read More