Molecular Physiology & Biophysics

In a scientific first, researchers from Vanderbilt University and the University of California, San Diego, have generated a high-resolution metabolic “map” of how cells orchestrate glucose processing, revealing a hidden world where organelles and molecular complexes collaborate when responding to a rush of nutrients. This new study, published in Nature Communications, has redefined how glucose metabolism is visualized at the single-cell level. Read More

Targeting ncRNAs with drugs presents a much larger therapeutic opportunity than targeting proteins, but the currently available drug discovery tools are slow and computationally intensive. Assistant Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics and core member of the Center for Applied AI in Protein Dynamics Carlos Oliver is working with collaborators to unlock the untapped potential of ncRNAs, as they are a promising family of targets for the development of novel small-molecule therapeutics. Read More

The third annual Honors Banquet commemorated excellence in academics, leadership and innovation among Graduate School students and faculty. On March 20, the banquet was held to honor and reflect on remarkable achievements in research and creative expression from the more than 50 graduate programs and departments represented in the Graduate School. Read More

Researchers from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences have uncovered the first example of activity-dependent development of hypothalamic neural circuitry. Read More

Erin Calipari, director of the Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research and associate professor of pharmacology and molecular physiology and biophysics, has been recognized with the Society for Neuroscience’s 2024 Jacob P. Waletzky award. Read More

Thirteen innovative projects across seven colleges and schools have been selected for the spring 2024 round of Seeding Success internal grants. The Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation announced the recipient list on May 31. Read More

Clintoria Williams, associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Physiology at Wright State University, has received the John F. Perkins, Jr. Research Career Enhancement Award from the American Physiological Society. This will enable her to join Vanderbilt as a visiting scholar in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics for four months to collaborate more closely with Antentor Hinton Jr., assistant professor in the department. Read More

The lab of Antentor O. Hinton Jr., assistant professor of molecular physiology and biophysics, came together with collaborators from across Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the U.S., and Brazil to determine the differences in the 3D morphology of mitochondria and their cristae in brown adipose tissue. Read More

Disrupting the action of glucagon — a pancreatic hormone that works to raise blood glucose — restores functional insulin-producing cells in mouse models of type 1 diabetes and may be a promising treatment strategy. Read More

Histamine — commonly associated with allergies — also has a signaling role in the brain’s reward center and may offer a novel target for treating addiction. Read More

The brain’s response to low oxygen — growth and remodeling of blood vessels — involves certain cell types and molecular pathways, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered. Read More

Excess dietary salt activates immune cells to induce inflammation and hypertension, supporting current recommendations for low sodium consumption. Read More

A single mutation in one gene can impair inhibitory signaling in the brain and cause multiple types of seizures and behavioral abnormalities. Read More

Nancy Carrasco has found that the environmental pollutant perchlorate, found in drinking water in 49 states, is more dangerous than we knew. Read More

A disease-associated mutation in a transporter protein impairs gut barrier function, leading to gastrointestinal disease and chronic infections. Read More

Danny Winder and colleagues are teasing apart the actions of neurotransmitter receptors in a brain region linked to anxiety and addiction, with a goal of finding treatments for substance use disorders. Read More

Roger Colbran and colleagues have discovered new molecular details about the function of an enzyme with a key role in shaping learning and memory. Read More

A disease-associated mutation in a transporter protein causes cells to increase energy production, as if they are starving, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered. Read More

Erkan Karakas and colleagues used cryo-electron microscopy to determine structural details of a calcium channel protein that has numerous cell signaling roles. Read More

To study the dynamics of structural proteins in the heart, Vanderbilt investigators generated a cellular tool they expect will be useful for screening drugs that affect heart muscle contraction. Read More