Research Snapshot

An international collaboration led by biochemist David Cortez reached revelatory conclusions in exploration of how cells tolerate DNA damage and genome instability. Est. reading time: 2 mins. Read More

A submarine volcanic eruption in the Kingdom of Tonga sheds light on volcanic behavior and new ways to understand the impact of volcanoes on climate. Est. reading time: 2.5 mins. Read More

Bicycle safety has deteriorated according to the National Highway Safety Administration. Vanderbilt civil engineers identify and propose safety improvements applicable to all transportation in urban areas. Est. reading time: 2.5 mins. Read More

Historically Black colleges and universities offer high-quality education and produce leaders from various backgrounds, mainly being African American. Predominately White institutions can utilize practices that make HBCUs successful to mentor and graduate students of all backgrounds.  Est. reading time: 3.5 mins.  Read More

Mosquito-borne diseases like malaria represent an ongoing global health crisis of (literally) biblical proportions. LJ Zwiebel has identified the biological factors that help female mosquitos mate, suck blood and sense environmental threats. Est. reading time: 1.5 mins. Read More

Five medical schools in the U.S., including Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, collaborated with the American Heart Association to implement a summer program designed to support diversity in biomedical science. The program, Supporting Undergraduate Research Experiences, was initiated in 2019 but had to adapt its format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More

Collaboration across seven laboratories, in five institutions, across three countries and led by Vanderbilt researchers addresses fundamental questions about the organization and evolution of the human brain. Est. reading time: 1.75 mins. Read More

Vanderbilt and the Salk Institute collaborate on the development of a research “road map” that could lead to new ways to detect early signs of tumor formation. Read More

A team including the Sanders lab developed a new methodology for finding small molecules associated with lipid rafts, an essential part of cell structure and regulation. Read More

Body-made cannabinoids that fine tune hunger signals in the brain have been mapped, with implications for helping those with deadly feeding-related illnesses Read More

Melanoma is the fifth most-common type of cancer in the U.S., and according to the American Cancer Society, about half of patients with malignant melanoma have mutations of the BRAF gene. Identification of potential tumor biomarkers such as SOX10 can help physicians better predict outcomes for their patients.  Read More

Ege Kavalali and Heidi Hamm collaborated to discover a signaling pathway for how spontaneous release of neurotransmitters can be selectively regulated without disrupting evoked action potentials. Read More

Vanderbilt, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Virginia and international collaborators merge breakthrough experiments and theory of nanomaterial behavior to usher in the next wave of technology. Est. reading time: 3.5 mins. Read More

Vanderbilt researchers examine how to rapidly characterize the biological impact of genetic editing on bacteria for energy production, drug discovery and more. Est. reading time: 2.5 mins. Read More

By reproducing conditions under which malaria occurs in nature, the Zwiebel Lab finds that the deadly pathogens responsible for human malaria provide a specific adaptive advantage to disease-transmitting mosquitoes, explaining the persistence of this ancient disease. Est. reading time: 2 mins. Read More

Vanderbilt researchers push research on ketamine’s role as a rapid antidepressant another step forward. This work opens avenues for new therapeutics for half of people for whom today’s antidepressants don’t work. Read More

The first holistic review of older adult care operations sheds light on opportunities for industry reform. Est. reading time: 2.5 mins. Read More

Discovering a signaling pathway’s influence on brain development in a nematode sheds light on human nervous systems. Est. reading time: 2 mins. Read More

Vanderbilt researchers are reimagining Charles Darwin’s work by communicating how the origin of species might depend largely on the microbiome—the totality of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other organisms—living in or on a host body. Read More

Eating a larger, protein-filled breakfast is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy weight. A smaller but still significant change would be to avoid late-night snacking. Est. reading time: 3.5 mins. Read More