Stephen Doster

The School of Medicine Basic Sciences is a remarkable community dedicated to advancing the study of human biology, health, and disease. In addition to the award-winning faculty, postdocs, and students who are at the forefront of our cutting-edge research, a large part of our school’s success can be attributed to… Read More

National Cancer Institute molecular biologist André Nussenzweig delivered a School of Medicine Basic Sciences Apex Lecture on Dec. 15 about genome stability in mitotic and post-mitotic cells. Read More

As 2025 draws to a close, we reflect on the achievements and contributions to science made by the School of Medicine Basic Sciences community over the past year. SOMBS facilitates outstanding fundamental science research across four departments, two institutes, 10 centers, and 18 core facilities. The work of our faculty,… Read More

Started in June 2025, a new collaborative science project called diffUSE involving Vanderbilt University, Cornell University, and the University of California, San Francisco, could be the next watershed moment. The $5 million, three-year project led by the Astera Institute will advance our understanding of protein motion. Using diffuse scattering, an overlooked signal measured by X-ray crystallography, the project will determine how protein dynamics are characterized, leading to a new paradigm in dynamic structural biology. Read More

Just as swallows journey to San Juan Capistrano, California, and monarch butterflies migrate to Michoacan, Mexico, each spring, so mass spectrometrists from across the globe converge on Vanderbilt University for the annual, four-day Advanced Imaging Mass Spectrometry workshop. Read More

Ever wonder what about the ROI on biomedical research looks like? At the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences, scientists are delivering answers—by driving discoveries that are already improving human health and paving the way for tomorrow’s treatments. From tackling cancer and Alzheimer’s to pioneering antibiotic resistance solutions, we are shaping the future of medicine. This roundup highlights some of the year’s most exciting advances—showing the extraordinary value of sustained support for biomedical science. Read More

University of California, San Diego, faculty member Ryan Hibbs delivered a School of Medicine Basic Sciences Apex Lecture on March 27, presenting about muscle acetylcholine receptors in development and disease. Read More

Physician-scientist Mitch Lazar delivered a School of Medicine Basic Sciences Apex Lecture on Feb. 11 about nuclear receptors and the circadian regulation of metabolism. Read More

Renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology molecular biologist David Bartel delivered a School of Medicine Basic Sciences Apex Lecture on Jan. 15 about the regulation of mRNA translation and decay. Read More