Marissa Shapiro

Mark Magnuson, Louise B. McGavock Chair and Professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics has been named Senior Associate Dean for Research for the School of Medicine Basic Sciences. He succeeds Chuck Sanders, who will transition from Vice Dean to a new role as Senior Advisor to the Dean, effective July… Read More

Over the past few months, the federal research funding landscape has begun to shift. As a response to some of the transitions taking place, Vanderbilt University is launching the Provost Discovery Bridge Funding Program. This program will provide short-term financial support ranging from three to six months to faculty researchers affected by changes in federal policy. Read More

Since its February 2025 publication in Nature Cell Biology, a groundbreaking study from the Burnette Lab has drawn more than 44,000 Article Accesses—amplified by Vanderbilt’s new open access agreement with Springer Nature. The study reveals the existence of blebbisomes, massive, motile extracellular vesicles that behave almost like mini cells. Packed with organelles and capable of delivering immune-modulating proteins, blebbisomes may one day serve as therapeutic couriers or targets in cancer treatment. Read More

Lisa M. Monteggia and Matthew J. Tyska are among the 471 scientists elected as 2024 fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dean John Kuriyan was also recently elected a member of the 2025 class of fellows of the American Association for Cancer Research academy. Read More

2024–25 Global Engagement Funding proposals are due by May 5, 2025. Read More

“This transformative agreement allows Vanderbilt researchers to benefit from Nature’s tremendous influence and reach,” University Librarian Jon Shaw said. “Our research findings will reach global audiences immediately upon publication, speeding up scientific innovation and progress. This collaboration not only strengthens Vanderbilt’s reputation but will aid in attracting top faculty, students and partnerships to the university.” Read More

Vanderbilt-affiliated authors may publish their original research articles APC-free in JAMA Network journals through a Creative Commons license. Twelve of the network’s journals—including JAMA Internal Medicine, JAMA Neurology and JAMA Oncology—are ranked in the top quartile of their respective subject areas. Read More

New research reveals that alcohol use can cause long-lasting changes in the brain’s dopamine system, even during abstinence. Vanderbilt researchers found that even after a month without alcohol, key regulators of dopamine activity remained altered, potentially increasing the risk of relapse. The study also challenges long-held assumptions about how gene expression relates to brain function, opening new doors for precision treatments in alcohol use disorder. Read More

A study of a unique spatial map of gene expression in 1.6 million cells from the lungs of 35 people with pulmonary fibrosis revealed a discovery that could eventually change how early PF can be detected. Some lung tissue in these patients shows signs of the disease before significant structural remodeling of the tissue occurs. Read More

Great Britain’s Wellcome Trust has recognized Vanderbilt’s Carrie K. Jones and the University of Glasgow’s Andrew Tobin with their prestigious Discovery Award. The pair will study how blocking the M5 muscarinic receptor in the brain counteracts opioids’ addictive properties, which could lead to new treatments for preventing or addressing opioid addiction. Read More