Marissa Shapiro

Madhvi Venkatesh has been named director of Vanderbilt’s Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences and Stephanie Richards will expand her role to support the program and its first-year curriculum. The appointments reflect a continued focus on innovation, student support, and collaborative leadership within the BRET office. Read More

Maria Hadjifrangiskou has been appointed senior assistant dean in Vanderbilt’s Office of Biomedical Research Education and Training. In this role, she will oversee all aspects of biomedical graduate education, from admissions through Ph.D. completion, and help shape the future of graduate training across programs like the IGP and QCB. Read More

In a landmark study published in Science Advances, Vanderbilt researchers have created the first high-resolution lipid atlas of the human kidney, mapping over 100,000 functional tissue units across 29 donors. By integrating advanced imaging mass spectrometry with microscopy using machine learning, the team identified distinct lipid signatures that could transform diagnostics and precision treatments for kidney disease. Read More

Research findings from Dr. Amanda Doran's lab suggest that regulating the immune response to high cholesterol through the protein CaMK4 could enhance blood vessel repair and slow atherosclerosis progression. Read More

The School of Medicine Basic Sciences is proud to announce the 2025 recipients of the Dean’s Award for Exceptional Achievement in Graduate Studies. Ten graduate students were recognized for their high academic and scientific achievement and for the originality, significance, and rigor of their dissertation research. Read More

The 2025 School of Medicine Faculty Awards for Excellence in Teaching, Extraordinary Performance of Clinical Service, and Outstanding Contributions to Research were presented during the May 30 Spring Faculty Meeting. Read More

Stahlman is “monumental,” of course, because of the profound impact she had on the lives of premature babies. She is credited with establishing at VUMC the nation’s first newborn intensive care unit to use monitored respiratory therapy in babies born with damaged lungs. Read More

Vanderbilt biomedical graduate students and postdocs attended ASPIRE on the Road 2025 in San Diego, California. Over three days, they explored Southern California's biotech and pharmaceutical scene, connecting with alums, industry leaders, and innovative companies. Read More

What makes these results exceptional isn’t just the compounds themselves, it’s what they represent: the value of translational research grounded in real-world therapeutic goals. The partners chose to release these best-in-class tool compounds to the scientific community to accelerate further discovery. Read More

Venkatesh is recognized for educational leadership in curriculum design, implementation and evaluation, as well as grant-funded initiatives and scholarly work including publications and presentations. Read More