Research, News & Discoveries

“Logan is a role model for scientists at all levels,” said Julie Rhoades, professor of medicine and associate professor of biomedical engineering. “His positivity, patience and passion for mentoring and science is exceptional. He was willing to step out of his science comfort zone and tackle challenging projects, and he is also one of the nicest people I have ever met. We miss his presence in the lab.” Read More

The meeting on March 6 convened researchers from the Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences focused on pharmacology, molecular physiology, and protein dynamics and biochemistry, alongside ORNL scientists engaged in exascale artificial intelligence, microbial science, molecular biophysics, neutron science, advanced mass spectrometry, and medical isotopes research and development. Read More

A new study uncovered how tissues detect and respond to damage in basement membranes, and how they recruit a previously unknown set of "matrix mender" cells to repair the tissue. The results of this study have far-reaching implications for numerous diseases, including diabetes, dementia, and cancer. Read More

Meet Naila Tasneem, a research technician in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology in the Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences. Read More

Vanderbilt researchers developed a deep-learning tool, RNAmigos2, that accelerates the discovery of RNA-targeting small-molecule drugs by 10,000 times compared to traditional methods, unlocking a promising new frontier in medicine. Read More

University of California, San Diego biochemist Jin Zhang delivered a School of Medicine Basic Sciences Apex Lecture on April 17 about signaling networks and biosensor development. Read More

Mark Magnuson, Louise B. McGavock Professor 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

Congratulations to our School of Medicine Basic Sciences members who were promoted or received new appointments between January and March 2025. These individuals significantly enrich our pursuit of pathbreaking research and contribute to the growth and success of our school. 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