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Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences

Colon Diseases Research

Colonic diseases are disorders affecting the large intestine, often causing inflammation, pain, and digestive dysfunction. Key conditions include inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and colorectal cancer.

Human Colon Anatomy (Adobe Stock image by nerthuz)
Human Colon Anatomy

Colonic Diseases

Vanderbilt scientists are advancing colon disease research by bringing together experts in gastroenterology, oncology, immunology, genetics, and data science to better understand how conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer develop and progress. Their work spans the full pipeline—from identifying risk factors and molecular pathways to developing improved screening tools, biomarkers, and targeted therapies.

School of Medicine Basic Sciences Heart Disease Research

Study challenges traditional assumptions about gut inflammation and Crohn's disease

Determining the precise timing of cellular growth to understand the origins of cancer

Researchers uncover critical genetic drivers of the gut’s “nervous system” development, offering insights into gut motility disorders

Goldenring’s gastrointestinal research contributions lauded

Elongating Microvilli in the Intestine

Key to Brush Border Assembly in the Intestine

Gene mutations impair gut barrier

Unveiling the life cycle of a microvillus

Researchers create molecular ‘atlas’ of GI tract neurons

Vanderbilt research shows stimulating tuft cell production reverses intestinal inflammation

Preventing CDI deaths one stem cell at a time

The tale of the targeted mouse

Grant spurs effort to map biology of Crohn’s disease

Help! Microvilli trapped inside cells!

Giving

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