Biochemistry

Congratulations to our School of Medicine Basic Sciences community members who were promoted or received new appointments from January to March 2024! These individuals significantly enrich our pursuit of pathbreaking research and contribute to the growth and success of our school. Read More

Led by Neil Osheroff, Vanderbilt researchers are the first to undertake a systematic analysis of the mechanism of action of geoptidacin. Gepotidacin is poised to become the first new class of antibacterials to be approved for use in humans in decades. Read More

“You’re nervous because you don't know what to expect and excited to see whatever it is you get to see,” Schlafly said of the visit. "I had seen a lab before, but I must say, it’s a pretty humbling experience to go from thinking there is no one at all who knows about your really weird, rare disease to walking into a lab and learning that everyone there is in some way working to cure my issue.” Read More

Manuel Ascano and Alissa Weaver are one of nine research teams to receive funding to understand the potential biotechnological uses of RNA more fully. The research is expected to provide opportunities to partner with industry to translate knowledge gained in the laboratory into marketable new therapeutics. Read More

Brandt Eichman and Walter Chazin, professors of biochemistry, worked together to provide a better understanding of how exactly DNA replication is initiated. Their work will influence novel small molecule modifier designs that may serve as tools for detailed studies of DNA replication in cells and eventual therapies. Read More

By putting one foot in front of another, these trailblazers have changed Vanderbilt—and the world—with their dedication to basic research and breaking down barriers for themselves and others. Read More

Bruce Carter, Lisa Monteggia, Richard O’Brien, Andrea Page-McCaw, and Kevin Schey have been named endowed chairs, the highest academic award that Vanderbilt can give to a faculty member. Read More

The World Health Organization ranks antimicrobial resistance as one of the top ten global health risks. Vanderbilt researchers led by Houra Merrikh identified the first anti-evolution compound that targets AMR during treatment of infections with antibiotics. Read More

The lab of Professor of Biochemistry Fred Guengerich has proposed a paradigm shift in the understanding of a critical chemical reaction involved in sterol biosynthesis. Read More

For bichemist Fred Guengerich, the story of his 50-plus years in science can be told through his 98 semesters on Vanderbilt University’s faculty; the 22 graduate students and 141 postdoctoral fellows and visiting scientists he has mentored; the 768 primary research papers, 324 invited reviews and chapters, and 138 book chapters and published proceedings he has authored; and the 125,316 of times he has been cited. But even those numbers don’t tell the whole story. Read More