Biochemistry

Eleven outstanding faculty members including Emily Hodges, associate professor of biochemistry, and Lar Plate, faculty affiliate of the Vanderbilt Institute for Chemical Biology, have been selected for the 2025 cohort of Chancellor Faculty Fellows. Each fellow holds the title of Chancellor Faculty Fellow and receives $80,000 over a multi-year period to support their work. They also meet with their cohort to exchange ideas on teaching and research, build a broader intellectual community that advances collaborative scholarship, and engage in academic leadership development to increase their leadership capacity. 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

Researchers from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt University have figured out how two bacterial elements present in only some Helicobacter pylori strains lead to molecular changes in host tissues that favor the development of gastric cancer. Read More

Vanderbilt and Northwestern University researchers characterized a group of KCNQ1 variants probe their role in a common heart disorder called LQTS. They found that there are five classes of mutations that act through independent mechanisms, suggesting that a more tailored/personalized treatment approach could be beneficial for LQTS patients. Read More

Recent work from collaborators Ray Blind, Lucia Rameh, and John York has provided the first comprehensive analysis of inositol phosphate regulation of mTOR and mTORC1, increasing our kinetic understanding of mTOR kinase activity and providing a tool to modulate mTOR/mTORC1 in cells. Read More

Meet Jo Ann Byl, senior research specialist in the School of Medicine Basic Sciences Department of Biochemistry. Read More

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

A leading chemical biologist working on ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides, Doug Mitchell has joined the School of Medicine Basic Sciences as the William Kelly Warren Sr. Professor of Biochemistry and director of the Vanderbilt Institute for Chemical Biology. He also has been named professor of chemistry. Read More

As 2024 comes to a close, we take a look back at the accomplishments and contributions to science and society made by School of Medicine Basic Sciences community members throughout the past year. The efforts of our faculty, trainees, staff, and collaborators have resulted pioneering discoveries that tangibly benefit society. Read More

Lori Rudolph-Owen, an accomplished figure in the biotechnology industry and a Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences alum, shared her insights on career progression and drug development on Oct. 3 as part of BRET’s Ph.D. Career Stories, a series focused on various alums and their professions. Read More