BRET News
Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences welcomes the next generation of biomedical scientists
Oct. 13, 2025—Every August, the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences opens its doors to a new cohort of graduate students embarking on the transformative journey toward a Ph.D. in the biomedical sciences. This year’s incoming class of 42 students in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program and the Quantitative and Chemical Biology Program began their Vanderbilt experience with a week of...
Congrats, Dr. Benthal!
Sep. 3, 2025—Congrats, Dr. Benthal! Who: Joseph Benthal, PhD Department: Human Genetics PI Mentor: Dr. Michelle Southard-Smith Research: For my dissertation, I studied the development of the enteric nervous system (gut brain) using mice and single cell sequencing. Vanderbilt Impact: “I relied heavily on the Flow Cytometry shared resource for my experiments. I also appreciated the ASPIRE...
Congrats, Dr. Parker!
Aug. 28, 2025—Congrats, Dr. Parker! Who: Alyssa Parker, PhD Department: Human Genetics PI Mentor: Dr. Alexander Bick & Dr. Digna Velez Edwards Research: I have developed novel methods to detect, monitor, and treat clonal hematopoiesis. Vanderbilt Impact: “The VANTAGE sequencing core was essential for developing and deploying the sequencing assays used in my work. I am also...
Congrats, Dr. McClanahan!
Aug. 27, 2025—Congrats, Dr. McClanahan! Who: Kathleen McClanahan, PhD Department: Pathology, Microbiology, & Immunology PI Mentor: Dr. Luc Van Kaer Research: My research investigated how a breastmilk protein called osteopontin impacts the development of intestinal immune cells. Vanderbilt Impact: “The ASPIRE Program in Molecular Medicine really shaped my graduate training. It’s where I met the neonatologists that...
Congrats, Dr. Riedmann!
Aug. 27, 2025—Congrats, Dr. Riedmann! Who: Kyle Riedmann, PhD Department: Cell & Developmental Biology PI Mentor: Dr. Julie Bastarache Research: The impact of cell free hemoglobin on the blood vessels that line the lungs. Vanderbilt Impact: “The Cell Imaging Shared Resource (CISR), the ASPIRE Path in Molecular Medicine (APMM), and ASPIRE internship program were three impactful resources...
Congrats, Dr. Perkins!
Aug. 27, 2025—Congrats, Dr. Perkins! Who: Olivia Perkins, PhD Department: Cell & Developmental Biology PI Mentor: Dr. Matthew Tyska Research: Investigating the role of clathrin-mediated endocytosis in shaping epithelial cell morphology Vanderbilt Impact: “The Cell Imaging Shared Resource (CISR) along with the Cell and Developmental Biology department were essential in my training at Vanderbilt.” Post-PhD Plans: Academic...
Congrats, Dr. Hesterberg!
Aug. 27, 2025—Congrats, Dr. Hesterberg! Who: Amanda Hesterberg, PhD Department: Cancer Biology PI Mentor: Dr. Paula Hurley Research: My research focuses on understanding how the tumor microenvironment drives prostate cancer metastasis and how we can target those mechanisms to identify novel therapies. Vanderbilt Impact: “This work could not have been done without the incredible research cores at...
Congrats, Dr. Hospelhorn!
Aug. 25, 2025—Congrats, Dr. Hospelhorn! Who: Blythe Hospelhorn, PhD Department: Human Genetics PI Mentor: Dr. Gregor Neuert Research: Gene regulatory dynamics in stress stimulus response Vanderbilt Impact: “The faculty, staff, and my peers were impactful on my training. VANTAGE, Vanderbilt’s genomics research resource, was helpful too. ” Post-PhD Plans: I am looking for an academic/public/nonprofit postdoctoral fellowship.
Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy symposium showcases undergraduate research
Aug. 14, 2025—Vanderbilt University welcomed 48 undergraduate researchers from 30 institutions across the country to present their work at the 2025 Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy Poster Symposium. Read More
SOMBS Staff Spotlight: Roz Johnson
Aug. 14, 2025—The School of Medicine Basic Sciences is a remarkable community dedicated to advancing the study of human biology, health, and disease. In addition to the award-winning faculty, postdocs, and students who are at the forefront of our cutting-edge research, a large part of our school’s success can be attributed to our staff. We sat down...
Congrats, Dr. Stanley!
Jul. 7, 2025—Congrats, Dr. Stanley! Who: Jade Stanley, PhD Department: Molecular Physiology and Biophysics PI Mentor: Dr. Danielle Dean Research: How do amino acids contribute to the regulation of islet cell hormone secretion and cell growth? Vanderbilt Impact: “Without IMSD, ASPIRE, the CICT program, and CISR core, I would not have been able to successfully complete my...
Where is BRET?
Jul. 1, 2025—BRET has moved out of the Light Hall 340 suite! Check out the new locations on our flyer.
Congrats, 2025 Dean’s Awardees of Excellence in Graduate Research
Jun. 23, 2025—The School of Medicine Basic Sciences has named ten graduate students as recipients of the 2025 Dean’s Award for Exceptional Achievement in Graduate Studies. This prestigious honor recognizes students who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance and produced dissertation research marked by originality, significance, and scientific rigor.
Congrats, Dr. Adegboye!
Jun. 18, 2025—Congrats, Dr. Adegboye! Who: Hailey Adegboye, PhD Department: Neuroscience PI Mentor: Dr. Angela Jefferson Research: My research leverages plasma proteomics data to identify novel biomarkers of cognitive aging. Vanderbilt Impact: “I have been extremely grateful for the support of the MSTP leadership team throughout my training. I am also grateful for VUMC core facilities, such...