News
Page-McCaw spearheads improvements to her program’s “direct-admit” process
Mar. 2, 2021—Andrea Page-McCaw, DGS for CDB, spearheaded improvements to her program’s “direct-admit” process in which prospective students choose an adviser during the application process. “A direct-admit student is particularly dependent on their adviser because of their complete reliance on the adviser’s funding, along with the student’s reduced professional network and decreased potential to change labs,” McCaw...
Cell Imaging Shared Resource to receive new Zeiss LSM980 Confocal Microscope with Airyscan2
Feb. 26, 2021—The Cell Imaging Shared Resource (CISR) will be getting a new Zeiss LSM980 Confocal Microscope with Airyscan2. CISR was awarded a VA equipment grant (Shared Equipment Evaluation Program – ShEEP) in late 2020, and is in the purchase process right now. The award total was $649,867. The grant was written by Jenny Schafer, Jim Goldenring,...
Vivian Gama has won a $2.3 million BRAIN Initiative grant, developing brain organoids to map neurological development
Feb. 16, 2021—Vivian Gama, assistant professor of cell and developmental biology, and Leon Bellan, associate professor of mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering, have won a $2.3 million, three-year grant from the National Institutes of Health Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies Initiative. Vivian Gama Leon Bellan (Vanderbilt University) The researchers will be developing three-dimensional brain organoids and related tissue—miniaturized and simplified versions produced in vitro—that resemble a human brain at 24 to 25 weeks post-conception. These will provide an...
Susan R. Wente named president of Wake Forest University
Feb. 3, 2021—by Melanie Moran Jan. 31, 2021, 1:31 PM Leaves pathbreaking legacy of leadership and discovery at Vanderbilt University Susan R. Wente, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs (Vanderbilt University) Susan R. Wente, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, will become president of Wake Forest University July 1, 2021, after a pathbreaking 19-year career...
Tansey Reports on “WIN for blocking cancer growth”
Jan. 31, 2021—Jan. 21, 2021, 10:00 AM by Sarah Glass WDR5 is a protein that is overexpressed in a variety of cancers. Inhibiting WDR5 by targeting the WDR5-interaction (WIN) site can inhibit the growth of cancer cells in vitro, but this mechanism of action has not been fully elucidated. Publishing in Cell Reports, William Tansey, PhD, Alissa Guarnaccia and...
Andrea Wojciechowski (Tansey lab) receives an F31 from the NCI
Jan. 16, 2021—Andrea Wojciechowski, a graduate student in the William Tansey lab, recently received an F31 from the National Cancer Institute.
Ken Lau part of $1.5 million NSF project to develop advanced brain organoids
Jan. 16, 2021—Vanderbilt engineers have received a $1.49 million National Science Foundation grant to advance the science of organoids with cells that organize themselves and mimic development of human brain structures. Organoids are lab-produced groups of cells that serve as research models for human physiology in development and disease, including design and testing of drugs and other...
Susan Wente honored with endowed chair
Jan. 16, 2021—by Morgan Kroll Nov. 11, 2020, 11:24 AM (Vanderbilt University) Twenty-nine prominent faculty from across campus comprise Vanderbilt University’s latest endowed chair honorees. They include scholars working in diverse areas—from election analysis and lung cancer research to the nascent field of neurolaw, exploring the brain mechanism underlying legal decision-making. “An endowed chair is a remarkable...
CDB maintains #2 ranking
Jan. 11, 2021—CDB maintains our #2 ranking compared to all other cell biology departments in the United States. Vanderbilt Basic Sciences (Biochemistry, CDB, Pharmacology and MPB) together rank first in the entire country according to Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research (BRIMR.org).
Chloe Snider wins the 2020 Alan Hall Award
Dec. 24, 2020—Posted by Emma Stevens on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 in Uncategorized. Chloe Snider was honored with the 2020 Alan Hall Award. Congratulations, Chloe! You can read more about the Alan Hall Award here.
Macara abstract painting makes cover of Developmental Cell
Dec. 16, 2020—Ian Macara’s abstract painting representing the response of skin to DNA damage made the December 7 cover of Developmental Cell (Volume 55, Issue 5). The white area on the right of the image represents a hair follicle, the red represents activated hyper-proliferating epidermal cells, the black is DNA crosslinking in response to cisplatin treatment, and...
Bryan Millis receives Chan Zuckerberg Initiative grant to expand access to imaging technologies
Dec. 4, 2020—Vanderbilt microscopist receives Chan Zuckerberg Initiative grant to expand access to imaging technologies by Marissa Shapiro Dec. 2, 2020, 11:00 AM Bryan Millis (Vanderbilt University) Bryan Millis, research assistant professor of cell and developmental biology and biomedical engineering, has been awarded a grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s Imaging Scientists program. The proceeds will go...
AAAS Announces Amrita Banerjee of Vanderbilt University as an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow
Nov. 18, 2020—Washington DC (Date) — Amrita Banerjee, Ph.D. of Vanderbilt University has been awarded an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship (STPF) with a placement in the office of Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06). Dr. Banerjee is among 284 highly trained scientists and engineers who will spend a year serving professionally in federal agencies and congressional offices...
Cell and Developmental Biology Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee – hosts Special Seminar
Oct. 28, 2020—On Friday, October 30th, 2020 at 2 pm, Greg Siskind will present: “Immigration and the 2020 Election – A Preview of Possible Outcomes”. Greg Siskind is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. He is ranked 6th of the best immigration lawyers in the world. The CDB DEI International Scholars Subcommittee is hosting this special seminar. Please...
GSA Donation to the Vanderbilt Black Cultural Center
Oct. 24, 2020—The Cell and Developmental Biology Graduate Student Association (CDB-GSA) decided to do more than release a statement supporting their Black peers and the Black Lives Matter movement – they donated $1000 to the Vanderbilt Black Cultural Center (BCC), an organization that supports the needs of Black staff, faculty, alumni, and students through programming, resources, and...