News
Vivian Gama New Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusive Mentoring
Sep. 1, 2023—During a Cell & Developmental Biology reception, Dean John Kuriyan announced Vivian Gama has accepted the position of Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusive Mentoring
Megan Stanchfield Awarded Ruth Kirschestein NRSA Predoctoral Fellowship
Aug. 29, 2023—Megan Stanchfield, (Levin lab) was awarded 3 year Ruth Kirschstein NRSA Predoctoral Fellowship The Kirschstein-NRSA program is to enable promising predoctoral students with potential to develop into a productive, independent research scientists, to obtain mentored research training while conducting dissertation research. The F31 is also used to enhance workforce diversity though a separate program.
Neil Dani Honored with 2023 Rita Allen Foundation Scholar Award
Aug. 24, 2023—In a landmark achievement, Neil Dani, an assistant professor in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, has been named a 2023 Rita Allen Foundation Scholar. The prestigious grant program supports early-career biomedical scholars who adopt bold and innovative approaches to fundamental scientific questions in cancer, immunology, neuroscience and pain. Dani is the first-ever researcher in...
Department of Cell & Developmental Biology Celebrates the Promotions of Ken Lau and Jeff Spraggins
Aug. 12, 2023—In a recent reception held by The Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, Department Chair Ian Macara was delighted to share various glowing remarks in support of the faculty promotions of Ken Lau to Professor, and Jeff Spraggins to Associate Professor
Gailey Awarded F31 from National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Jul. 15, 2023—Casey Gailey, (Miller lab) awarded F31 from National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke with her project titled: “NCAM drives synaptic remodeling in developing GABAergic neurons in C. elegans”
Cynthia Reinhart-King elected to fellow of IAMBE
Jul. 10, 2023—University Distinguished Professor and Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Engineering Cynthia Reinhart-King has been elected to the 2023 Class of Fellows of the International Academy of Medical and Biological Engineering (IAMBE). IAMBE is made up of fellows who are recognized for their outstanding contributions to the profession of medical and biological engineering at an international level....
Vivian Gama Named 2023 Chancellor Faculty Fellow
Jun. 7, 2023—Thirteen outstanding faculty members from across the university have been selected for the 2023 cohort of Chancellor Faculty Fellows. This group is composed of highly accomplished, recently tenured faculty from a wide variety of disciplines and areas of expertise. “As we reflect on the 150th anniversary of our founding, we’re asking our university community to...
Mentors Help High School Students earn science honors
May. 5, 2023—Three high school seniors with Vanderbilt mentors were selected for national honors by the Society for Science Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS). . The STS, which describes itself as one of “the nation’s oldest and most prestigious research competitions,” has alumni dating back to 1942. Many of those honored in previous years have gone on...
Cephes Publishes Review in GUT
Mar. 30, 2023—Amelia Cephes (DelGiorno lab) published a review in Gut. It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness: single-cell transcriptomics sheds new light on pancreas biology and disease. Recent advances in single-cell RNA sequencing and bioinformatics have drastically increased our ability to interrogate the cellular composition of traditionally difficult to study organs,...
Kathy Gould and Colleagues Decoding Cell Division Machinery
Mar. 23, 2023—In the final step of cell division, cytokinesis, one cell becomes two. Without complete separation, abnormal cells can accumulate and set the stage for tumor formation. One of the main controllers of cytokinesis is the protein Cdc15, which localizes to the dividing cell membrane — linking it to the cytokinetic ring, the constricting machinery that...
Fitz Awarded Smriti Bardhan Scholarship
Mar. 8, 2023—Gillian Fitz (Tyska lab) received a Smriti Bardhan, Ph.D. Scholarship. This scholarship recognizes excellence in research by a Ph.D. student in an area related to life sciences or biological sciences.
Krystofiak Awarded Grant from the Microscopy Society of America
Mar. 1, 2023—Evan Krystofiak, Ph.D. (CISR) was awarded a grant from the Microscopy Society of America to develop open-source cryo-tools for electron microscopy. The grant title is: “A Modular, Open Source, Inexpensive, Cryo-Preparation System for Plunge and Slam-Freezing.” and the grant is called a “MSA Strategic Initiative” The below image is a compelling image: It is...
New screening method could pave the way for future cancer drug discoveries
Jan. 17, 2023—The laboratories of Brian Bachmann, professor of chemistry, biochemistry and pharmacology, and Jonathan Irish, associate professor of cell and developmental biology and pathology, microbiology and immunology, have developed a method to discover new small molecules that may kill cancer cells by working through the body’s immune system. The method is the first of its kind, to...
Grants spur efforts to create molecular ‘atlases’ of organs
Nov. 17, 2022—Researchers in the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine have received three grants totaling $13.6 million from the National Institutes of Health to develop molecular “atlases” of the brain, kidney, eye and other tissues. Their goal is to find new and better ways to diagnose, treat and prevent a host of human ailments, from kidney failure...
Waghmare named one of five campus-wide Vanderbilt SEC Scholars
Nov. 1, 2022—Four Vanderbilt graduate students and one postdoc recently participated in the SEC Networking and Career Fair hosted by the University of Missouri, part of the SEC Emerging Scholars Program for doctoral and postdoctoral scholars announced earlier this year. The program is intended to serve as a pathway and source of mentorship for historically underrepresented graduate students and...