‘Faculty News’
Lau and Coffey Receive $1 Million Grant
Oct. 2, 2024—The Robert J. Kleberg, Jr. and Helen C. Kleberg Foundation has awarded a $1 million grant to support research at Vanderbilt aimed at dramatically expanding the efficacy of immunotherapy for colorectal cancer. Currently, only people with microsatellite-high colorectal cancer, which accounts for about 10% of patients, respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors, but Vanderbilt researchers have...
Alissa Weaver receives the Chancellor’s Award for Research at Fall Faculty Assembly
Aug. 22, 2024—Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, Provost C. Cybele Raver and Faculty Senate Chair Alissa Hare, who is assistant dean of the College of Arts and Science, presented awards at this year’s Fall Faculty Assembly to 10 faculty members who have made significant contributions through their scholarship, research or creative expression. Alissa Weaver, professor of cell and developmental...
Weaver has hand in developing new tool that could lead to noninvasive “liquid biopsies”
Jul. 15, 2024—Researchers from the School of Medicine Basic Sciences recently developed an analytical tool that could lead to the use of “liquid biopsies” as a substitute for traditional biopsies for certain patients or diseases. The tool, called EV Fingerprinting, was the culmination of the dissertation work of Ariana von Lersner, a former graduate student and current postdoctoral...
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
Wright honored by Society for Developmental Biology
Feb. 2, 2022—Christopher Wright, professor of cell and developmental biology who holds the Louise B. McGavock Chair, has been honored with the 2022 Viktor Hamburger Outstanding Educator Prize. The award, presented by the Society for Developmental Biology, recognizes outstanding and innovative contributions to teaching and learning. Wright was nominated by a former postdoctoral trainee, Maureen Gannon, now a professor of...
2013 Chancellor’s Award for Research
Nov. 15, 2013—This award recognizes faculty members for excellence in research, scholarship or creative expression. Dr. Casagrande won this award for a ground-breaking paper in Nature Neuroscience, in which a novel linkage was identified between primary visual cortex of the brain and the thalamus, which controls the ability of the visual system to focus. Remarkably, when a...
Faculty Appointment: Jason MacGurn, Ph.D.
Jul. 8, 2013—I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Jason MacGurn, Ph.D., to the rank of Assistant Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology on the tenure track, effective August 1, 2013. Jason is currently a Post Doctoral Fellow in Scott Emr’s Lab at Cornell University Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology. He was jointly...
Faculty Appointment: Ken Lau, Ph.D.
Mar. 21, 2013—Cell & Developmental Biology welcomes new faculty member Ken Lau, Ph.D. Dr. Ken Lau comes to Vanderbilt after completing his post postdoctorate training in the laboratory of Kenvi Hargis, Ph.D. In the Molecular Pathology Unit at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Dr. Lau was chosen to join the Department of Cell and...