News
Wesley Self named to leadership role in global clinical trials network
Jul. 22, 2024—Wesley Self, MD, MPH, Senior Vice President for Clinical Research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has been named chair of the Scientific Steering Committee overseeing a global clinical trials network focused on acute infectious disease. The network, called Strategies and Treatments for Respiratory Infections and Viral Emergencies (STRIVE), is funded by the National Institutes of...
Staffing is the most important part of providing high-quality nursing home care says Stevenson
Jul. 19, 2024—During inspections since 2021, state regulators cited a third of California homes — more than 400 of them — for inadequate staffing. Regulators also granted waivers to 236 homes that said work force shortages prevented them from recruiting enough nurse aides to meet the state minimum, exempting them from fines as high as $50,000. In New York,...
Mary- Margaret Fill and William Schaffner: Notes from the field Illnesses After Administration
Jul. 16, 2024—Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) products are considered safe for cosmetic use when administered in clinical settings, although potential spread of BoNT around the injection site can result in local, transient neurological effects (e.g., ptosis or diplopia) (1). In March 2024, clinicians notified the New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and Tennessee...
Drinking between 68 and 100 ounces of water per day is critical for optimal hydration, says Karpinos
Jul. 16, 2024—Record-setting high temperatures are dangerous not only for the planet, but also for human health. Whether you’re situated in the middle of a heat wave or you’re just trying to survive a scorching day, you’ll need strategies to cool off and stay well. One of the most crucial is to stay hydrated. But do eight eight-ounce glasses...
Dr. Schaffner discusses recent summer wave of COVID-19 cases
Jul. 9, 2024—COVID-19 cases are surging across the U.S. with the CDC saying a new variant is growing or likely growing in 43 states. Dr. William Schaffner, a professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, joined CBS News to talk about the rise in cases.
Creech and Vanderbilt researchers launch new antibody trial to address Enterovirus threat
Jul. 3, 2024—Vanderbilt University Medical Center has launched a first-in-human clinical trial to determine the safety and efficacy of an experimental monoclonal antibody against enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), which can cause severe respiratory disease and — in rare cases — a debilitating, polio-like neurologic condition. Currently there are no approved, specific treatments in the United States for severe...
Talbot Discusses New Covid-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Jul. 2, 2024—All Americans ages 6 months and older should receive one of the new Covid-19 vaccines when they become available this fall, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday. The recommendation comes as the nation faces a summer wave of Covid, with the number of infections rising in at least 39 states and territories. Most...
Schaffner addresses rare drug-resistant flu variant identified in the US
Jun. 27, 2024—A rare flu variant that has shown some resistance to the most commonly used antiviral treatment has been detected in at least two people in the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Influenza viruses are constantly changing, but this variant has two concerning mutations in places that could lower...
Harris named Department of Medicine’s executive vice chair for Clinical Affairs
Jun. 25, 2024—Bryan Harris, MD, MPH, MMHC, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases within the Department of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has been named executive vice chair for Clinical Affairs for the department, effective July 1. He succeeds Cecelia Theobald, MD, MPH, who is moving into new roles as VUMC’s Chief...
Ferrara amongst 2024 Graduate Certificate in Global Health Recipients
Jun. 24, 2024—This year five Vanderbilt students completed the Certificate in Global Health. The Certificate is an interdisciplinary graduate-level program that promotes joint training opportunities in global health between and across schools at Vanderbilt. The goal of the Certificate is to equip students with fundamental principles of research/planning, an international context, and problem-solving skills that can be...
Whooping cough cases double in the U.S., a potential legacy of the pandemic, says Creech
Jun. 21, 2024—Whooping cough cases have more than doubled so far in 2024, raising concerns for infants and older adults, the two groups at highest risk. Whooping cough, a bacterial illness that poses an especially significant threat to infants, is surging in the United States — another potential legacy of the coronavirus pandemic. Federal disease trackers report...
Audet selected for the 2024 cohort of Chancellor Faculty Fellows
Jun. 20, 2024—Thirteen outstanding faculty members from across Vanderbilt University have been selected for the 2024 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. There are five fellows from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (VUSM). Each fellow holds the title...
Wester and Vanderbilt researchers establish biomedical informatics training program in Mozambique
Jun. 19, 2024—In collaboration with Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) located in Maputo, Mozambique, the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH) has been awarded a five-year, $1.2 million training grant by the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health to establish the first biomedical informatics (BMI) training program for scholars and fellows using computational and information sciences approaches, primarily...
Schaffner recommends renewed Covid-19 vaccinations in light of surge in Omicron FLiRT cases
Jun. 18, 2024—As the nation begins its second summer following the end of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency, a new family of viral subvariants that virologists are calling FLiRT is on the rise. “This is not a surprise; this is always in the cards,” Edwin Michael, PhD, an epidemiologist at the University of South Florida College...
Tsosie unpacks how data on Indigenous Peoples has been used and abused
Jun. 17, 2024—You might’ve heard this phrase before: data equals power. Because when you have data, you can decide how they’re used and who gets to use them. The history of research on Indigenous communities in the United States is full of stories of exploitation, power imbalances, and stolen knowledge. Be it through the iodine experiments of...