Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences

From lab to impact: Faculty helping faculty commercialize research discoveries Navigating the journey from research to real-world impact can be challenging. Luckily for Vanderbilt faculty, there’s a network of Innovation Ambassadors to guide them.

💡Through Vanderbilt’s Innovation Ambassadors program, faculty like Alex Waterson and Douglas Kojetin are sharing their expertise to help colleagues navigate patents, partnerships, and the path to commercialization.

Read more 👉 news.vanderbilt.edu/2026/03/04/f...

Novel compounds open new research avenues for Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics Two new compounds developed at the Vanderbilt University Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery will enable research into a protein family with ties to Alzheimer’s disease, setting the stage…

🧠 Scientists at Vanderbilt's WCNDD have developed novel compounds that open exciting new paths for studying and potentially treating Alzheimer’s disease. medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-sciences/2026/02/24/novel-compounds-open-new-research-avenues-for-alzheimers-disease-therapeutics/

Stevenson Center 6 Town Hall The link to join the virtual town hall will be email out to registrants 30 minutes before the event. A state-of the-art science building is ...

📣 Curious about Vanderbilt’s plans for a state-of-the-art science building at the current Stevenson Center 6 site? Join the upcoming Town Hall!

📅 Date: Monday, March 2
🕒 Time: 3:30–4:30 PM CST
💻 Format: Virtual webinar

Learn more and register 👉 events.vanderbilt.edu/event/96968-...

Katrin Karbstein named vice chair of biochemistry Katrin Karbstein, the co-leader of the Cancer Cell Biology Research Program in the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, will now expand her focus to support her department’s mission across research, se…

📣 Congrats to Katrin Karbstein on being named Vice Chair of Biochemistry! 🎉 Her leadership, mentorship, and commitment to scientific excellence make her a tremendous addition to our Department of Biochemistry's leadership team. medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...

Introducing the School of Medicine Basic Sciences Kairos Lecture Series The School of Medicine Basic Sciences is launching a new lecture series: “The Kairos Lectures: Research of Consequence at the Right Moment.”

🎙️ Introducing our new Kairos Lecture Series! “The purpose of the Kairos Lectures is to expose School of Medicine Basic Sciences faculty, postdocs, and graduate students to the exciting research our colleagues are doing,” said Nancy Carrasco. medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...

Neuroscientist Shan Meltzer named 2026 Sloan Research Fellow One of the most competitive honors available to young investigators, Meltzer named Sloan Research Fellow for her research into how the neural circuits responsible for touch and pain processing are …

🎉 Huge congrats to Shan Meltzer on being named a 2026 Sloan Research Fellow in Neuroscience! 🧠 The prestigious @sloanfoundation.bsky.social Research Fellowship honors exceptional early-career scientists who are the next generation of leaders in their fields. medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...

Celebrating love found Whether they met at the bench or bonded over research setbacks, these alums prove that meaningful relationships can flourish alongside rigorous scientific training. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we …

💗 In celebration of Valentine's Day, the School of Medicine Basic Sciences reached out to alum couples who met while in graduate school at Vanderbilt. They shared some stories, challenges, and advice that we hope you'll enjoy! medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...

Celebrating love found Whether they met at the bench or bonded over research setbacks, these alums prove that meaningful relationships can flourish alongside rigorous scientific training. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we …

Laura Teal, PhD’23, and Jess Roetman, PhD’23 defended their dissertations one day apart in 2023, though Jess’ degree was in cancer biology and Laura’s in pharmacology.

Read on for more SOMBS love stories 👉 medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...

Celebrating love found Whether they met at the bench or bonded over research setbacks, these alums prove that meaningful relationships can flourish alongside rigorous scientific training. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we …

Lori Rudolph-Owen, PhD’97, and J.J. Owen, PhD’98 have a deep School of Medicine Basic Sciences connection: Not only did they meet as part of the inaugural cohort of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the fall of 1992, but today they are both part of the SOMBS Council of Visitors.

Celebrating love found Whether they met at the bench or bonded over research setbacks, these alums prove that meaningful relationships can flourish alongside rigorous scientific training. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we …

❤️ Whether they met at the bench or bonded over research setbacks, these alums prove that meaningful relationships can flourish alongside rigorous scientific training. medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...

Prolonged semaglutide treatment reveals distinct stages of weight loss, maintenance, and regain In a new study published in Diabetes, researchers found that prolonged treatment with the GLP-1R agonist semaglutide led to changes in feeding habits and fuel use in an animal model, offering new i…

🔥 A new study found that prolonged treatment with the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide doesn’t just reduce food intake—it reshapes how animals eat and how their metabolism adapts across distinct stages of weight change.

Read more 👉 medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...

💕 Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and today, we are pulling the curtain back on the lives of some of our alum couples who met while in graduate school here at Vanderbilt University.

First highlight: Chrystal Sohl, PhD’10, and Hans Sohl, PhD’11

Aging researchers find new puzzle piece in the game of longevity The lab of Kris Burkewitz just made a key discovery: How cellular machineries are structured and organized within a cell has implications for healthy aging. “We didn’t just add a piece to the…

🧬 Researchers in the Burkewitz lab at Vanderbilt have uncovered a clue in the biology of aging: cells actively remodel their internal machinery through a process called ER-phagy, altering the structure of the endoplasmic reticulum as organisms age. medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...

Trainee Tribute: Jen Silverman Meet Jen Silverman, a Ph.D. candidate in the lab of Matthew Tyska in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology.

🌟 Today we’re highlighting Jen Silverman as this month's Trainee Tribute! As a graduate student working with the Wang lab, Jen has contributed to research focused on understanding how genetics and cellular processes intersect in neurodevelopment and disease.

Vanderbilt Institute for Therapeutic Advances About The Vanderbilt Institute for Therapeutic Advances represents the next frontier in translational biomedical research at Vanderbilt. One where curiosity-driven discovery is seamlessly integrated…

Directed by Craig Lindsley from Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, VITA builds on Vanderbilt’s leadership in drug discovery to create a new model: one that fuses basic research with systems biology, genomics, and AI to drive high-impact innovation.

Vanderbilt Institute for Therapeutic Advances launches to redefine drug discovery and biomedical innovation New drug discovery institute brings together AI, genomics, systems biology and translational research to accelerate cures for major diseases.

🚀 Big news in biomedical innovation! Vanderbilt University has launched the Vanderbilt Institute for Therapeutic Advances, a new research powerhouse designed to redefine how discoveries become real therapies. 👉 news.vanderbilt.edu/2026/01/21/v...

🎉 Congrats to Kalen Petersen, PhD’19, who has been promoted to assistant professor of neurology at Washington University in St. Louis and Kristin Kwakwa, PhD’21, who has been promoted to staff scientist at the Washington University School of Medicine. And yes, they’re married! 💛 A true power couple!

Conquer Your Fellowship: A Project Management Tool and Guide for Your NIH Fellowship Applying for an NIH fellowship can feel overwhelming, but the right guidance makes all the difference. This collection of resources walks you through every stage of the process – from identifying t…

Whether you’re just getting started or refining your application strategy, these resources are designed to help you submit a strong, well-paced NIH fellowship application! medschool.vanderbilt.edu/career-devel...

Identifying the “right” NIH fellowship opportunity Before you start writing a fellowship application to the NIH, it is important to identify the right funding opportunity and connect with the institute staff who manage that funding opportunity to e…

2️⃣ The second is an NIH Fellowship blog series with helpful tips and a step-by-step guidance on identifying the right funding opportunity, working with your sponsor(s), avoiding common application pitfalls, and more. medschool.vanderbilt.edu/career-devel...

1️⃣ The first is an interactive Trello project management board to help you organize tasks, deadlines, and milestones to pace your application from start to finish. medschool.vanderbilt.edu/career-devel...

Conquer Your Fellowship: A Project Management Tool and Guide for Your NIH Fellowship Applying for an NIH fellowship can feel overwhelming, but the right guidance makes all the difference. This collection of resources walks you through every stage of the process – from identifying t…

📢 Planning to apply for an NIH F30, F31, or F32 fellowship? The process can feel overwhelming, but BRET has some helpful resources to guide you through the process and apply by the April 8 deadline! medschool.vanderbilt.edu/career-devel...

Prominent molecular biologist André Nussenzweig delivers Apex Lecture on genome stability in both mitotic and post-mitotic cells National Cancer Institute molecular biologist André Nussenzweig delivered a School of Medicine Basic Sciences Apex Lecture on Dec. 15 about genome stability in mitotic and post-mitotic cells.

🔬 Molecular biologist André Nussenzweig delivered a full-house Apex Lecture. In his talk, he explored how cells maintain genome stability in both dividing and non-dividing cells, innovative genome-wide approaches to detecting DNA damage, and more. medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...

Collins named Destination Biochemistry Stanley Cohen Postdoctoral Scholar Hannah Collins was named the 2025 Destination Biochemistry Stanley Cohen Postdoctoral Scholar in recognition of her exceptional training, innovative research on microglial signaling, and strong pot…

🎉 Congrats to Hannah Collins, who has been named a 2025 Destination Biochemistry Stanley Cohen Postdoctoral Scholar. This prestigious award recognizes outstanding early-career researchers and honors the legacy of Nobel laureate Stanley Cohen. medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...

School of Medicine Basic Sciences: 2025 in review As 2025 draws to a close, we reflect on the achievements and contributions to science made by the School of Medicine Basic Sciences community over the past year. SOMBS facilitates outstanding funda…

✨ As 2025 comes to a close, we’re proud to reflect on the incredible achievements of the Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences #community that advanced fundamental #science and made discoveries with real-world impact. We are excited for 2026! 👉 medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...

📢 The 2026 VICB Seminar Series is here!

Join us Wednesdays at 12:15 PM in 1220 MRB III for talks from leading scientists across academia, industry, and national labs.

👉 View the full schedule below.

@vubasicsciences.bsky.social @vanderbilt.edu

🎵 ✨ This week, the Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences came together for our annual administrative holiday gathering. What a wonderful chance to celebrate the season, reflect on a year of hard work, and enjoy time with colleagues who keep our school thriving!
❄️💛🖤

Graduate Student Council announces 2025 Anchor Award winners The Vanderbilt Graduate Student Council has announced the winners of the 2025 Graduate Leadership Anchor Awards, which honor the hard work and leadership of Vanderbilt graduate students schoolwide.…

🎉 The Vanderbilt Graduate Student Council has announced the winners of the 2025 Graduate Leadership Anchor Awards, which honor the hard work and leadership of Vanderbilt graduate students. Congrats to the SOMBS students were recognized!

Read more here 👉 news.vanderbilt.edu/2025/12/04/g...

Osheroff lab provides mechanistic data in successful FDA application for new gonorrhea treatment The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of the new antibiotic gepotidacin for use against uncomplicated gonorrhea. The biochemistry lab of Neil Osheroff provided all mechanism of…

👏 Yesterday, the Osheroff lab's mechanistic data played a pivotal role in the FDA’s approval of Blujepa (gepotidacin) for treating uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhea, the first new class of antibiotics for this infection in decades. 🔬💊

Read more! 👉 medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...

Alum Answers with Dave Vigerust For our latest Alum Answers feature, meet Dave Vigerust, PhD’04, who trained as a scientist in Vanderbilt’s IGP umbrella program and then in the Cellular and Molecular Pathology program. He has spe…

🎓 Our latest Alum Answers features Dave Vigerust, IGP graduate who went on to specialize in molecular pathology at Vanderbilt. Today, he serves as Chief Scientific & Strategy Officer for several companies advancing precision diagnostics and forensic science. medschool.vanderbilt.edu/basic-scienc...

⭐ Happy Nobel Prize Day! Vanderbilt Nobel Laureate Stanley Cohen transformed biology with his discovery of EGF. Today, that legacy lives on through researchers like @krishnamudumbi.bsky.social, who is pushing the study of signal transduction into new territory. 🎥 Watch the video!