Major to Lead Undergraduate Immersion

We are pleased to announce that Amy Major has been appointed to the position of Faculty Director of Undergraduate Immersion for the Basic Sciences. Currently Associate Professor of Medicine (Divisions of Cardiovascular Medicine and Rheumatology & Immunology) and Associate Professor of Pathology, Microbiology, & Immunology, Amy first came to Vanderbilt in 1998 for postdoctoral training in the labs of Sergio Fazio and McRae Linton upon completing doctoral studies with Christopher Cuff in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at West Virginia University School of Medicine. Read more.

New AAAS Fellows

Sincerest congratulations to Neil Osheroff (Biochemistry), Andrea Page-McCaw (Cell & Developmental Biology), Kevin Schey (Biochemistry), Alvin Powers (Medicine), and Warren Sandberg (Anesthesiology) for their election as AAAS Fellows!

Our Latest Endowed Chair Recipients

We celebrate Basic Sciences faculty members Roger Colbran (Molecular Physiology & Biophysics) and Ege Kavalali (Pharmacology) along with the other eight Vanderbilt faculty, Matthew Bacchetta (Surgery), Todd Graham (Biological Sciences), Ruth Kleinpell (Nursing), Richard Milner (Education), Jim Rossi (Law), Lynne Stevenson (Medicine), Holly Tucker (French), and Lisa Young (Pediatrics), who received Endowed Chairs.

Lou DeFelice Travel Award Winners

Three VSSA undergraduates won the opportunity to travel with their mentors to the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students in Indianapolis, where they presented their research. The winners were Malek Jacobs (Cornell) with mentor Christopher Williams (Medicine), Donovan Brown (Penn State) with mentor Borden Lacy (Pathology, Microbiology, & Immunology), and Christina Wang (Vanderbilt) with mentor William Tansey (Cell & Developmental Biology). Donovan won one of three sophomore biochemistry poster awards. Their travel was sponsored by $5,000 awards from the Lou DeFelice Travel Award Program.

NARSAD Young Investigators

Six Vanderbilt neuroscientists have received prestigious NARSAD Young Investigator Awards. They are: Erin Calipari (Asst. Prof., Pharmacology), Daniel Foster (Res. Asst. Prof., Pharmacology), Autumn Kujawa (Asst. Prof. Psychology & Human Development), Samuel Centanni (Postdoc, Winder lab), and Kanzo Suzuki (Postdoc, Monteggia lab). Congratulations to all!

New Ancora Awards

Congratulations to Craig Lindsley, Jeff Conn, and Carrie Jones for receiving funding from Ancora Innovations to continue with their drug discovery efforts!

Honors to Vivien Casagrande

The Society for Neuroscience has awarded its Patricia Godman-Rakic Hall of Honor Award to the late Vivien Casagrande for her work towards the advancement of women in neuroscience.

Mclaughlin Recognized

BethAnn McLauglin recently received the Louise Hanson Marshall Special Recognition Award from the Society for Neuroscience for her efforts to promote the professional development and success of women in neuroscience.

Microbiome Initiative Bootcamp

On Nov. 9, the Microbiome Initiative held its second bootcamp to train the community (undergraduates through faculty spanning 12 affiliations) in microbiome experimental design and analytics.

New Fellowship Awards

Congratulations to Ben Reisman (Chemistry, VICB, Bachmann lab) for his recently awarded NIH fellowship funding!

New Discoveries

Responding to Stress

A recent report from Susan Wente’s lab outlines the role of stress granules in a cell’s ability to evade death in the face of a toxic insult.

Preventing Pulmonary Hypertension

New research from David Merryman’s lab reveals the role of proangiogenic cells in regulating blood pressure in the lungs.

Obesity Stymies Cholesterol Control

John Stafford and Lin Zhu report that obesity interferes with the ability of CETP inhibitors to lower cholesterol.

Immune Functions of Glutamine

New findings from Jeffrey Rathmell’s lab demonstrate the role of glutamine in modulating T cell activation.

Novel Glaucoma Target

Recent research from Rebecca Sappington and her lab demonstrates the possible value in modulating cGMP levels to treat glaucoma.

New Beta Cell Marker

Researchers in Alvin Powers’s lab have identified a new biomarker for pancreatic beta cells that will aid in their identification and isolation.

External Funding Opportunities

NIH Guide
If you have not already done so, you are encouraged to subscribe to the NIH Guide email list, which provides a wealth of information on NIH grant programs.  Subscribe here.

NCI Cancer Moonshot
The NCI has recently updated funding opportunities through the Cancer Moonshot program. Details are here.

Basser Center BRCA Research Awards
The Basser Center for BRCA offers grants to support research directed toward the care of people living with BRCA1/2 mutations. Basic science research is funded. The deadline for letters of intent is Dec. 17. More information is here.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Children’s Cancer
Applications are being accepted until Dec. 17 for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation Young Investigator Awards, which support research in children’s cancer. Details are here.

HHMI Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute is seeking applications for the Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program, which supports postdoctoral fellows from underrepresented groups. Applications are due Jan. 9.

Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative
The Simons Foundation requests proposals for research into key unresolved questions in autism. The application deadline is Jan. 11. More details are here.

Limited Submission Opportunities

Information regarding limited submission opportunities may be found at the University website. You can also sign up to receive regular updates by e-mail.

Internal Funding Opportunities

Bridge/Realignment Funding
The deadline for primary Basic Sciences faculty to submit proposals for Bridge/Realignment Grant funding is Dec. 15. Be sure to use the new instructions for submission, available here.

Cores Development Grants
Directors or Managers of Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences (VBS) Cores are invited by the Dean of VBS to submit proposals for up to $50,000 in funds to support one of the following acquisitions/activities:

• Purchase of capital equipment costing less than $120,000
• Expenses for research for the purpose of laying the groundwork for a new core technology or service.
• Scientifically driven lab renovations.

Proposals are due Dec. 15. More information is available here.

Initiative for Personalized Microbial Discovery and Innovation Pilot Projects
Pilot project funding for research in multiple areas of microbiology and infectious diseases is available. The deadline for applications is Dec. 17. More information is is here.

Digestive Disease Research Center Pilot Projects
The VDDRC is accepting proposals for pilot project funding until Dec. 21. Details are available here.

Diabetes and Obesity Research Pilot Projects
The Vanderbilt Diabetes Center, Diabetes Research and Training Center, and Center for Translational Research are offering funding for pilot projects in the area of diabetes and obesity research. The deadline is Feb. 4. Details are here.

Discovery Grant and Research Scholar Grant Proposals
The Office of the Provost invites faculty to submit proposals for the next round of Discovery Grants and Research Scholar Grants. Both awards are open to all full-time VU-employed (provost-reporting) faculty. Proposals that advance research in areas related to race, diversity and inclusivity are encouraged. More information is here.

Faculty Spotlight – Erin Calipari