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Source: https://news.vumc.org
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:18
Home - Vanderbilt Health News
Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH (photo by Donn Jones)
Pediatrics
Leading with heart: Juan Salazar’s mission to advance pediatric health care for all children
In a recent Q&A interview, Salazar discussed growing up in Colombia and in Washington, D.C.; why he chose to specialize in pediatric infectious diseases — focusing on HIV, Lyme disease, and later syphilis; his early vision for the Department of Pediatrics; and his deep commitment to family.
By Christina Echegaray
Mission of Caring
Building health together: Clarksville community leadership luncheon
By John Howser
Vanderbilt mourns Daryl Granner, leader of diabetes research and training
By Bill Snyder
Patient Spotlight
Drug lifts ‘brain fog’ from lupus patients: Clinical trial
By Bill Snyder
Pediatrics
Local students circle the wagons in relaunch of donation initiative
By Jessica Pasley
News Releases
Recent and archived press releases with clinical and research news
View All ›
Gut microbiota impacts resistance to bacterial pneumonia: Study
The findings suggest the gut microbiota — microorganisms that live in the intestines — could be a therapeutic target to prevent hospital-acquired lung infections.
By Leigh MacMillan
Study finds sleep apnea may be widespread — and often underdiagnosed or undertreated — among former professional football players
Evidence further suggests untreated sleep apnea is strongly linked to worse mental, cognitive and physical health for former athletes.
By Evan Dorian
View All
In the News
Good news about coffee; bad news about diarrhea; Billy Hudson’s amazing story; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
April 23, 2026
The importance of walking; the importance of talking; the importance of reducing loneliness; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
April 16, 2026
Having a regular bedtime is good for your heart; the Cicada COVID variant; AI and drug discovery; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
April 9, 2026
Exercise and live longer; cutting down on salt reduces heart failure; the return of a deadly bacterial disease; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
April 2, 2026
Women who lose a spouse get healthier, men who lose a spouse crash; microplastics and prostate cancer; an algorithm to manage hypertension; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
March 26, 2026
Life stress and digestive issues; gene variants and atrial fibrillation; magnesium and migraines; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
March 18, 2026
The meaning of dreams; how difficult people can shorten your life; public trust in scientists; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
March 13, 2026
Explore VUSM’s pioneering history
Stay connected.
Delivering news from our headquarters in Nashville to your inbox. Contact 615-322-4747 for all media inquiries.
Get on the list.
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
In 2004, three floors moved out of Vanderbilt University Hospital and into a different building. Demand soared. Now, that building is a 12-floor, 325-bed state-of-the-art hospital, with more beds coming later this year.
Middle Tennessee’s first full-service children’s hospital is commemorating its mission of caring for children and their families.
Read More
1
of
12
Minutes to hours, to weeks, months and years … How a patient defied the odds
By Jessica Pasley
Sit, stay, heal: Meet the facility dogs of Vanderbilt Health
By Danny Bonvissuto
Study seeks to determine best way to treat myopia in children
By Jessica Pasley
New NICU program cares for infants with complex lung and airway diseases
By Jessica Pasley
New device collects data to measure gait, informing physical therapy programs, custom orthotic design
By Matt Batcheldor
Study finds that guidelines helped reduce food allergy rates in children
By Jessica Pasley
Facility dog’s calming presence helps young heart patient cope with anxiety
By Jessica Pasley
Country music star Kelsea Ballerini donates $100,000 to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and makes special appearance to visit patients and families
By Christina Echegaray
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt named No. 1 children’s hospital in Tennessee and Southeast by U.S. News & World Report
By Christina Echegaray
Jamie Phillips named President of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
By John Howser
Program shows students that distracted driving can take many forms
By Jessica Pasley
Kix Brooks honored with star on Walk of Champions at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
By Paige Turner
Read More
Latest from around VUMC
Liquid biopsy predicts response to breast cancer immunotherapy
This minimally invasive and cost-effective alternative to tissue biopsy offers “an accessible tool for tailoring treatment strategies in breast cancer,” researchers reported April 22 in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
April 22, 2026
Child Health Poll: Vast majority of Tennessee parents say their kids get regular immunizations, support school-based immunization requirements
Roughly 8 in 10 parents surveyed across the state said they are concerned about communicable diseases like measles if others are not immunized and agreed that immunizations are important to protect their children from serious infections.
April 22, 2026
Pennsylvania dad pounding the pavement for premature patients
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt to benefit from marathon mission
April 21, 2026
Emily Morrow receives early career development award for work in rehabilitation research
Emily Morrow, PhD, MS, CCC-SLP, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Public Health, was recognized by the Association for Clinical and Translational Science.
April 21, 2026
Rapid bloodstream infection testing shows high potential for timely, lifesaving treatment: Study
Gram-negative bacteria bloodstream infections are a major cause of illness and death worldwide, especially where antimicrobial resistance is more common.
April 18, 2026
Transplant
View All ›
Great Saves event reunites former patients with those who provided lifesaving care
They and their families shared their journeys back to health, from initial illness followed by weeks to months in the SICU, to their ongoing rehabilitation and recovery.
By Jill Clendening
Vanderbilt Health lung transplant patients, doctors climb highest peak in the Americas
Most of the 27 participants were able to reach altitudes of more than 18,000 feet — exclusively personal bests. All participants were under close medical supervision.
By Matt Batcheldor
Vanderbilt Lung Transplant Program sets new record
The program performed 149 lung transplants in 2025, the most ever in one year at Vanderbilt Health, and is now the second largest lung transplant center in the U.S.
By Matt Batcheldor
Multiple surgeries that open chest don’t add extra risk for transplant patients: Study
Researchers retrospectively reviewed 552 Vanderbilt Health patients from Jan. 2024 to Dec. 2025, placing them in 3 groups: those with no sternotomies, those with one, and those with two or more.
By Matt Batcheldor
Great Saves event reunites former patients with those who provided lifesaving care
They and their families shared their journeys back to health, from initial illness followed by weeks to months in the SICU, to their ongoing rehabilitation and recovery.
By Jill Clendening
Vanderbilt Health lung transplant patients, doctors climb highest peak in the Americas
Most of the 27 participants were able to reach altitudes of more than 18,000 feet — exclusively personal bests. All participants were under close medical supervision.
By Matt Batcheldor
Vanderbilt Lung Transplant Program sets new record
The program performed 149 lung transplants in 2025, the most ever in one year at Vanderbilt Health, and is now the second largest lung transplant center in the U.S.
By Matt Batcheldor
Multiple surgeries that open chest don’t add extra risk for transplant patients: Study
Researchers retrospectively reviewed 552 Vanderbilt Health patients from Jan. 2024 to Dec. 2025, placing them in 3 groups: those with no sternotomies, those with one, and those with two or more.
By Matt Batcheldor
View All
Mission of Caring
View All ›
Mascots and more: Vanderbilt Health welcomes Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital staff — photo gallery
By Sandra Wooten and Donn Jones
Weekly buprenorphine injection proves more effective for pregnant women with opioid use disorder
Vanderbilt Health’s Firefly program continues to lead the way in caring for pregnant women with substance use disorder.
By Jessica Pasley
Tender Paws and Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital celebrate a fetching 25-year partnership
Composed of community volunteers and their specially trained dogs, Tender Paws teams regularly visit inside the hospital, providing emotional support that complements clinical care.
By Sandra Wooten
Memorial fund honors patient whose life was saved by Vanderbilt Health neurosurgeons
Charlotte Davis’ family, grateful for Vanderbilt Health’s role in extending her life, has set up a fund in her memory to support neurosurgical research and patient care.
By Evan Dorian
Mascots and more: Vanderbilt Health welcomes Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital staff — photo gallery
By Sandra Wooten and Donn Jones
Weekly buprenorphine injection proves more effective for pregnant women with opioid use disorder
Vanderbilt Health’s Firefly program continues to lead the way in caring for pregnant women with substance use disorder.
By Jessica Pasley
Tender Paws and Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital celebrate a fetching 25-year partnership
Composed of community volunteers and their specially trained dogs, Tender Paws teams regularly visit inside the hospital, providing emotional support that complements clinical care.
By Sandra Wooten
Memorial fund honors patient whose life was saved by Vanderbilt Health neurosurgeons
Charlotte Davis’ family, grateful for Vanderbilt Health’s role in extending her life, has set up a fund in her memory to support neurosurgical research and patient care.
By Evan Dorian
View All
Aliquots – Research Briefs
View All ›
Sickle cell disease heightens risk for precancerous blood disorder
These findings shed light on disruptions in normal blood cell development (hematopoiesis) that may be shared by sickle cell disease and clonal hematopoiesis.
By Bill Snyder
Study identifies potential noninvasive blood marker for Crohn’s disease activity
One immune cell signaling molecule was increased in active versus inactive Crohn’s disease in both endoscopic and histologic activity assessments, suggesting it could serve as a potential noninvasive marker of disease activity.
By Leigh MacMillan
Motor protein plays key role in intestinal stem cell identity, function
Study findings suggest a new therapeutic approach for a rare digestive disorder, microvillus inclusion disease.
By Leigh MacMillan
‘Kindlins’ are a key to kidney formation
Kindlins regulate cell signaling during the formation of ureteric buds, a key step in the development of the kidneys’ urine collection system.
By Bill Snyder
Sickle cell disease heightens risk for precancerous blood disorder
These findings shed light on disruptions in normal blood cell development (hematopoiesis) that may be shared by sickle cell disease and clonal hematopoiesis.
By Bill Snyder
Study identifies potential noninvasive blood marker for Crohn’s disease activity
One immune cell signaling molecule was increased in active versus inactive Crohn’s disease in both endoscopic and histologic activity assessments, suggesting it could serve as a potential noninvasive marker of disease activity.
By Leigh MacMillan
Motor protein plays key role in intestinal stem cell identity, function
Study findings suggest a new therapeutic approach for a rare digestive disorder, microvillus inclusion disease.
By Leigh MacMillan
‘Kindlins’ are a key to kidney formation
Kindlins regulate cell signaling during the formation of ureteric buds, a key step in the development of the kidneys’ urine collection system.
By Bill Snyder
View All
Juan C. Salazar, MD, MPH (photo by Donn Jones)
Pediatrics
Leading with heart: Juan Salazar’s mission to advance pediatric health care for all children
In a recent Q&A interview, Salazar discussed growing up in Colombia and in Washington, D.C.; why he chose to specialize in pediatric infectious diseases — focusing on HIV, Lyme disease, and later syphilis; his early vision for the Department of Pediatrics; and his deep commitment to family.
By Christina Echegaray
Mission of Caring
Building health together: Clarksville community leadership luncheon
By John Howser
Vanderbilt mourns Daryl Granner, leader of diabetes research and training
By Bill Snyder
Patient Spotlight
Drug lifts ‘brain fog’ from lupus patients: Clinical trial
By Bill Snyder
Pediatrics
Local students circle the wagons in relaunch of donation initiative
By Jessica Pasley
News Releases
Recent and archived press releases with clinical and research news
View All ›
Gut microbiota impacts resistance to bacterial pneumonia: Study
The findings suggest the gut microbiota — microorganisms that live in the intestines — could be a therapeutic target to prevent hospital-acquired lung infections.
By Leigh MacMillan
Study finds sleep apnea may be widespread — and often underdiagnosed or undertreated — among former professional football players
Evidence further suggests untreated sleep apnea is strongly linked to worse mental, cognitive and physical health for former athletes.
By Evan Dorian
View All
In the News
Good news about coffee; bad news about diarrhea; Billy Hudson’s amazing story; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
April 23, 2026
The importance of walking; the importance of talking; the importance of reducing loneliness; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
April 16, 2026
Having a regular bedtime is good for your heart; the Cicada COVID variant; AI and drug discovery; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
April 9, 2026
Exercise and live longer; cutting down on salt reduces heart failure; the return of a deadly bacterial disease; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
April 2, 2026
Women who lose a spouse get healthier, men who lose a spouse crash; microplastics and prostate cancer; an algorithm to manage hypertension; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
March 26, 2026
Life stress and digestive issues; gene variants and atrial fibrillation; magnesium and migraines; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
March 18, 2026
The meaning of dreams; how difficult people can shorten your life; public trust in scientists; plus other stories with Vanderbilt Health sources
March 13, 2026
Explore VUSM’s pioneering history
Stay connected.
Delivering news from our headquarters in Nashville to your inbox. Contact 615-322-4747 for all media inquiries.
Get on the list.
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
In 2004, three floors moved out of Vanderbilt University Hospital and into a different building. Demand soared. Now, that building is a 12-floor, 325-bed state-of-the-art hospital, with more beds coming later this year.
Middle Tennessee’s first full-service children’s hospital is commemorating its mission of caring for children and their families.
Read More
1
of
12
Minutes to hours, to weeks, months and years … How a patient defied the odds
By Jessica Pasley
Sit, stay, heal: Meet the facility dogs of Vanderbilt Health
By Danny Bonvissuto
Study seeks to determine best way to treat myopia in children
By Jessica Pasley
New NICU program cares for infants with complex lung and airway diseases
By Jessica Pasley
New device collects data to measure gait, informing physical therapy programs, custom orthotic design
By Matt Batcheldor
Study finds that guidelines helped reduce food allergy rates in children
By Jessica Pasley
Facility dog’s calming presence helps young heart patient cope with anxiety
By Jessica Pasley
Country music star Kelsea Ballerini donates $100,000 to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and makes special appearance to visit patients and families
By Christina Echegaray
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt named No. 1 children’s hospital in Tennessee and Southeast by U.S. News & World Report
By Christina Echegaray
Jamie Phillips named President of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
By John Howser
Program shows students that distracted driving can take many forms
By Jessica Pasley
Kix Brooks honored with star on Walk of Champions at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
By Paige Turner
Read More
Latest from around VUMC
Liquid biopsy predicts response to breast cancer immunotherapy
This minimally invasive and cost-effective alternative to tissue biopsy offers “an accessible tool for tailoring treatment strategies in breast cancer,” researchers reported April 22 in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
April 22, 2026
Child Health Poll: Vast majority of Tennessee parents say their kids get regular immunizations, support school-based immunization requirements
Roughly 8 in 10 parents surveyed across the state said they are concerned about communicable diseases like measles if others are not immunized and agreed that immunizations are important to protect their children from serious infections.
April 22, 2026
Pennsylvania dad pounding the pavement for premature patients
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt to benefit from marathon mission
April 21, 2026
Emily Morrow receives early career development award for work in rehabilitation research
Emily Morrow, PhD, MS, CCC-SLP, assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Public Health, was recognized by the Association for Clinical and Translational Science.
April 21, 2026
Rapid bloodstream infection testing shows high potential for timely, lifesaving treatment: Study
Gram-negative bacteria bloodstream infections are a major cause of illness and death worldwide, especially where antimicrobial resistance is more common.
April 18, 2026
Transplant
View All ›
Great Saves event reunites former patients with those who provided lifesaving care
They and their families shared their journeys back to health, from initial illness followed by weeks to months in the SICU, to their ongoing rehabilitation and recovery.
By Jill Clendening
Vanderbilt Health lung transplant patients, doctors climb highest peak in the Americas
Most of the 27 participants were able to reach altitudes of more than 18,000 feet — exclusively personal bests. All participants were under close medical supervision.
By Matt Batcheldor
Vanderbilt Lung Transplant Program sets new record
The program performed 149 lung transplants in 2025, the most ever in one year at Vanderbilt Health, and is now the second largest lung transplant center in the U.S.
By Matt Batcheldor
Multiple surgeries that open chest don’t add extra risk for transplant patients: Study
Researchers retrospectively reviewed 552 Vanderbilt Health patients from Jan. 2024 to Dec. 2025, placing them in 3 groups: those with no sternotomies, those with one, and those with two or more.
By Matt Batcheldor
Great Saves event reunites former patients with those who provided lifesaving care
They and their families shared their journeys back to health, from initial illness followed by weeks to months in the SICU, to their ongoing rehabilitation and recovery.
By Jill Clendening
Vanderbilt Health lung transplant patients, doctors climb highest peak in the Americas
Most of the 27 participants were able to reach altitudes of more than 18,000 feet — exclusively personal bests. All participants were under close medical supervision.
By Matt Batcheldor
Vanderbilt Lung Transplant Program sets new record
The program performed 149 lung transplants in 2025, the most ever in one year at Vanderbilt Health, and is now the second largest lung transplant center in the U.S.
By Matt Batcheldor
Multiple surgeries that open chest don’t add extra risk for transplant patients: Study
Researchers retrospectively reviewed 552 Vanderbilt Health patients from Jan. 2024 to Dec. 2025, placing them in 3 groups: those with no sternotomies, those with one, and those with two or more.
By Matt Batcheldor
View All
Mission of Caring
View All ›
Mascots and more: Vanderbilt Health welcomes Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital staff — photo gallery
By Sandra Wooten and Donn Jones
Weekly buprenorphine injection proves more effective for pregnant women with opioid use disorder
Vanderbilt Health’s Firefly program continues to lead the way in caring for pregnant women with substance use disorder.
By Jessica Pasley
Tender Paws and Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital celebrate a fetching 25-year partnership
Composed of community volunteers and their specially trained dogs, Tender Paws teams regularly visit inside the hospital, providing emotional support that complements clinical care.
By Sandra Wooten
Memorial fund honors patient whose life was saved by Vanderbilt Health neurosurgeons
Charlotte Davis’ family, grateful for Vanderbilt Health’s role in extending her life, has set up a fund in her memory to support neurosurgical research and patient care.
By Evan Dorian
Mascots and more: Vanderbilt Health welcomes Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital staff — photo gallery
By Sandra Wooten and Donn Jones
Weekly buprenorphine injection proves more effective for pregnant women with opioid use disorder
Vanderbilt Health’s Firefly program continues to lead the way in caring for pregnant women with substance use disorder.
By Jessica Pasley
Tender Paws and Vanderbilt Clarksville Hospital celebrate a fetching 25-year partnership
Composed of community volunteers and their specially trained dogs, Tender Paws teams regularly visit inside the hospital, providing emotional support that complements clinical care.
By Sandra Wooten
Memorial fund honors patient whose life was saved by Vanderbilt Health neurosurgeons
Charlotte Davis’ family, grateful for Vanderbilt Health’s role in extending her life, has set up a fund in her memory to support neurosurgical research and patient care.
By Evan Dorian
View All
Aliquots – Research Briefs
View All ›
Sickle cell disease heightens risk for precancerous blood disorder
These findings shed light on disruptions in normal blood cell development (hematopoiesis) that may be shared by sickle cell disease and clonal hematopoiesis.
By Bill Snyder
Study identifies potential noninvasive blood marker for Crohn’s disease activity
One immune cell signaling molecule was increased in active versus inactive Crohn’s disease in both endoscopic and histologic activity assessments, suggesting it could serve as a potential noninvasive marker of disease activity.
By Leigh MacMillan
Motor protein plays key role in intestinal stem cell identity, function
Study findings suggest a new therapeutic approach for a rare digestive disorder, microvillus inclusion disease.
By Leigh MacMillan
‘Kindlins’ are a key to kidney formation
Kindlins regulate cell signaling during the formation of ureteric buds, a key step in the development of the kidneys’ urine collection system.
By Bill Snyder
Sickle cell disease heightens risk for precancerous blood disorder
These findings shed light on disruptions in normal blood cell development (hematopoiesis) that may be shared by sickle cell disease and clonal hematopoiesis.
By Bill Snyder
Study identifies potential noninvasive blood marker for Crohn’s disease activity
One immune cell signaling molecule was increased in active versus inactive Crohn’s disease in both endoscopic and histologic activity assessments, suggesting it could serve as a potential noninvasive marker of disease activity.
By Leigh MacMillan
Motor protein plays key role in intestinal stem cell identity, function
Study findings suggest a new therapeutic approach for a rare digestive disorder, microvillus inclusion disease.
By Leigh MacMillan
‘Kindlins’ are a key to kidney formation
Kindlins regulate cell signaling during the formation of ureteric buds, a key step in the development of the kidneys’ urine collection system.
By Bill Snyder
View All