Dr. Ann Tate is an Assistant Professor in the Vanderbilt University Department of Biological Sciences. Her research focuses on understanding reciprocal ecological and evolutionary feedbacks between hosts and parasites, using a combination of theoretical and empirical approaches to zoom back and forth between the molecular details and the population level processes. Before moving to Vanderbilt Dr. Tate was a USDA NIFA postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry at the University of Houston, mentored by Tim Cooper. She completed her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University, and received her B.S. from Rice University.... Click Dr. Tate's photo to continue reading.

Mammalian lipid droplets are innate immune hubs integrating cell metabolism and host defense. Bosch M, et al. in Science, October 16, 2020 Developmental Relationships of Four Exhausted CD8+ T Cell Subsets Reveals Underlying Transcriptional and Epigenetic Landscape Control Mechanisms. Beltra JC, et al.

Grace is originally from Northern Virginia, but she earned her BS in Biotechnology and Molecular Bioscience from Rochester Institute of Technology in New York in 2018. Grace worked under Dr. Andre Hudson while in school. She then immediately joined Vanderbilt University in 2018 through the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program (IGP), and joined the Microbe-Host Interactions (MHI) Ph.D. graduate program. In the Schmitz and Hadjifrangiskou labs, Grace works on defining a molecular signature for uropathogenic E. coli. She utilizes bioinformatics and bacterial genetics techniques... Click the image on the left to continue reading.

In today’s COVID-19-centric world, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by headlines constantly broadcasting differing timelines of just how long this pandemic could last. One main determinant of the duration of lockdowns and social distancing is the development of a vaccine. The goal is “to create a vaccine that is safe and with good immunogenicity, meaning it stimulates a strong immune response.” Recent developments of COVID-19 vaccine design have promised ≥90% effectiveness, however, we are still missing the second half of the story. It is one achievement to instill COVID-19 immunity in the majority of vaccine recipients, but another to maintain this protection... Click the image to continue reading.

The concept of immunity has intrigued humankind for centuries. From prehistoric times when disease was viewed as a form of punishment for wrong deeds by supernatural forces, to Louis Pasteur’s germ theory of disease, the field of immunology has come a long way. Our immune system comprises of a network of unique cells like macrophages, dendritic cells, T, B and natural killer cells housed by different organs that work to protect us from invading pathogens like bacteria, fungi and viruses. These cells have evolved to identify and neutralize foreign pathogens and keep us healthy. Thumbnail: IHME, Global Burden of Disease. OurWorldInData.org/cancer... Click the image to continue reading.

Single-Cell Mapping of Human Brain Cancer Reveals Tumor-Specific Instruction of Tissue-Invading Leukocytes. Friebel, et al. in Cell, June 25, 2020 A probiotic yeast-based immunotherapy against Clostridioides difficile infection. Chen K, et al.

Vaccines are typically developed through a lengthy, rigorous process that averages 10-15 years from inception to approval. The goal is to create a vaccine that is safe and with good immunogenicity, meaning it stimulates a strong immune response, to generate antibodies which can neutralize an invading pathogen. Given the high infectivity of COVID-19, the vast percentage of the population susceptible to the virus, and the burden it places on the healthcare system, the economy, and our lives, we need a vaccine much sooner than the normal 10-15-year timeline. To achieve a safe and effective vaccine within a reasonable time frame, a massive research effort within academia and the pharmaceutical industry must be undertaken in collaboration with and funded by the United States government... Click the image to continue reading.

Raven from Tennessee wants to know,, "Why is blood red?" Our volunteer expert and Research Assistant Professor in the department of Pharmacology, Matthew Duvernay, answers the question here! Click the image to the left to watch.

VI4 and the Vanderbilt Vaccine Research Program partnered to create this infographic, which outlines the key attributes of mRNA vaccines compared with traditional vaccines. This infographic aims to present the information in lay terms for the general public. Click the image to the left to learn more and to share with your social networks!

Dudley McNitt, Ph.D. completed his undergraduate degree in Biology from University of Pittsburgh. He did his Ph.D. at West Virginia University in Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis. Dudley is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the lab of James W. Thomas II, M.D... Click the image on the left to continue reading.