Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Alexander Bick, MD, PhD, Director of the Division of Genetic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology in the Department of Medicine, has been appointed Scientific Director of Vanderbilt Technologies for Advanced Genomics (VANTAGE), a shared resource that is a crucial part of Vanderbilt Health’s genome science and personalized medicine initiatives. “Dr. Bick’s scientific leadership, strategic vision and deep understanding of Vanderbilt’s genomics ecosystem position him exceptionally well to guide VANTAGE into its next chapter of impact,” said Jennifer Pietenpol, PhD, Vanderbilt Health’s Chief Scientific and Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President for Research. Current studies aided by the program include the use of artificial intelligence to generate new antibody therapeutics, how environmental exposures may impact the health of children and a potential blood test to speed the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Read the link to learn more about how this resource transforms patient samples into biological insights and therapies: https://bit.ly/4xff68h

Our Vanderbilt Health teams wore pink on Aug. 28 to honor our friend Dolly Parton and everything she gave our community, from her support of our research to the comfort she brought patients over the years. Take a look at how our team honored her legacy. https://lnkd.in/eFPHCkNh

Convenience and location often determine whether a patient gets the infusion therapy they need. Vanderbilt Health's Clinical Infusion Workgroup took that insight and built a plan around it. Since forming in 2021, the team has focused on: ➡️ Increasing visibility and access to enterprise-wide infusion locations ➡️ Streamlining scheduling and authorization processes ➡️ Simplifying infusion therapy initiation through dedicated resources The goal: connecting patients with infusion sites closer to home. As one Vanderbilt Health clinician put it: "We had a provider in clinic who needed to help a patient find an infusion site closer to home. [A team member] went to bat for us and was able to help make this happen so this sweet patient could get to her appointments. She is a widow and limited in driving, so this makes a huge difference. Thanks for living the Credo!" The results: ➡️ Infusion volumes grew well beyond budget ➡️ Chair utilization goals were met almost every month since ➡️ Published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy and presented at national pharmacy conferences The workgroup received a Vanderbilt Health Team Award at the May 2026 Leadership Forum, recognizing clinic leadership, infusion site leadership, patient service specialists, frontline nurses, physicians, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians across the enterprise. We're proud to recognize this team and all who make Vanderbilt Health a place where teamwork truly matters. Read more: https://bit.ly/4yi08yx

Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt has received a $1.9 million Department of Defense grant, awarded in partnership with the Critical Path Institute, to advance research into cardiomyopathy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of death for patients with this condition. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a fatal disease with no cure and limited treatment options. The four-year project will integrate datasets and advanced quantitative approaches to define the natural history of the disease, identify key biomarkers and support the design of better clinical trials, with a goal of including data from 1,400 patients. The work will be co-led by Jonathan Soslow, MD, MSCI, Co-Director of the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Clinic at Monroe Carell and Director of the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Cardiovascular Care Consortium, and Ramona Belfiore-Oshan, PhD, Executive Director of the C-Path Duchenne Regulatory Science Consortium. "Currently, there are no DMD-specific therapies approved for cardiovascular disease, despite it being the leading cause of mortality in DMD," said Soslow, Professor of Pediatrics and holder of the Dr. William R. Long Directorship in Pediatric Research. "We are hopeful that this collaboration will lead to advances in DMD cardiac modeling and help investigators craft clinical trials that lead to novel DMD cardiovascular therapies." Read more: https://lnkd.in/eV-Gd9hT

Vanderbilt Health researchers are enrolling participants in a Phase 3 trial for a vaccine against Clostridioides difficile, or C. diff, a contagious bacterial infection of the colon. C. diff is a leading cause of health care-associated infections affecting nearly 500,000 Americans annually. “We have gotten better at treating C. diff but preventing it altogether would be a fundamentally different kind of win — for patients, their families and for the health care system,” C. Buddy Creech, MD, MPH, the Edie Carell Johnson Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Vanderbilt Vaccine Research Program. The study is open to people ages 65 and older who have had recent or planned contact with the health care system or who have recently received antibiotics. For more information or to enroll, visit https://bit.ly/4gQab7V

Grant Schlisner just added four more Olympic medals to his collection, and he's not slowing down any time soon. The Vanderbilt Health physical therapist, based at Vanderbilt Health One Hundred Oaks, took gold in javelin, discus and the softball throw, and bronze in shot put at the Tennessee Senior Olympics. The wins qualify him for the National Senior Olympics in July 2027 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. For Grant, training is its own reward. "I added more extensive weight training to promote injury prevention, and building flexibility and strength have made me feel better overall," he said. It's a mindset he brings straight into the clinic. "I can connect with patients and say, 'I'm 57 with previous injuries, and I've been doing these events, and you can get back to your 'sport' as well, whether that is chasing grandkids or participating in a competitive activity.'" Congratulations, Grant. We'll be cheering you on in Tulsa. Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/4cemyrP

Whether practicing in one of our eight hospitals or more than 180 clinics, physicians benefit from the resources of our vast academic health system in a region that’s also growing. At this link, you can hear from our physicians about the unmatched advantages of joining Vanderbilt Health and explore our culture, locations and endless opportunities. Search for open positions and connect with our recruitment team here: https://lnkd.in/eMMMAy74

How do you help a child make sense of months in the hospital? At Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, the answer is sometimes as simple as a bead. The Beads of Courage Program gives kids coping with serious illness a way to mark their journey: a yellow bead for an overnight stay, a silver heart for finishing treatment, a shooting star for going home. Monroe Carell has been a licensed Beads of Courage partner for 15 years, and the beads have become something bigger than a keepsake. Katie, CCLS, a Child Life Specialist in Monroe Carell's NICU, has seen it firsthand: "There are times where it might seem like a silly little program and cute little beads, but the meaning prescribed to those beads is like a diamond engagement ring." For 11-year-old Sam, who spent nearly two years in treatment for a rare childhood cancer, the beads gave him a place to talk through the hard days. "I can remember the things that I went through, and I can remember how I got through it," Sam said. "The beads are something that I could use to take my mind off the day and the struggles." Read more about the program and the families it's supporting: https://bit.ly/4xtGiQM

Dolly Parton’s support of Vanderbilt Health and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt spanned decades and made meaningful impacts on everything from pediatric cancer care to infectious disease research. “Dolly was a global icon and a friend of Vanderbilt. Her amazing generosity, particularly in pediatric cancer and infectious disease research, has had a transformational impact on patient care and treatment,” said Jeff Balser, MD, PhD, President and CEO of Vanderbilt Health and Dean of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “It’s not an exaggeration to say that Dolly has helped save countless lives through her philanthropy.” Read here about her support of everything from pediatric cancer care to infectious disease research at Vanderbilt Health. https://lnkd.in/eFPHCkNh

Jason crossed the finish line of a marathon this spring, three years after a six-hour spine surgery at Vanderbilt Health got him back on his feet, and back on the road. Jason first noticed changes in his gait. After being diagnosed with a myxopapillary ependymoma, a rare tumor in his spinal cord, his doctors in Huntsville sent him straight to Vanderbilt Health. He was matched with Scott Zuckerman, MD, a neurosurgeon, who removed the tumor. "This is the A-team," Zuckerman told Jason before surgery. "Everybody you see in this room is the best at what they do." Jason left the hospital just 48 hours after surgery. Six weeks later, he was running again. Since then, he's completed multiple 5Ks and 10Ks, three half marathons, a 16.2-mile challenge in the Great Smoky Mountains and a full marathon. But his proudest moment on two legs wasn't on a racecourse. It was walking his daughter down the aisle. "Everybody at Vanderbilt was invested in us getting back to where we wanted to be," Jason said. "This was not guaranteed, even with the surgery." Read the full story: https://bit.ly/46nBroc