Improved imaging for kidney disease

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a common inherited disorder that causes fluid-filled cysts to form in the kidneys, which increases kidney size and can lead to end-stage renal failure requiring dialysis or kidney transplant. An increase in kidney size is a strong predictor of risk for rapid progression of PKD, but other measures are needed for earlier PKD detection and better risk prediction.

Diabetes drugs associated with fewer adverse cardiac events in older veterans: study

GLP1 receptor agonists — a class of diabetes medications — are associated with fewer major adverse cardiovascular events than another type of diabetes drug (DPP4 inhibitors) in older veterans with no prior heart disease. The findings, reported May 9 in Annals of Internal Medicine, will aid clinicians in choosing a diabetes drug regimen for older patients.

VUMC’s Aspirnaut program celebrates 15th anniversary, and NBC News returned to highlight its students

Recently, the Aspirnaut STEM pipeline for diversity and wellness at Vanderbilt University Medical Center celebrated its 15th anniversary with a day-long scientific symposium, followed by a feature on the program broadcast Aug. 2 on the NBC Nightly News. The pipeline is designed primarily for under-resourced and under-represented rural high school and undergraduate students.

VUMC researchers upend dogma about vasopressin production

It’s time to revise the textbook entry for vasopressin production. For 100 years, it has been thought that vasopressin — a hormone that regulates water and blood pressure homeostasis — is only produced in the brain. Now, Vanderbilt University Medical Center investigators have discovered that vasopressin is also produced in the kidney. Their findings are featured on the cover of the Dec. 22, 2022, issue of JCI Insight.