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SOMBS Provisional Bridge Grant Program
The Office of the Dean of the School of Medicine Basic Sciences has launched the Provisional Bridge Grant Program to provide three-month stopgap funding for NIH-funded projects facing temporary funding gaps.
Designed to prevent loss of personnel and research momentum, ProBridge grants will be awarded on a rolling basis and may be renewed for up to nine months total.
Only primary SOMBS faculty are eligible, and department chair support is required. Faculty seeking assistance should contact their department chair for program guidelines and application details.
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Open access publishing agreement for ‘Nature’ and other leading science journals
The Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries have announced an open access agreement with Springer Nature, which enables Vanderbilt-affiliated authors to maximize the dissemination and citations of their research without incurring article-processing charges when publishing in Nature and 38 other Nature journals.
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Potential drug combinations to improve breast cancer treatment
Ann Richmond (Pharmacology) recently published a study that identified currently available drugs that could enhance the ability of CD8+ T-cells to kill tumor cells in patients with triple-negative breast cancer. We sat down with Richmond to discuss her findings.
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A supplement’s key ingredient mechanisms cause irregular heartbeat
Paula Luis (Pharmacology) and Claus Schneider (Pharmacology) report inconsistencies in the alkaloid content of Corydalis yanhusuo dietary supplements. Their work highlights concerns regarding the efficacy and authenticity of these widely used supplements and raises concerns about possible toxicological liability.
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Stand up for science
On March 7, Vanderbilt graduate students, postdocs, and faculty met on Capitol Hill in Nashville to “Stand Up For Science” and show their support for science and scientific research, “Because science is for everyone!”
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BrightFocus Foundation announces appointment of John Penn to board of directors
BrightFocus Foundation, a leading nonprofit funder of innovative research to defeat Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration, and glaucoma, has appointed John Penn (Cell and Developmental Biology) to its board of directors.
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We have a winner!
Samantha Kuszynski (IGP student rotating in the lab of Matt Tyska) won the raffle for her participation in the Basically Speaking newsletter survey. Next time it rains you’ll find her sporting an SOMBS golf umbrella to keep dry. Thanks for participating, Sam!
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Friday, March 21: Women in STEM Symposium 2025
Symposium featuring a panel discussion with STEM professionals, professional development workshops, an organization fair, and professional headshots. Open to undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and staff. Free food will be available.
3:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m., Student Life Center ballrooms. RSVP for the Women in STEM Symposium on AnchorLink.
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Saturday, March 22: Vanderbilt Brain Institute BrainBlast
Annual family-friendly Vanderbilt Brain Institute event featuring neuroscientists, brain games, real brains, and more. Free admission.
10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Nashville Public Library at 615 Church St, Nashville, TN 37219.
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Ending Tuesday, March 25: Commodore Closet Career Clothing Drive
Donate gently used, clean, interview-ready clothing to provide graduate and professional students with items to help prepare for their professional careers. For questions, please reach out to the Graduate School at graduateschool@vanderbilt.edu with the subject line “Graduate Career Closet.”
Locations: Alumni Hall, Room 010; Sarratt Center, Commodore Closet; BRET Office, suite 340 Light Hall; Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center; Owen ASA Office, room 121; Peabody Career Center; The Wond’ry, lobby; Vanderbilt Law School, room 152; Central Library.
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Wednesday, March 26: Epithelial Biology Center 2025 Symposium: Epithelial Stem Cells in the Genomic Era
Annual symposium of the EBC, featuring a poster session and keynote speakers Douglas Winton (University of Cambridge) and Christina Curtis (Stanford University).
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Fondren Hall, Scarritt Bennett Center at 1027 18th Ave S. EBC Symposium registration available online.
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Friday, March 28: How To – SOMBS: BRET Student Finances
Stacy Johnson and Megan Chapman from the BRET Student Financial team will share how some of the student financial portfolios are managed and the responsibilities of the human capital management team.
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Virtual. Join “How To – SOMBS.”
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Friday, April 18: 2025 VIRAL Symposium: Global Journeys
Third annual symposium of the Vanderbilt International Researchers Alliance, open to all researchers regardless of whether they identify as international and to researchers from other local Nashville universities.
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Student Life Center ballrooms. Registration for the VIRAL symposium will be open until April 5. You may submit an abstract to be considered for a presentation until March 21 or a poster until March 28.
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Tuesday, April 22: Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center 26th Annual Scientific Symposium
The annual VICC symposium has a long tradition of providing opportunities for collaborative interactions and discussions between investigators, community partners, and trainees. It will feature national experts presenting on artificial intelligence in cancer research and clinical care.
10:00 a.m., Student Life Center. Registration for the VICC annual symposium will close on April 4. The deadline to submit poster abstracts is March 30.
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To be added to our weekly email dedicated to upcoming biomedical seminars, email Stephen Doster.
Submissions to the events calendar are manually approved; please submit your event at least two weeks in advance to ensure it is included. If your submission requires updates or edits, email university-calender@vanderbilt.edu.
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School of Medicine Basic Sciences Staff Spotlight: David Baughman
Meet David Baughman, the research program manager for the Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology. He has worked for Vanderbilt for more than 13 years and serves on the university’s Communications Committee. Get to know David better through our spotlight.
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A message from your SOMBS Well-being Champions
Sleep is one of the most essential pillars of our health, yet it’s often the first thing we sacrifice in our busy lives. This month is all about sleep—why it matters, how it impacts our physical and mental health, and practical ways to improve your sleep habits. When we prioritize sleep, we show up as our best selves—at work, home, and our communities. Learn more on Personify Health!
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Kudos is a digital platform where staff members can recognize and celebrate each other’s efforts. Similar to using a Facebook wall, with just a few clicks you can send a personalized message to a colleague, highlight their contributions, and share your gratitude for their work and impact. It’s quick, meaningful, and all about celebrating the moment—in the moment. Check out the Kudos how-to resources.
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Banner background image courtesy of José Maldonado.
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Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences
MRB III U-1200
465 21st Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37240
Phone: (615) 322-0907 | basicsciences@vanderbilt.edu
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Vanderbilt University is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action.
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