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University leaders discuss Spring Return to Campus at virtual town hall
Vanderbilt experts from academic, medical and operational areas of campus came together during a Jan. 13 virtual town hall to discuss and answer questions about the Spring Return to Campus plan with undergraduate students and their families. Chancellor Daniel Diermeier noted in his opening remarks that the campus is ready and looking forward to welcoming back students. Diermeier noted that it is vital for the Vanderbilt community to understand the protocols for spring to be sure our students continue to thrive. MORE
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FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH
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Early research shows promise for therapeutics that delay Type 2 Diabetes
Vanderbilt researchers have discovered a unique pathway that initiates islet β cell inflammation—a hallmark of type 2 diabetes—putting them a step closer to developing targeted therapeutics for the disease that affects one in 10 Americans. Type 2 diabetes is caused when islet β cells in the pancreas fail to produce a sufficient amount of insulin . . . . Before they fail completely, islet cells become stressed and inflamed. The phenomenon of islet inflammation is well known, and the disease’s pathogenesis has been of interest to Wenbiao Chen, associate professor of molecular physiology and biophysics, throughout his career. Chen’s lab found a protein . . . that mediates islet inflammation and the consequent failure and death of β cells. Chen also intends to test whether the inhibitor drug they identified slows down diabetes development in other commonly used models. [The research was funded in part by National Institutes of Health grants.] MORE
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Possible first hints of low-frequency gravitational waves permeating the cosmos
Vanderbilt astrophysicists, led by Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy Stephen Taylor, are part of a group of researchers that may have found the first hints of low-frequency gravitational waves from supermassive black holes merging in other galaxies. The data was gathered and analyzed within the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves. According to a National Science Foundation news release, gravitational waves are a cosmic messenger signal—one that holds great potential for understanding “dark” objects, like black holes. The findings of this research represent the first step in a broader understanding of the gravitational universe. “The Vanderbilt group has a central position in the leadership of this research and in the development of the sophisticated tools being used to carry out the searches,” Taylor said. [The research was funded in part by the National Science Foundation.] MORE
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Optical computing at sub-picosecond speeds developed at Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt researchers have developed the next generation of ultrafast data transmission that may make it possible to make already high-performance computing “on demand.” The technology unjams bottlenecks in data streams using a hybrid silicon-vanadium dioxide waveguide that can turn light on and off in less than one trillionth of a second. Collaborators Sharon Weiss, Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair and professor of electrical engineering, physics, and materials science and engineering, and Richard Haglund, Stevenson Professor of Physics, are the first to demonstrate that it may be possible to achieve data rates exceeding one terabit per second on a single channel. Now that nearly every part of daily life has an online or digital component, improving optical computing technology is of significant interest to commercial and industrial technology firms. [The research was supported by the National Science Foundation.] MORE
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Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy aims to heal societal divisions
After months of exploring how higher education could play a meaningful and active role in bridging longstanding partisan fissures, Vanderbilt University today launched the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy, which aims to strengthen the nation’s democratic institutions by advancing evidence-based research in the national discourse on unity. Drawing on ongoing research by Vanderbilt faculty and other thought leaders from across the political spectrum, the project will regularly disseminate original scholarly content aimed at supplying policymakers and the public with the tools needed to restore a more unified commitment to the nonpartisan foundations of American democracy. MORE
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Online collaborative platforms lead to advances in archaeological survey of the Andes
Advances in big data technology and digital analytics are transforming the field of archaeology, generating new discoveries and conclusions about ancient civilizations. While archaeological data sets may be smaller than those typically viewed as “big data,” they provide an opportunity for a bird’s-eye analysis of trends and patterns that might not have otherwise been possible. One such study, . . . led by Vanderbilt anthropology professor Steven Wernke . . . has brought a fresh perspective to the forced resettlement of more than a million Indigenous Andeans by Spanish colonizers in the 1570s. The researchers . . . credit the combination of new digital methods and data analysis tools with their ability to draw these conclusions. Wernke further discusses that a digitized approach allows archaeologists to get a clearer macro-perspective of the civilizations they study. MORE
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Former Vice President Al Gore kicks off Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy, followed by case study on PEPFAR with 66th Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
The Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy debuted an exclusive conversation series last night, featuring a tone-setting discussion on the redemptive power of reason and evidence in American politics with former Vice President Al Gore and presidential historian Jon Meacham. Following the dialogue with Gore, Meacham welcomed Condoleezza Rice, the 66th Secretary of State, to the project’s first case study—an examination of the role facts and data played in securing bipartisan support for the creation of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Chancellor Daniel Diermeier hosted the virtual event as the first spring semester event of the Chancellor’s Lecture Series, which strives to connect the university and community with leaders and visionaries who are shaping our world. MORE
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Acclaimed novelist Dinaw Mengestu to speak at Vanderbilt’s 2021 MLK Day commemorative event
Ethiopian American novelist Dinaw Mengestu, known for his powerful and personal depictions of the immigrant experience and perspectives on the American dream, will be the keynote speaker for Vanderbilt University’s 2021 Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemorative event in partnership with Chancellor’s Lecture Series. Chancellor Daniel Diermeier will host the virtual event, “At Home in the World: Place, Identity and the American Dream,” which is scheduled from 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. CT on Monday, Jan. 18, and is open to the Vanderbilt community. The discussion will be moderated by Karla M. McKanders, clinical professor of law and associate director of the Legal Clinic at Vanderbilt University. MORE
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Three Vanderbilt engineers among 2021 winners of NBJ’s 40 Under 40 Awards
Vanderbilt engineers, two alumni and one faculty member, have been selected for the Nashville Business Journal’s 2021 40 Under 40 list. It recognizes the city’s most prominent young business leaders. Considered emerging business leaders, Julia Doolittle Whitacre, BS’06, engineering science, Austin Dirks, BE’08, biomedical engineering, and Karl Zelik, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, of biomedical engineering, and physical medicine and rehabilitation, are setting themselves apart and positively impacting the business community. MORE
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VUbrief summarizes Vanderbilt news items to inform our Congressional community of developments at the university. Visit our website for past issues of VUbrief. Vanderbilt University Office of Federal Relations (202) 216-4361
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