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Vanderbilt University, Medical Center reach $1B milestone together in research funding
Scholars at Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center achieved a significant milestone in 2021: more than $1 billion in research funding awarded from external organizations. Vanderbilt’s global leadership in research—from biomedical and biotechnology discoveries to vaccine development to groundbreaking advances in computer science, education and psychology—contributed to this landmark achievement, reflecting the university and medical center’s continued growth as leading research organizations. Together in fiscal 2021, Vanderbilt and VUMC received more than 3,100 external awards totaling $1,090,386,890. Awards include those from the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, the Department of Education and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MORE
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FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH
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Office of Federal Relations to host a virtual briefing on VU's Insitute for Space and Defense Electronics
The Office of Federal Relations invites you to a virtual briefing on Vanderbilt University's Institute for Space and Defense Electronics (ISDE) on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at 2 p.m. ET. The briefing will feature Ronald Schrimpf, director of ISDE, and Michael Alles, associate director of ISDE, and will be moderated by Heather Bloemhard, associate director of federal relations. ISDE is one of the leading basic research centers in radiation effects. In recognition of this work, ISDE was recently selected as the Air Force Center of Excellence in radiation effects. Their work on how microelectronics respond in radiation environments supports the Dept. of Defense’s ability to maintain computer processing systems on satellites and in close proximity to strategic weapons. ISDE also educates highly trained individuals who go on to support our nation’s efforts in radiation hardening and microelectronics research and development. This virtual briefing will cover ISDE’s important work in these areas. To register for this virtual briefing, click here.
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Vanderbilt Wond’ry opens new incubator space for startups affiliated with Nashville’s universities
The Wond’ry, Vanderbilt’s Center for Innovation, has opened an incubator space called Launch, which is dedicated to startups affiliated with local universities. Launch is designed to support pre-seed and seed-stage venture founders in a wide array of sectors—from health care to the arts—and business models, including social ventures and benefit corporations. Launch will house Vanderbilt’s Founder program, which connects local entrepreneurs to investors, provides support from the Wond’ry’s entrepreneurs in residence and Wond’ry Mentors, and offers guidance for applying to the National Science Foundation Innovation Corps program, as well as for Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer funding. Early-stage venture founders who are accepted to Launch have unique access to a diverse community of innovators and entrepreneurs who can provide practical and social support and experiential education. MORE
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National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation—Vanderbilt researchers use new method to target potentially undiscovered beneficial therapeutic chemicals
A team of researchers from the Eichman lab and associated with the Evolutionary Studies Initiative led a project . . . on the work studying chemical compounds produced by bacteria. Specifically, the group was interested in a suite of chemicals known as natural products. These chemicals are produced by the organism for a specific purpose, but are often valuable because they may be used as antibiotics, anticancer agents, or other therapeutics. As new drug-resistant strains of diseases evolve, the importance of finding new weapons against resistant-diseases is ever increasing. [The group's long term vision is that their self-resistance-guided genome mining framework will be applied in the scientific community for the targeted discovery of natural products of therapeutic benefit. They also envision the discovery of new DNA repair mechanisms through this approach. This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.] MORE
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Deficient communication around how to access COVID-19 vaccinations could be worsening vaccine hesitancy
People who seek information on how to get a COVID-19 vaccine get widely different answers from the people who handle COVID-19 information hotlines and electronic communications, and those inconsistencies may play a role in whether someone pursues getting vaccinated, according to newly published research by Vanderbilt University. The research . . . reveals that responses from state health departments and major vaccination sites to people asking how to access vaccines are sometimes inaccurate and inconsistent, and that Latinx persons in particular face hardships in navigating the vaccine infrastructure. [The researchers] . . . suggest a stronger role for federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which could coordinate outreach and dissemination of these effective practices across state agencies, focusing in particular on states identified to have lower vaccination rates and weaker existing practices. MORE
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Larry Bartels honored with SEC Faculty Achievement Award
Esteemed political scientist Larry Bartels, whose scholarship deepens the understanding of how voters behave and that behavior’s consequences for democratic governance, is Vanderbilt University’s winner of the 2022 Southeastern Conference Faculty Achievement Award. The award, now in its 11th year, recognizes faculty members from each of the 14 SEC universities for excellence in research and teaching, particularly at the undergraduate level. Bartels has written or edited seven books, more than 30 peer-reviewed articles and numerous chapters and essays. His book Unequal Democracy: The Political Economy of the New Gilded Age explores the political causes and consequences of escalating economic inequality in the months before the financial crash that contributed to the Great Recession. It was cited by then-candidate Barack Obama in the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign and named by The New York Times as one of the “economics books of the year.” MORE
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Q&A: Vanderbilt expert discusses inclusive workplaces for people on the autism spectrum
April marks Autism Awareness Month. In 2022, neurodiversity in the workplace is an issue capturing attention, as conversations on how to create more inclusive spaces for all continue among business leaders. Tim Vogus, deputy director of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation and the Brownlee O. Currey, Jr., Professor of Management at the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management, focuses on research related to improving the workplace for people on the autism spectrum. Vogus’ inspiration comes in part from the perspective of a parent. His son, Aidan, was diagnosed with autism at age 3; Aidan turns 20 on April 6. Vogus spoke to MyVU about the importance of neurodiversity in the workplace, what businesses can do to become more inclusive, and what’s next for him on the research front. MORE
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Vanderbilt offers new climate studies major
The Vanderbilt College of Arts and Science has launched a new climate studies major. The major integrates the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities to give students a comprehensive perspective on climate change, its challenges and its possible solutions. Students can declare the major now and choose from an exciting slate of new courses in the fall 2022 semester. This is an innovative approach to studying the climate, as existing climate majors at leading U.S. universities generally focus on climate science. From its conception, the major has been built with a trans-institutional approach. David J. Hess, professor of sociology, James Thornton Fant Chair in Sustainability Studies [will be the] director of the newly named Climate and Environmental Studies program. Climate studies students will gain a solid foundation through an interdisciplinary team-taught introduction to the field, a focused climate science course, and at least one course on climate and environmental studies in the social sciences, natural sciences and humanities. 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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