News

Center for Asthma Research recent publications and accomplishments:

How breastfeeding alters the microbiome and protects from infant respiratory disease

A study of over 1400 children demonstrate the effect of breastfeeding on the infant microbiome as a mechanism through which breastfeeding protects infants from respiratory illness. These results provide additional support for breastfeeding and the development of new prevention strategies for formula fed infants.

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Discovery of new target for asthma prevention

May 2023 - A study of almost two thousand children has identified that delay in infection by the ubiquitous early life viral virus known as respiratory syncytial virus (aka RSV) decreases risk of developing childhood asthma.

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Identification of RSV viral strains that may result in persistent infection in infants

April 2023 – An international collaborative effort led by Vanderbilt Center for Asthma Research and Ecole Polytechnique Federale Lausanne investigators identified an RSV viral variant associated with persistent infection in term healthy infants. This viral variant has persisted at low levels in circulating RSV strains for at least three decades.

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Christian Rosas-Salazar, MD, MPH, has been invited to speak in the “Best in Pediatrics” and “Pediatric Year in Review” sessions of the 2023 American Thoracic Society International Conference.

In 2022, he was awarded the Robert B. Mellins, M.D. Outstanding Achievement Award the greatest honor given by the Assembly of Pediatrics of the American Thoracic Society to a young investigator.

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Toki published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation

Shinji Toki’s, PhD, research letter, ‘Dual GIPR and GLP-1R agonist tirzepatide inhibits aeroallergen-induced allergic airway inflammation in mouse model of obese asthma,” presented findings that revealed GLP-1R and GIPR dual agonist, tirzepatide, had anti-allergic inflammatory effects for the aeroallergen-induced model in obese asthma, and indicate that incretin mimetic drugs, especially tirzep

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Lawless published in Journal of Infectious Disease

A publication by Dylan Lawless, PhD, “Viral genetic determinants of prolonged respiratory syncytial virus infection among infants in a healthy term birth cohort,” presents findings important for understanding the impact of RSV on chronic disease and endemicity. 

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Snyder published in the Journal of Asthma

A publication by Brittney Snyder, PhD, “Association between asthma status and prenatal antibiotic prescription fills among women in a Medicaid population,” reports that pregnant women with asthma disproportionately fill more outpatient antibiotic prescriptions during pregnancy than pregnant women without asthma which may inform antibiotic stewardship.

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Snyder published in Frontiers in Pediatrics

A publication by Brittney Snyder, PhD, “Association of citrulline concentration at birth with lower respiratory tract infection in infancy: Findings from a multi-site birth cohort study,” analyzes the association of the newborn metabolic state with severity of subsequent respiratory tract infection that may provide important insights on infection pathogenesis.

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Seibold and Hartert published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

A publication by Max Seibold, PhD, “Risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission in households with children with asthma and allergy: A prospective surveillance study,” reports that asthma does not increase the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection; food allergy is associated with lower infection risk; and body mass index is associated with increased infection risk.

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Cahill published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Dr. Katherine N. Cahill’s publication, “Mediator production and severity of aspirin-induced respiratory reactions: Impact of sampling site and body mass index,” outlines a connection in the metabolic regulation of aspirin-induced systemic reactions related to body mass index via a decrease in systemic mast cell meditator production.

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Cahill published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Basic Translational Science

Dr. Katherine N. Cahill’s publication letter, “Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Regulates Thromboxane-Induced Human Platelet Activation,” points toward an expansion of the clinical populations that might benefit from treatment.

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Berdnikovs and Newcomb published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

A publication by Sergejs Berdnikovs, PhD, “Cellular and systemic energy metabolic dysregulation in asthma development-a hypothesis-generating approach,” assesses carbohydrate metabolism in developing AECs among children with and without wheeze and tests the association of infant plasma energy biomarkers with subsequent recurrent wheeze and asthma outcomes.

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Rosas-Salazar published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Dr. Christian Rosas-Salazar’s publication, “Upper respiratory tract bacterial-immune interactions during respiratory syncytial virus infection in infancy,” examines the associations of the upper respiratory tract (URT) microbiome during RSV ARI in infancy with the acute local immune response and short- and long-term clinical outcomes.

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Bacharier published in the New England Journal of Medicine Evidence

From a publication by Dr. Leonard Bacharier: Randomized controlled trial demonstrating that azithromycin therapy for 14 days during acute severe RSV bronchiolitis did not reduce recurrent wheeze over the following 2 to 4 years, and although not significant, suggested it increased the risk.

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Gandi published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation

An article by Vivik D. Gandhi.

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CAR designated NIAID’s SUNBEAM study site

VUMC was selected as part of NIAID’s

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Arnold chosen as inaugural member of Vanderbilt Academy for Excellence in Clinical Medicine

Dr. Donald (Don) H. Arnold was chosen as one of the inaugural members of the Vanderbilt Academy for Excellence in Clinical Medicine (AECM). 

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Cahill published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Dr. Katherine N. Cahill’s publication outlines a connection in the metabolic regulation of aspirin-induced systemic reactions related to body mass index via a decrease in systemic mast cell meditator production.

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Snyder published in Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses

Brittney Snyder, PhD, published research about the validation of international classification of diseases criteria to identify severe influenza hospitalizations.

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Arnold published in the Journal for Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice

Dr. Donald (Don) H. Arnold’s research shows that intravenous magnesium is associated with increased asthma exacerbation and increased risk for hospitalization among children with moderate to severe exacerbations.

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Bacharier published in the New England Journal of Medicine

Dr. Leonard Bacharier’s publication, “Dupilumab in Children with Uncontrolled Moderate to Severe Asthma,” presents findings that among children with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe asthma, those who received add-on dupilumab had fewer asthma exacerbations and better lung function and asthma control than those who received placebo.

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CAR Group Shout-outs:

  • Hartert and Bacharier serve as expert panel members and authors of new US and international asthma guidelines, ERP-4 and GINA.
  • Brittney Snyder, PhD, awarded NIH K01 Mentored Research Scientist Career Development Award.
  • Shikha Saxena, MD, received an abstract scholarship for the 2022 American Thoracic Society (ATS) conference.
  • Stokes Peebles, Jr., MD, received the Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s 2022 Award for Outstanding Contributions in Research.
  • Study Explores role RSV plays in asthma development
  • Stokes Peebles, Jr., MD, was elected to membership in the Association of American Physicians (AAP), one of the nation’s most respected medical honor societies. Read the story in The VUMC Reporter here.