As a cruise-ship-related hantavirus outbreak continued to draw international attention, Vanderbilt Health experts contributed significantly to public understanding across major news outlets. Dr. William Schaffner, Professor of Preventive Medicine, was widely quoted by EWTN Global Catholic Network, Medical News Today, HuffPost, The Wall Street Journal, CBS News, ABC News, CNN, NewsNation, and Canada’s CTV News. The New York Times health reporter Emily Anthes interviewed Dr. James Crowe, Director of the Vanderbilt Center for Antibody Therapeutics, regarding hantavirus vaccines and treatments in development.
Emerging Health Concerns
Dr. Cassandra Brady, Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, addressed early puberty in girls in a Medscape article, discussing potential links to stress and BMI. Separately, Dr. James Powers, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Geriatric Medicine, participated in an Everyday Health story highlighting research connecting engagement with the arts to a slower pace of aging.
Diagnostic and Treatment Advances
News coverage of a new urine test that outperformed PSA-based testing and MRI for monitoring low-risk prostate cancers on active surveillance was reported by Science Blog, Bioengineering, Knowridge, and Urology Times. Dr. Jeffrey Tosoian, Assistant Professor of Urology, was quoted in these articles. Multiple outlets including MSN and Science Magazine covered a Nature Mental Health study led by Dr. Heather Ward, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and director of Neuromodulation Research at Vanderbilt Health, finding that using cannabis and tobacco together increases the risk of developing psychotic disorders among those considered high risk.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://news.vumc.org/2026/05/14/hantavirus-reassurance-early-puberty-in-girls-how-engaging-with-the-arts-can-slow-down-aging-plus-other-stories-with-vanderbilt-health-sources/