Centers, Institutes, Groups and Laboratories

Centers and Institutes

Biophotonics Center at Vanderbilt focuses on translational research of photonic technologies for biomedical research and clinical use, with translation both to the clinic as well as to the commercial sector.

The Center for Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology focuses on restoring health, mobility, independence and societal participation to individuals with disabilities by designing, developing and controlling next-generation assistive and rehabilitative technologies.

Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation Vanderbilt leads the Remediation and Mitigation Technology center of expertise CRESP, which works to advance cost-effective cleanup of the nation's nuclear weapons production waste sites and test facilities.

The Frist Center for Autism and Innovation represents a collaboration of Vanderbilt engineers, scientists, disabilities researchers, and business scholars, together with major employers and leading autism-related organizations, working to invent new technologies that enable autistic and other neurodiverse individuals to succeed in employment and achieve their full potential.

Institute for Software Integrated Systems is dedicated to training engineers and computer scientists to design systems that seamlessly integrate people, computers, and physical processes. Serving as a national hub for research in cyber-physical systems, cyber-security, advanced transportation systems, the application of AI in engineered systems, and the assurance of autonomous systems, VU-ISIS continues to pave the way for advancements in these critical fields.

Institute for Space and Defense Electronics designs and analyzes radiation-hardened electronics, develops test methods and plans for assuring radiation hardness, and develops solutions to system-specific problems related to radiation effects.

Vanderbilt Brain Institute embodies the extensive neuroscience education, research and training carried out across all of the Vanderbilt campuses. They are a trans-institutional entity that oversees, facilitates and fosters excellence in brain-related disciplines.

Vanderbilt Center for Environmental Management Studies provides guidance and support for the interdisciplinary study of environmental management and policy issues, bringing faculty members and students together from various disciplines for collaborative study and research.

Vanderbilt Center on Mechanobiology brings together engineers, basic scientists, and clinicians to understand how mechanics integrates with molecules, cells, and tissues to impact human health while tackling scientific problems in human health at the intersection of biology and mechanics.

Vanderbilt Center for Sustainability, Energy and Climate takes a multi-disciplinary approach to achieve sustainable development by examining how different aspects of climate change mitigation and adaptation affect each other. Will engage Vanderbilt’s engineering, science, law, policy and education expertise to investigate such areas as energy integration, climate change mitigation and adaptation, systems risk, reliability and resilience, and resource sustainability. Will include partnerships with communities, government, industry, national laboratories and other research universities.

Vanderbilt Center for Transportation and Operational Resilience emphasizes the integration of transportation engineering, planning, and management. VECTOR’s work includes ground-breaking applications of information technology and risk management, systems thinking, and adherence to our statement of shared values.

Vanderbilt Institute for Energy and the Environment engages in research and education that directly link the social and behavioral sciences, physical sciences, engineering, law and policy, and that bear on energy and environmental decision making by individuals and by public and private institutions.

Vanderbilt Institute for Integrative Biosystems Research and Education invents the tools and develops the skills required to conduct research in systems biology - in other words, to elucidate the multitude of intracellular metabolic and signaling control mechanisms by which biological systems regulate homeostasis, differentiation, development, growth, repair, and responses to physiological and environmental stimuli.

Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering is an interdisciplinary, trans-institutional center whose mission is the creation, development, implementation, clinical evaluation and commercialization of methods, devices, algorithms, and systems designed to facilitate interventional processes and their outcome.

Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering's mission is to drive innovation in nanoscience, nanotechnology, and education that benefits society by providing access to state-of-the-art instrumentation, sharing hands-on technical expertise, and facilitating interdisciplinary collaborations.

Vanderbilt Institute for National Security advances interdisciplinary innovation and education in national security and through collaborations with the military and intelligence communities. Develops educational programs to expose and prepare students to become leaders in these areas. Convenes thought leaders to foster public-private partnerships and advance our understanding of the most critical challenges in national security and global defense.

Vanderbilt Lab for Immersive AI Translation establishes and maintains a center, based on a collaborative model, that bridges existing research centers and institutes across a range of disciplines to leverage translational AI to drive discovery. Acts as a regional Translational AI hub and serves as a center of gravity for strategic national partnerships and engagement in AI policy.

Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science pursues research in developing new imaging methods as well as applications in cancer, neuroscience, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular disease and other areas.