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Brain metabolism is the process by which the brain converts nutrients into energy and small molecule signals. When there are breakdowns in brain metabolism, this can lead to serious neurological diseases including epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and traumatic brain injury. These breakdowns even have been linked to diabetes.  

The Department had eleven publications listed in PubMed for the month of January 2021.

1: Stanback AE, Conroy LR, Young LEA, Hawkinson TR, Markussen KH, Clarke HA, Allison DB, Sun RC. Regional N-glycan and lipid analysis from tissues using MALDI-mass spectrometry imaging. STAR Protoc. 2021 Jan 29;2(1):100304. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100304. PMID: 33554139; PMCID: PMC7848795.

In early 2020, shortly after SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, was first detected in Wuhan, China, the public learned of the virus’s devastating consequences and the dangers of its spread. But much remained unknown regarding how to combat it.

Ten months ago, a team of UK researchers joined forces to learn more about the virus that was causing a global pandemic. Since the team’s creation, it has made record progress in enhanced research, the launch of clinical trials, and the development of clinical care approaches for patients.

The Department had eight publications listed in PubMed for the month of December 2020.

1: Arenas A, Kuang L, Zhang J, Kingren MS, Zhu H. FUS regulates autophagy by mediating the transcription of genes critical to the autophagosome formation. J Neurochem. 2020 Dec 22. doi: 10.1111/jnc.15281. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33354770.

The Department had seven publications listed in PubMed for the month of November 2020.

1: Guo W, Li K, Sun B, Xu D, Tong L, Yin H, Liao Y, Song H, Wang T, Jing B, Hu M, Liu S, Kuang Y, Ling J, Li Q, Wu Y, Wang Q, Yao F, Zhou BP, Lin SH, Deng J. Dysregulated Glutamate Transporter SLC1A1 Propels Cystine Uptake via Xc- for Glutathione Synthesis in Lung Cancer. Cancer Res. 2020 Nov 23:canres.0617.2020. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-20-0617. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33229341.

The Department had seven publications listed in PubMed for the month of October 2020.

1: Thamban Chandrika N, Dennis EK, Brubaker KR, Kwiatkowski S, Watt DS, Garneau-Tsodikova S. Broad-Spectrum Antifungal Agents: Fluorinated Aryl- and Heteroaryl-Substituted Hydrazones. ChemMedChem. 2020 Oct 16. doi: 10.1002/cmdc.202000626. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33063957.

The Department had ten publications listed in PubMed for the month of September 2020.

1: Kinder JT, Moncman CL, Barrett C, Jin H, Kallewaard N, Dutch RE. Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Human Metapneumovirus Infections in Three-Dimensional Human Airway Tissues Expose an Interesting Dichotomy in Viral Replication, Spread, and Inhibition by Neutralizing Antibodies. J Virol. 2020 Sep 29;94(20):e01068-20. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01068-20. PMID: 32759319.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 17, 2020) — A new University of Kentucky College of Medicine study may provide answers for why so many COVID-19 patients experience thrombosis, or the formation of blood clots that obstruct blood flow through the circulatory system.

The Department had ten publications listed in PubMed for the month of August 2020.

1: Smeltzer S, Quadri Z, Miller A, Zamudio F, Hunter J, Stewart NJF, Saji S, Lee DC, Chaput D, Selenica MB. Hypusination of Eif5a regulates cytoplasmic TDP-43 aggregation and accumulation in a stress-induced cellular model. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2020 Aug 31:165939. doi: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165939. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32882370.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 26, 2020) – The National Science Foundation recently awarded a three-year, $1,163,869 grant to the University of Kentucky to develop new state-of-the-art metabolomics data analysis tools that will derive new data, knowledge and interpretation from the active metabolic state of organisms and ecosystems with broad biological and biomedical applications.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 18, 2020) — The University of Kentucky Society of Postdoctoral Scholars (SOPS) hosted their first Research Pitch Competition where 19 postdocs and fellows showcased their research with one-minute elevator pitches.

The Department had nine publications listed in PubMed for the month of July 2020.

1: Arenas A, Chen J, Kuang L, Barnett KR, Kasarskis EJ, Gal J, Zhu H. Lysine acetylation regulates the RNA binding, subcellular localization and inclusion formation of FUS. Hum Mol Genet. 2020 Jul 21:ddaa159. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa159. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32691043.

2: Eleazer R, Fondufe-Mittendorf YN. The multifaceted role of PARP1 in RNA biogenesis. Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA. 2020 Jul 12:e12607. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1617. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 32656996.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 27, 2020) — The Kentucky Network for Innovation and Commercialization (KYNETIC), funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is excited to announce that five of the seven projects recently awarded $50,000 to bring their innovations toward product development are from the University of Kentucky.

These projects include:

Throughout the summer the University of Kentucky College of Medicine has been part of a University-wide pilot program aiming to help boost resumes and build important skills for both UK and non-UK students.

The Summer Badge Program is not your average summer school. The program provides an opportunity for learners to complete courses and earn digital badges, regardless of their current major, with the badges certifying competency in a specific skill.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 22, 2020) — Early this spring, University of Kentucky virologist Rebecca Dutch answered some of our initial questions about COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease. We asked her to take another look at the coronavirus pandemic.

The Department had seven publications listed in PubMed for the month of June 2020.

A University of Kentucky College of Medicine researcher has been awarded $1.9 million to continue research examining molecular pathogenesis of Noonan-like syndrome. Emilia Galperin, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry, was awarded a prestigious R35 Maximizing Investigator’s Research Award Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences that will fund her lab’s research over the next five years. Normal human cell growth is controlled by complex signaling pathways, and errors in these signal transmissions can have serious consequences inclu

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 18, 2020) — Alpacas Big Boy, Blue Eyes and Emperor may hold the key to combating COVID-19. Their antibodies could offer a defense against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease.

University of Kentucky College of Medicine researchers are using the special antibodies made by alpacas, called nanobodies, to help understand the novel coronavirus and potentially develop a treatment that could protect people from being infected. 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 12, 2020) — In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, University of Kentucky experts quickly mobilized and pivoted their research to unite in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

UK researchers across many disciplines are addressing COVID-19’s medical challenges and beyond — including developing new personal protective equipment (PPE) materials, designing testing and diagnostic equipment, and examining the wider societal, economic and legal implications of the pandemic.