After 15 years at UK, our dear colleague Frédérique Yiannikouris, PhD, is leaving. The department is very sad to see her leave but at the same time equally happy for a significant opportunity that has come her way. Dr. Yiannikouris has accepted an offer to join the NIH. We are thrilled for her and wish her all the best in the years to come.
“Fréd”, as many of us know her, joined UK as a postdoc in Dr. Lisa Cassis’ lab and later rose through the ranks being appointed faculty in the research and then regular title series. Along with Dr. Cassis and colleagues, she has made many important contributions to our understanding of how the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and biological sex impact the development of obesity-hypertension. Fréd and her lab later turned their attention to work on the prorenin system, a related, but relatively unexplored area. They provided some of the first evidence that the prorenin system played a key role in the development of metabolic disease uncovering a potential new therapeutic target.
In addition to research, Dr. Yiannikouris has made major and admirable contributions to our teaching and service missions and it is notable that her students/trainees have routinely received awards both locally and at the national levels. Along, with Dr. Analia Loria, she has also been the co-organizer of our Annual Healthy Hearts for Women Symposium which has brought together many experts from outside and within UK together to highlight cardiovascular and comorbid diseases in women and to help identify mitigating factors.
CONGRATULATIONS, Dr. Yiannikouris. All the very best to you!
We are also congratulating Allison Walters who will be leaving the department to take the position of center associate administrator for the Barnstable Brown Diabetes and Obesity Center. This is a wonderful opportunity for Allison and we are happy that her many talents are being recognized across our institution.
Allison started working in our department as an undergrad and began rising through the administrative ranks over the years to take on other jobs and responsibilities in the College of Medicine. As a result, Allison has attained extensive knowledge of UK’s research and academic missions. Since 2019, she has served as our liaison to the OVPR helping to facilitate the VPR’s Diabetes & Obesity Research Priority Area (RPA). Among other related duties, she has played a major role in recruiting and the onboarding of faculty to the Healthy Kentucky Research Building (HKRB) to facilitate its mission of helping to grow diabetes- and obesity-related research on campus. She has also played an important role in providing comprehensive support to all researchers in HKRB (comprised of faculty/staff/students from our department, Internal Medicine and Surgery) and has served as administrative coordinator for the ADORE Alliance. Allison has also been very active in UK’s Staff Senate and was recently re-elected to the position of treasurer for a second term and is serving within the provost’s sector.
Allison, your department of many years wishes you nothing but the best as you take on a new and exciting path in your professional career!