Image of research scholars for 2024. Names are in the image caption.

The University of Kentucky’s Research Scholars Program (RSP) has welcomed its fourth cohort made up of six faculty whose expertise spans a broad range of research foci. The program is aimed at advancing research by promoting the success of a diverse group of faculty.

dr cheavar blair in the lab

Cheavar Blair, PhD, completed his doctorate in physiology at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in 2017. In 2022, he was recruited back to the department as an assistant professor in the research title series.

Getchell Award Winners stand alongside mentors

The Thomas V. Getchell, Ph.D., Memorial Award for excellence in grant writing held a presentation for the 2021 and 2022 award winners on January 23, 2024. The 2021 winner, Ethan P. Glaser, PhD is an MD/PhD student with John Gensel, PhD, in the Spinal Cord and Brian Injury Research Center.

Alan Daugherty and Olivia Wireman, winner of the Hardin Award 2023

On Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023 Olivia Wireman was presented with the UK College of Medicine Department of Physiology's 16th annual Brian J. Hardin Award.

Nick Devanney

Before training at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Nick Devanney, PhD, had little connection to The Bluegrass State. He is from New England, and his family currently lives there. 

Research team members

A team of researchers at the University of Kentucky is working to better understand the impact of opioid use disorder on mothers and babies.

Every 24 minutes in the United States, a baby is born with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) after being exposed in mothers with opioid use disorder.

Kenneth S. Campbell, PhD

One University of Kentucky researcher has helped solve a 60-year-old mystery about one of the body’s most vital organs: The heart.

Picture of Dr Devanney holding a cake that says, "Congratulations Dr. Devanney".

On Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023 Nicholas Devanney successfully defended his dissertation and earned his doctoral degree in physiology. Congratulations Dr. Devanney!

Rewired metabolism in APOE4 microglia: Implications for inflammation and neurodegeneration

GME winners

The following individuals were honored at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine Awards Convocation on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023. Winners included those in Bowling Green, Lexington, Morehead, and Northern Kentucky.

Biomedical Education

Outstanding Graduate Student Award:
Jamila Tucker, MS

Isha Chauhan Photo

It has been an award-winning summer for one University of Kentucky senior — Isha Chauhan. The biology and Lewis Honors College student from La Grange, Kentucky, was named one of the country’s 68 prestigious Astronaut Scholarship recipients and completed a DAAD RISE research internship in Germany.

UK neuropsychologist Dan Han, Psy.D., gave a presentation with other faculty members from UK discussing science of flavor and sharing about the International Society of Neurogastronomy.

A group from the University of Kentucky recently returned from several days in San Diego at a global symposium where they educated attendees from 48 different countries about the field of neurogastronomy. Neurogastronomy is a somewhat new study that unites the science and culinary worlds by examining the human brain and behaviors that influence how we experience eating and drinking.

Stock image showing a heart.

 UK HealthCare, its outreach and innovation arm the Kentucky Regional Extension Center (REC), and other state partners have been awarded the Innovative Cardiovascular Health Program by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 

From left to right: Dr. Rachel Wilson, Lisa Williams, Renee Gallagher, and LeAnn Barber

Burnout is a problem in any profession, but it is rampant in health care. This national problem has been evident recently as the COVID-19 pandemic pushed many learners, practitioners, faculty, and staff to the limit.

Hubbard Lab members.

The University of Kentucky has been awarded a prestigious Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) grant to study central nervous system metabolism from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The $10.6 million, five-year grant will fund UK’s Center of Research in Central Nervous System Metabolism (CNS-Met). 

Zhihui Zhu, PhD, (left) and Erhard Bieberich, PhD, (right) working at a lab computer

A team of researchers at the University of Kentucky has found that a drug used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) is potentially effective as a therapy for Alzheimer’s disease.

Stock photo of woman on computer

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine is excited to announce that faculty, staff, learners, and trainees will have free access to a leading online resource for medical Spanish proficiency.

CanopyLearn, a Spanish language training program for health care professionals, will be available to the UK College of Medicine community starting Aug. 1.

Anthony DeSana holding a cake that says "Congratulations Dr. DeSana!"

On Wednesday, July 19, 2023 Anthony DeSana successfully defended his dissertation and earned his doctoral degree in physiology. Congratulations Dr. DeSana!

  Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury on the Intestinal Tract and Gut Microbiome

 

Headshot of Dr. Na'Tasha Evans

Na’Tasha Evans, PhD, MEd, is a researcher, published author, champion for female empowerment, and our new vice dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Learn more about her goals, her past work, and more in the following Q&A.

Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in research? 

Confocal images of cochlear epithelia (P4) at low magnification in wild-type (top) and Trpa1–/– (bottom) littermates showing PLAP immunolabeling (red) and counterstaining of F-actin with phalloidin (green). The images were kindly provided by Drs. Kevin Kwan and David Corey.
Faculty at the promotion ceremony

Congratulations to the following basic science and clinical faculty at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine! These individuals were honored with promotions and tenure in fiscal year 2023.

Names are organized alphabetically by department.

Anesthesiology

Sarah Jean Hall, MD, PhD
Associate Professor