News

For many years, ventricular assist devices (VADs) were considered a last resort for patients with serious heart failure. These mechanical pumps, which help maintain blood circulation, were mainly used for patients awaiting a heart transplant.

Recent studies conducted by University of Kentucky researchers suggest VADs actually could be used to recover the hearts of patients with heart failure, even those with advanced heart failure, possibly preventing their need for transplants in the future.

Felicia Michael, PhD has been invited to speak in the Dean's Distinguished Lecture Series. Dr. Michael was among the top 3 finalists from the College of Medicine Trainee Poster Session among Postdocs held in early April 2021. She is a member of the Sasha Rabchevsky lab and affiliated with both the Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center and the Department of Physiology. Congratulations, Felicia! Thursday, May 6, 2021 Noon-1pm Contact for Zoom link: Sabrina.Brewer@uky.edu

On Friday, April 23, 2021 Brooke Ahern (Jon Satin Lab) successfully defended her dissertation and earned her doctoral degree. Congratulations Dr. Ahern!

Twenty years ago, University of Kentucky researchers Alan Daugherty, PhD, DSc, and Lisa Cassis, PhD, stumbled into a research method that contributed greatly to UK’s cardiovascular research growth.

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine would like to recognize and congratulate its departments that made it in the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research (BRIMR) 2020 rankings.

BRIMR rankings, released each year, are reflective of top National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to U.S. medical schools and rank institutions based on specialty. Rankings are derived from data compiled and released by the NIH shortly after the federal fiscal year closes.

Highlights of the rankings:

On Wednesday, March 24, 2021 Michael Orr successfully defended his dissertation and earned his doctoral degree. Congratulations, Dr. Orr!

"UNDERSTANDING ENDOGENOUS SPINAL REPAIR THROUGH A NOVEL MAMMALIAN MODEL OF SPINAL CORD INJURY"

Doctoral Committee Members

Dr. John Gensel, Department of Physiology, Mentor
Dr. Kathy Saatman, Department of Physiology
Dr. Steven Estus, Department of Physiology
Dr. Warren Aliliain, Department of Neuroscience
Dr. Ashley Seifert, Department of Biology
Outside Examiner: Dr. Ann Morris, Department of Biology

The 13th Annual Hardin Award was presented to Taylor Valentino, a graduate student in John McCarthy's lab, on March 11, 2021.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 25, 2021) — Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are not only life-threatening at the time of the event, but they can also lead to secondary complications and loss of function in sensory and motor systems. Researchers at the University of Kentucky recently published a unique study focusing on SCIs in eNeuro.

Peter Morris, MD, professor of medicine at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and a pulmonary/critical care faculty member at UK HealthCare, pulls up a map showing the U.S. prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a severe inflammatory lung disease that leads to obstructed airflow and difficulty breathing.

“This is who we serve right here,” he says, pointing to Kentucky on the map. The state’s southeastern region is bright red to signify its high incidence of people with COPD.

The Department of Physiology would like to congratulate alumni Dr. Cheavar Blair (class of 2017) and his mentor Dr. Ken Campbell. 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 20, 2021) — More than 5.7 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease and that number is projected to triple by 2050. Despite that growing number, there is not yet a cure.

Researchers at the University of Kentucky have received a $100,000 grant from The Marfan Foundation to assess how patients with Marfan syndrome develop hip pain. The study will be conducted by Mary Sheppard, an assistant professor of family medicine and surgery in the UK College of Medicine, and Michael Samaan, an assistant professor of biomechanics in the UK College of Education Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion. Marfan syndrome is a genetic condition that impacts the body’s connective tissue. It most frequently affects the heart, blood vessels, eyes and bones.

On Wednesday, November 11, 2020 Ahmed Elsherbini successfully defended his dissertation and earned his doctoral degree. Congratulations Dr. Elsherbini!

"Ceramide-enriched extracellular vesicles: A role in enhancing Amyloid-beta neurotoxicity and mitochondrial damage in Alzheimer’s disease"

A new University of Kentucky College of Medicine study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology finds that tattooed skin does not sweat as much as non-inked areas of the body, which may have implications for the body’s ability to cool in people with extensive tattooing.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 30 2020) — A recent publication in the Journal of Neuroscience by a group of researchers at the University of Kentucky looks at Encoding the Odor of Cigarette Smoke. Tim McClintock, a physiology professor in the UK College of Medicine, says their work lays a foundation for two things.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 1, 2020) — Alan Daugherty, senior associate dean for research at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, has been selected to serve as chair of Scientific Committee of the Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Foundation, an organization that trains medical students to be leaders in cardiovascular science and medicine.

Daugherty’s three-year term on the leadership of the committee lasts through June 2023. He is currently serving as vice chair and will hold the positions of chair and immediate past chair in 2022 and 2023, respectively. 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 2, 2020) — A new University of Kentucky College of Medicine study provides insight into how a protein called angiotensinogen (AGT) contributes to blood pressure regulation and atherosclerosis.

AGT is a member of the renin-angiotensin system, a hormone system in the human body that regulates blood pressure and fluid balance. AGT produces angiotensin II, which regulates blood pressure and contributes to atherosclerosis, or the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an ever-changing environment requiring quick adjustment, especially in the field of research. In response to the pandemic, scientists at UK ceased non-essential research activity in the spring, and education was moved to online platforms. While these measures were necessary to ensure safety for faculty and learners, graduate students in the University of Kentucky College of Medicine Integrated Biomedical Sciences (IBS) PhD program saw their progress interrupted.

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.