Undergraduate Research Opportunities

PGY Scholars Program

The Physiology Scholars Program offers UK undergraduate students a unique opportunity to engage in research in fields ranging from neurological, cardiovascular, muscular, and pulmonary diseases in the College of Medicine’s Department of Physiology.

Department Commitment

The Department will appoint up to 3 UK undergraduate students as Physiology Scholars each fall. Once appointed, Scholars can maintain their status throughout their undergraduate studies provided adequate progress is being made.  The Scholars will have monthly lunches with a member of the faculty, at which they can discuss their research and career goals. In addition, there will be an annual award to the Scholar of the Year recognized during Physiology Research Day.  Finally, the Department of Physiology will provide travel funds, to a maximum of $1,000 to any Scholar who has their own abstract accepted for presentation at a major national or international scientific meeting (e.g. Experimental Biology, Neuroscience, or AHA Scientific Sessions).

Application Process

Students who wish to become Physiology Scholars should send their resume, a transcript and a one-page statement describing why they are interested in the Scholars program to Dr. Gregory Graf (Gregory.Graf@uky.edu).  Strong candidates will be invited to interview with the Physiology Scholars Committee and appointments will begin immediately.

Newly appointed Scholars will have until the start of the Spring semester to identify a faculty member as their research mentor. Lunches will begin in February and dates will be determined based on the schedules of the individual Scholars.  The faculty member and the Scholar will be asked to both sign an agreement that identifies each individual’s responsibilities and expectations.

PGY 394

To join a lab as an undergraduate researcher, you will need to reach out to the professor directly (a list of labs and their research can be found below), and you will likely want to participate in PGY 394 (Independent Work in Physiology and Neuroscience). This 1-3 credit hour course allows the participant to gain knowledge of the research environment while accruing college credit for their efforts. More information regarding this course can be found in the PGY 394 Research Contract.