March Madness is built on split-second decisions, emotional swings and the thrill of uncertainty. From game-winning shots and busted brackets to late-night tip-offs and watch parties with friends, the NCAA tournament offers more than drama on the court — it also creates a window into how people think, react, connect and make meaning through sports.

When it comes to advancing sports medicine, collaboration across borders plays a critical role. 

For many Kentuckians, March Madness is more than just a basketball tournament — it’s a shared tradition that sparks excitement, conversation and community across generations. But could the rituals of sports fandom — filling out brackets, debating game strategy and cheering on the Cats — also benefit our brains?

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine is pleased to announce that Lance A. Johnson, PhD, has been selected to serve as chair of the UK College of Medicine Department of Neuroscience.

While shadowing physicians in the Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at UK HealthCare, third-year medical student Evan Smith began noticing a pattern.

Patients would come in seeking help for hearing loss. Doctors could diagnose the problem and recommend treatment. But for some patients, the conversation quickly shifted from treatment options to cost.

A new study co-authored by University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researchers Jessica Burris, PhD, Timothy Mullett, MD, and Graham Warren, MD, PhD, shows that making smoking cessation assistance a standard part of cancer care is achievable on a national scale and can happen relatively quickly.

Megan Ward didn’t learn to tie her first surgical knot in a simulation lab. She learned it alone in a study room at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine–Northern Kentucky Campus, logged onto Zoom.  

A team of University of Kentucky researchers has uncovered a surprising clue in the battle against Alzheimer’s disease that could help doctors predict, and ultimately prevent, a common side effect of the newest generation of Alzheimer’s therapies.

From the sidelines of high school football games in Louisville to the exam rooms at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Andrew Arnold’s path to becoming a family physician is one rooted in service, mentorship and deep family ties.

On Match Day, UK College of Medicine students Carly and Nick Lovely will stand side by side, envelopes in hand, waiting to learn where residency will take them next.   

For the fourth-year couple — who met, got engaged, and married during medical school — the moment represents more than a placement.  

Forty-eight University of Kentucky students will present their research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) on April 13-15 in Richmond, Virginia.

NCUR is one of the largest events in the United States for undergraduate students to share their academic work with peers, faculty and professionals.

A new University of Kentucky study has mapped areas across the U.S. where high rates of diabetes and deaths from diabetes-related cancers overlap.

Scientists at the University of Kentucky have uncovered a new reason why people with Alzheimer’s disease often struggle with sleep, long before memory loss begins. The study, led by researchers at the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, reveals that a protein called tau “hijacks” the brain’s energy supply, keeping the brain in a state of overactive excitability that prevents restorative rest.

Each year UK Athletics, UK HealthCare and the UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging partner for a game honoring legendary basketball coach Pat Summitt — a beloved leader and fierce Southeastern Conference competitor, who battled Alzheimer’s disease with remarkable courage.

The University of Kentucky is well-represented on a list of the most-cited researchers in the world. In a database compiled by Stanford University in a partnership with Elsevier, 112 current UK scientists and scholars appear among the top 2% of the most-cited researchers across 22 disciplines.

From the sidelines of high school football games in Louisville to the exam rooms at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Andrew Arnold’s path to becoming a family physician is one rooted in service, mentorship, and deep family ties. A 2025 graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine-Northern Kentucky Campus, Dr.

Jay Grider, DO, PhD, professor of anesthesiology, will soon be honored by the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) with a lifetime achievement award for his dedication and contributions to interventional pain management.

Those contributions have benefitted countless patients at UK, where Dr. Grider has made his career over the past 25 years.

Evan Smith kept noticing the same pattern while shadowing in the UK College of Medicine Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. Patients qualified for hearing aids. They wanted to improve their hearing. But the conversation often ended the same way — with cost. 

The University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Foundation has announced a $12.5 million gift — a $12 million endowed fund and a $500,000 nonendowed fund — to support the priorities of the UK Markey Cancer Centerand the UK College of

At the UK College of Medicine–Bowling Green Campus, leadership begins early. Students are not only preparing for their future roles as physicians, but also actively shaping the learning environment for those who will follow.