Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, physical distancing helped mitigate spread of the virus. But a consequence was that it eliminated opportunities for in-person team building. In a year of trials and tribulations, the restrictions made coping with distressing events more difficult.

To build community during the challenging year, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion hosted Moments of Reflection, virtual events that allowed faculty, staff, and learners to connect over Zoom and openly discuss national events that might have caused grief, sadness, anger, and fear.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 13, 2022) — The University of Kentucky is participating in a nationwide study that seeks to understand why some people have prolonged symptoms (long COVID) or develop new or returning symptoms after an acute bout of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 12, 2022) — The University of Kentucky College of Medicinehas once again teamed up with other medical schools from the state for the monthlong MedMadness Blood Donation Competition.

LEXINGTON, KY. (Jan. 11, 2022) — The world looks to The University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging for answers to the mysteries of dementia, and the elderly rely on them for help in charting their path to a healthy and vigorous senior lifestyle.

For Nicholas Annichiarico, DO, last year was one of new beginnings. After completing a physical medicine and rehabilitation residency at the UK College of Medicine, he joined the faculty as an assistant professor and physiatrist.

Just as Dr. Annichiarico’s career has soared to new heights, so has he – literally. In March of 2021, he started learning how to become a pilot. He has completed approximately one-fifth of his training in order to take the official flight test.

Anika Hartz never planned on becoming a scientist.

She’s a pharmacist by trade, who moved to the United States from her home of Germany in 2002 to begin her doctorate at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). At the time, she had no intention of going into science.

“Coming to the U.S. in 2002 changed my mind,” said Hartz.

Her time at the NIH was unique and it marked a turning point for her future.

For medical students at the University of Kentucky, the COVID-19 pandemic not only shifted their learning experiences, but also demonstrated to them how prepared they are to impact the world through their future careers in medicine.

Jarrett Grace, Class of 2024, Northern Kentucky Campus
Many of Jarrett Grace’s family members work in health care fields, so they already had witnessed the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients in their communities. But when they caught the virus, they felt the fear firsthand.

Devon Clifton was wide awake in his third-floor apartment as sirens rang and strong tornadoes ripped through western Kentucky late Friday, Dec. 10. The next morning, he saw “gut-wrenching” destruction.

Clifton and many of his fellow students at the UK College of Medicine-Bowling Green Campus can’t drive to class without passing homes and buildings that have been flattened. The tornadoes that struck towns in western Kentucky – including Dawson Springs, Mayfield, and Bowling Green – killed more than 75 people.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 21, 2021) — Cancer patients undergoing treatment sometimes travel far from home to receive the right cancer care, which can create a financial burden. That’s why the American Cancer Society has awarded a lodging grant to the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Foundation. These funds will be used to address the lodging needs of cancer patients receiving treatment in Lexington.

Martha Sim, MD, a graduate student at the College of Medicine, knew it was possible she would witness a pandemic in her lifetime, but she did not expect it to happen so early in her research career. Yet in 2020, COVID-19 spread rapidly across the globe.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 20, 2021) — For most who know her, Paris resident Elizabeth Barr goes by a simple nickname — “E.” But Frederick Ueland, MD, her oncologist at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center, has another special nickname for her: Lazarus.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 16, 2021) — Using new methodology, University of Kentucky researchers have mapped the variations in sugar chains attached to brain proteins from deceased healthy individuals or individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.

Thus far, no effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are available. New approaches to preventing the progression of this devastating neurological disease are desperately needed.

A young John DeMasi foreshadowed his career at 5 years old when he chose his first Halloween costume. Wearing green scrubs from a teddy bear and a stethoscope so big it dragged as he walked, he proudly impersonated a doctor.

For medical students, education doesn’t end with Match Day or graduation. It’s a lifelong journey full of continuous learning, skill advancement, and personal growth.

As director of student success, Emily Scanlon, MEd, has the responsibility of making sure the UK College of Medicine is supporting students during, and after, medical school so they are well prepared for the challenges ahead in their careers.

“I often work with students in specific situations or for individual needs, but almost everything we discuss can be applied to their future,” Scanlon said.

Greg Gerhardt, PhD, is a professor of neuroscience and researcher with the Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center (SCoBIRC) and Brain Restoration Center, as well as advisor for the MD/PhD program. He currently serves as co-principal investigator for the Brain Restoration Alliance in Neurodegeneration (BRAIN). In the following Q&A, Dr. Gerhardt shares more about his current projects.

Q: Why did you want to pursue a career in neuroscience research?

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 13, 2021) — As the University of Kentucky nears the end of the Fall 2021 semester, COVID-19 infection rates have once again started to rise across the state. Now, a new variant, omicron, creates new set of challenges for the Commonwealth, country and world.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 13, 2021) — As the University of Kentucky nears the end of the Fall 2021 semester, COVID-19 infection rates have once again started to rise across the state. Now, a new variant, omicron, creates new set of challenges for the Commonwealth, country and world.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 9, 2021) — Appalachian Kentucky high school and undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Kentucky who are interested in pursuing a cancer-focused career have the opportunity to gain cancer research, clinical, outreach and education experiences.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 9, 2021) — Spiny mice, known for their unique ability to regrow lost skin, may also be able to preserve injured cardiac tissue according to a new study conducted by a research team from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and College of Arts and Sciences.

Grant writing is a competitive process. Without the proper resources, staff, or expertise, faculty may struggle in gathering key funding that could benefit future research projects, and ultimately, promote innovative health discoveries.