A Georgetown, Ky., native, Katie Land came to UK as an undergraduate largely for practical reasons: in-state tuition and proximity to home. At the time, the first-generation college student had her sights set on medical school.
Shadowing experiences during college sparked an interest in obstetrics and gynecology, and research initially felt like a way to strengthen her application. But once she stepped into the lab, her trajectory began to change.
“What surprised me was how direct the impact of research could be,” Land said. “You might not see patients face-to-face, but what you discover can shape care for years.”
That realization ultimately led her to pursue a PhD in pharmacology at the UK College of Medicine. Land is currently a doctoral candidate in the lab of Patrick Hannon, PhD, assistant professor in the UK College of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Land first joined the Hannon Lab in 2018 as an undergraduate research assistant and later became a senior lab technician. In that environment, she began to see how a research career could align with her long-standing interest in reproductive health.
“I am incredibly proud of Katie’s hard work and dedication,” said Dr. Hannon. “She constantly asks thought-provoking questions with clinical and translational relevance, all while creating a fun environment in the lab. These attributes and her accomplishments truly push our research program forward.”
Training in Translational Reproductive Science
The Hannon Lab focuses on how environmental exposures influence women’s reproductive health, particularly through endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) commonly found in everyday products. These compounds can interfere with hormone signaling and disrupt ovarian function, contributing to infertility.
As a trainee, Land is learning to approach these complex questions through a translational lens—one that connects molecular mechanisms to real-world applications. Rather than studying individual chemicals in isolation, the lab models environmentally relevant mixtures derived from exposure levels measured in women. Through collaborations with a local fertility clinic, the group also works with human ovarian cells from patients undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
“That access to clinically relevant models has been huge for my training,” Land said. “It helps you understand how basic science connects to patient outcomes.”
Land’s doctoral work builds on research she began as an undergraduate, which led to a first-author publication demonstrating that an environmentally relevant phthalate mixture inhibits ovulation in mouse follicles. Now, as a PhD student, she is continuing to refine her technical and analytical skills by investigating how these exposures disrupt key steps required for ovulation, including cumulus-oocyte complex expansion and oocyte maturation.
“These processes are essential for releasing a fertilizable egg into the reproductive tract,” she explained. “Understanding how they’re disrupted by chemicals that humans are ubiquitously exposed to in their environment helps us start to piece together potential reasons why infertility rates are increasing — and what might eventually improve reproductive outcomes.”
Learning Through Mentorship and Community
Land credits much of her growth to the training environment at UK, particularly the mentorship she has received from faculty and staff. In 2021, she earned a BS in Biology and Pharmacology from UK, before matriculating to the UK College of Medicine Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences to complete her PhD.
“I’ve never trained anywhere else, but I’ve never felt limited by that,” she said. “The faculty here genuinely want you to succeed and grow. You’re encouraged to ask questions and try things, even when you don’t have all the answers yet.”
That emphasis on learning through trial and error resonates deeply with Land, who grew up playing competitive softball. A career-ending injury forced her to reconsider her future, but the lessons she learned from athletics — teamwork, adaptability, and resilience — have carried over into her scientific training.
“In research, most experiments don’t work the first time,” she said. “You learn how to adjust, communicate with your team, and keep going. That’s something I was already practicing long before I ever stepped into a lab.”
Shaping a Scientist-in-Training
Even as a graduate student, Land has a clear vision for her long-term goal of becoming an IVF clinic laboratory director. Her work is driven by a strong commitment to bridging scientific discovery with improved reproductive options and outcomes for individuals facing infertility and same-sex couples growing their families.
Her training at UK has helped her see research not just as a technical pursuit, but as a long-term investment in better care. Each experiment conducted or presentation given is part of learning how science can responsibly inform clinical practice.
“Being a PhD student means you’re constantly learning — about the science, about yourself, about how you want to contribute,” Land said. “I don’t feel like I’m finished. I feel like I’m just being built.”
Through hands-on research, close mentorship, and exposure to clinically relevant questions, Land’s experience reflects the broader biomedical education mission of the UK College of Medicine: preparing trainees not just to generate data, but to think critically, collaborate effectively, and translate discovery into meaningful impact.
