Recognition of Research at University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky is a major research university. In the most recent fiscal year, FY20, UK received $429.2 million in grants and contracts for research work. Of that impressive figure over $272 million is in the form of awards from federal agencies such as the NIH. Figure 1 below shows the growth in funding to the university over the past five years.
The growth as been significant and has elevated our placement to 63rd among 624 institutions according to the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) survey.
UK has several research priority areas including Neuroscience, Diversity and Inclusion, Substance Use Disorder, Cancer, Diabetes & Obesity, Cardiovascular and Energy. Clearly the majority of these priority areas are centered in the College of Medicine. Research funding from the NIH to our College of Medicine puts us at a rank of 44th out of 142 institutions with medical schools (figures for 2019 derived from the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research). This funding level puts us ahead of institutions such as Boston University, Medical University of South Carolina, the University of Arizona and the Medical College of Wisconsin. Slightly above us are the University of Iowa and Ohio State University.
Markey Cancer Center Director Mark Evers Elected to National Academy of Medicine
Mark Evers, MD, Professor of Surgery in the University of Kentucky College of Medicine and director of the UK Markey Cancer Center has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine.
Election to the academy is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine, and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. New members are elected by current members through a process that recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care and public health.
Evers is one of 100 new U.S. and international members elected by their peers. According to the academy, Evers was elected for his expertise on intestinal hormones and hormonal arcades in oncogenesis. His seminal insights defined the role of gut hormones on normal physiology and metabolism, pioneering innovative understanding of neuroendocrine cell biology and the role of neurohormonal pathways in the development and progression of neuroendocrine tumors. As a scientist, Evers has been a transformative leader and an internationally renowned expert in the neurohormonal arcade that leads to oncogenesis of neuroendocrine tumors. He is a leading authority on gastrointestinal hormones (e.g., neurotensin) and their role in cancer development as well as in metabolic syndromes.
UK’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Director Elected as AAAS Fellow
https://theloop.ukhc.org/Interact/Pages/Content/Document.aspx?id=4417
Linda J. Van Eldik, PhD, Director of the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging at the University of Kentucky, has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Election as an AAAS Fellow is an honor bestowed upon AAAS members by their peers. Van Eldik is one of only six women from UK that have been awarded this honor and she is the first since 1966. “In addition to being an honor for me personally, this election brings great recognition to Sanders-Brown and UK in general. My election is based on scientific contributions in the area of brain inflammation and its role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, areas of research where Sanders-Brown is a national leader. In addition, because election as an AAAS Fellow is determined deliberately and carefully to preserve the honor attached to this recognition, it emphasizes the high prestige and professional standing that the University of Kentucky has in the national community,” said Van Eldik.
Should you wish to write a grant there are many resources available. A good starting point is to consult with the Vice Chair of Research. The university also provides numerous resources. A group called the Program Development Office (PDO) is a “support unit focused on the pre-award stage of extramural funding, PDO staff members conduct funding searches, assist in the preparation of competitive proposals by reviewing and critiquing proposal drafts, providing descriptive material on UK resources , and writing sections of proposals …”.
https://www.research.uky.edu/proposal-development-office/about-pdo
The PDO is currently headed by Kathy Grzech, Kathy.grzech@uky.edu
While the PDO can help you find a funding source you can apply to and help you write the grant you will need to consult with a different group to help put together the parts of an actual grant and get it submitted. This group, called sponsored Research Administration Services (SRAS) can help you put together a budget and get the necessary approvals before submitting the grant. It is very important to work with this group as you put your grant together. Contact them as sras@uky.edu. The staff member in SRAS currently appointed to help faculty in Radiology is Whittney Sherman. wmsh226@uky.edu
You can find forms and templates for grants here:
https://www.research.uky.edu/office-sponsored-projects-administration/forms-and-templates
