LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 18, 2020) — The University of Kentucky Society of Postdoctoral Scholars (SOPS) hosted their first Research Pitch Competition where 19 postdocs and fellows showcased their research with one-minute elevator pitches.

Cannabinoids have been widely used in medicines to control pain, nausea, and vomiting and to stimulate appetite, especially in cancer patients. As it is through effective research that we are able to understand and advance new options, the UK College of Medicine and Markey Cancer Center faculty are now looking to understand if there is a role for Cannabinoids in the treatment of a deadly cancer in men, prostate cancer.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 10, 2020) — On and off campus, members of our UK community are working to ensure that the university can keep its promise to our state — to educate, serve, research and heal. That's why UKNow is launching this new "#TogetherUKY" series to thank some of the UK faculty and staff who are a representation of all our employees who are working hard in numerous areas and departments around our campus. We can't continue our mission without their commitment, resilience and collaborative spirit during this challenging time.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 13, 2020) — PDS Biotechnology, a clinical stage immunotherapy company, has announced positive results from preclinical testing conducted at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, PDS0203. 

Nika Larian, a postdoctoral researcher in the University of Kentucky College of Medicine’s Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, has been awarded a Science & Technology Policy Fellowship with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships (STPF) aim to support evidence-based policymaking by leveraging the knowledge and analytical mindset of science and engineering experts, and foster leaders for a strong U.S. science and technology enterprise.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 11, 2020) — With the morning sun rising in the sky at the University of Kentucky’s sprawling Spindletop Farm, Patrick Perry is in high spirits, smiling behind his reflective shades as his tractor roars to life. His student workers, UK seniors Chris Bankes and Tyler Miles, take Styrofoam float beds loaded with tiny seedlings of the plant Artemisia annua and attach them to a mechanical transplanter hitched to the tractor.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 10, 2020) — Most of us have heard the phrase that some stress is good. Timothy Ainger, Ph.D., assistant professor in the University of Kentucky Department of Neurology, says the word ‘some’ is key. Ainger specializes in neuropsychology which is the brain-behavior relationship. He says it is true that a small to moderate amount of stress or pressure does help a person focus and perform at their best.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 6, 2020) — For a couple of years now members of the University of Kentucky Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center (SCoBIRC), in collaboration with UK College of Arts and Sciences, have been working to increase the representation of Black undergraduate students in neuroscience.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 6, 2020) — The connection between art and medicine has been a focus of medical education institutions for decades.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 5, 2020) — COVID-19 has dramatically altered everyday life around the globe. Ongoing research studies are not immune to the disruptions and changes caused by the global pandemic. Researchers at the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging (SBCoA) are continuing their important work amid COVID-19 by implementing many safety guidelines and protocols. While navigating this uncharted territory for many, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia research poses an added obstacle as the aging population is believed to be at greater risk from the virus.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 5, 2020) — Dr. Gretchen Wells, director of the UK HealthCare (UKHC) Women's Heart Program at the Gill Heart & Vascular Institute, has been selected to receive the American Heart Association's Council on Clinical Cardiology 2020 Women in Cardiology Mentoring Award.

The award is designed to recognize individuals who have an outstanding record of effectively mentoring women cardiologists and underscores the importance of mentoring in the professional development of women.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 4, 2020) – The University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center has announced that Krystle Kuhs, Ph.D., M.P.H., will serve as co-leader of its Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program. Kuhs will co-lead the program with University of Kentucky College of Public Health Associate Professor Jerod Stapleton, Ph.D., who joined the university in November 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing requirements have affected every aspect of our lives, often causing anxiety, uncertainty and disrupted routines. In a recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation, nearly half (45%) of Americans reported that their mental health has been negatively impacted due to worry and stress over the virus. Such stressful situations, especially when they last for a long time, can lead to harmful health behaviors like increased alcohol consumption and trouble sleeping.

Lexington, Ky. (July 31, 2020) – During a routine surgery that combined their specialties, Dr. Mark Fritz, a laryngologist in the University of Kentucky Department of Otolaryngology, and Dr.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 31, 2020) – During his chemotherapy treatments, Scott Storey got used to avoiding cold drinks and foods. The regimen he was on, FOLFOX, includes the drug oxaliplatin, which is known to cause “cold dysesthesia” in some patients. It’s a hypersensitivity to the presence of cold that can trigger side effects such as peripheral neuropathy, jaw spasms, shortness of breath and more.

This peculiar fact – and a serendipitous meeting with a stranger – proved to be a lifeline for the retired Air Force veteran.

LEXINGTON, Ky.  (July 30, 2020) —The COVID-19 pandemic brought many things to a screeching halt and continues to impact our daily lives. However, important research at the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging (SBCoA) is continuing under extreme caution and deep dedication.

“It can’t wait,” said Dr. Greg Jicha, a neurologist at SBCoA.  

Lexington, Ky. (July 28, 2020) - Martin County drinking water regularly exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contamination levels for cancer causing disinfection byproducts and coliform bacteria, according to preliminary findings of a University of Kentucky pilot study.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 29, 2020) — Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia among the elderly and currently there is no cure for the disease. The hallmarks of AD are the Aβ plaques and tau tangles found throughout the patient’s brain. For the past several decades, much of the work to find a treatment for AD has been focused on eliminating those dreaded Aβ plaques, by assuming that memory could be restored by removing the plaques.

It is with great sorrow that I share with you the passing of two vital members of the UK College of Medicine’s history, both of whom were former chairs.

Ward O. Griffen, MD, PhD, former chair of the department of surgery, passed away Tuesday, July 21, at the age of 92, and Jacqueline Noonan, MD, former chair of the department of pediatrics, died on July 23 at the age of 91. The College of Medicine community will miss both deeply.

Ward O. Griffen, MD, PhD

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 28, 2020) – For the fifth consecutive year, the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital at UK HealthCare has been named the No. 1 hospital in Kentucky and the Bluegrass Region by the 2020-2021 Best Hospitals rankings and ratings from U.S. News & World Report.

For the fourth straight year, the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center has earned a top 50 national ranking for cancer care, this year climbing to No. 29.