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.

By Hilary Brown
(Click here for UKnow article)

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.

The UK Department of Surgery mourns the passing of Ward O. Griffen, MD, PhD, 92, chair of the department from 1968 – 1984 and one of the giants in the world of American surgery. He died on Tuesday morning, July 21.

The UK Department of Surgery will welcome eight new faculty members for the 2020 academic year. The first, Dr. Carl Backer, a national leader in pediatric heart transplants and cardiac surgery, began his practice and leadership role at UK HealthCare in June. The remaining faculty members will begin practicing in August, September, and October.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 27, 2020) — The Kentucky Network for Innovation and Commercialization (KYNETIC), funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is excited to announce that five of the seven projects recently awarded $50,000 to bring their innovations toward product development are from the University of Kentucky.

These projects include:

Throughout the summer the University of Kentucky College of Medicine has been part of a University-wide pilot program aiming to help boost resumes and build important skills for both UK and non-UK students.

The Summer Badge Program is not your average summer school. The program provides an opportunity for learners to complete courses and earn digital badges, regardless of their current major, with the badges certifying competency in a specific skill.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 24, 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 24, 2020) — Dr. Reshma Ramlal of the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center was recently named the 2020 Lexington Woman of the Year by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.