Nearly half of Americans set some sort of resolution by Jan. 1; the top resolution in 2017 was to “lose weight/eat healthier.” Looking forward, many adults will probably continue with weight loss goals, as obesity rates reached an all-time high in October, at nearly 40 percent of adult Americans.  But, I challenge you to make a different type of resolution for the coming year:  a resolution for your gut bugs.   

The 10th Annual Hardin Award was presented to Shelby Meier, a trainee in Dr. Joe Abisambra's lab, on December 15, 2017 during the Physiology Holiday Party at Kroger Field's Woodford Reserve Club. The Hardin Award is dedicated to the memory of Brian Hardin, a Physiology lab technician and graduate student, who passed away in 2007. On the trophy, it is inscribed “Brian Hardin was a graduate student and technician in the Department who made good physiology fun and challenged everyone he met to only bring their best game.

Congratulations to Lu Dai and Christina Wicker who successfully defended their Ph.D. Congratulations to both! A Graduation Reception was held on Friday, December 15th in their honor!

The Federal Communications Commission’s Connect2Health Task Force (C2HFCC) has announced that the FCC and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have joined forces, signing a memorandum of understanding that will focus on how increasing broadband access and adoption in rural areas can improve the lives of rural cancer patients.

On December 12, 2017 Yuan Wen successfully defended his dissertation and earned his PhD. With the basic science research portion of his MD/ Ph.D. program complete, Dr. Wen will now return to the clinical side to continue working towards his MD. Congratulations Dr. Wen!

β-CATENIN REGULATION OF ADULT SKELETAL MUSCLE PLASTICITY

The University of Kentucky Global Ophthalmology (UK GO) program, a new program with a mission to prevent avoidable blindness by fighting eye disease across the Commonwealth and beyond, has partnered with the UK Global Health Initiatives, directed by Dr. Sam Matheny, professor of Family and Community Medicine, for a unique opportunity of a screening of the documentary, “Bending the Arc.” 

NIH recently released a statement indicating that it would be more strictly enforcing all grant closeout policies.  To read the full statement, click here.

The Office of Sponsored Projects Administration, the Proposal Development Office, the Office of Research Integrity–IRB, the Survey Research Center and the COM Sponsored Research Administrative Services offices will be closed Monday, December 25, 2017 through Monday, January 1, 2018 and will reopen on Tuesday, January 2, 2018. If you anticipate a need for services provided by any of these offices during this time, please call the appropriate office(s) as soon as possible so that assistance may be provided before the break.