Nagaraj Kerur, a post-doctoral fellow in the lab of Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, has received a prestigious K99/R00 award from the National Eye Institute (NEI). This Pathway to Independence award is one of only four given by the NEI in the nation annually. The award will provide up to five years of support consisting of two phases. The initial mentored phase will provide support for up to two years for the most promising and exceptionally talented new investigators.

When Premi Haynes was growing up in Pune, India, she attended Stella Maris High School, an English language convent school founded by Swiss nuns. Her second grade singing class used a book of English songs. One of the songs was "My Old Kentucky Home." At that time, Haynes had never heard of Kentucky, had no idea where it was, and had no particular ambition to go there. Some 20 years and a twist of fate later, today Haynes is defending her Ph.D.

http://uknow.uky.edu/content/uk-medical-students-receive-high-marks-ultrasound-challenge

 

While the world watched coverage of the Winter Olympics last month, a group of University of Kentucky medical students were vying for medals in an Olympic-style competition for future doctors. For the first time, a team of eight UK medical students participated in the 5th Annual Ultrasound Challenge at Ohio State University on Feb. 15. During the challenge, students from UK and The Ohio State University tested their knowledge, technique and accuracy scanning ultrasound images of specific systems in the human body.

In addition to providing high quality health care, the University of Kentucky is also committed to finding new treatments, tests, and cures for diseases. Now, patients at UK can contribute to that effort by agreeing to participate in the Research Registry and Specimen Bank, or the "biobank." When you have a medical procedure that involves, for example, drawing blood or sampling tissue, there is often material left over from the testing process that would otherwise be thrown away.

Nearly 700 researchers, students, policymakers and community members will gather at the Lexington Convention Center March 27 to share research, mentor junior faculty, and enhance collaborations in clinical and translational science, with special focus on addressing health disparities in Appalachia.