Research

Research is an integral part of the University of Kentucky. UK is one of the institutions designated a Research I University by the Carnegie Foundation. Only 108 universities in the country share this distinction as high research institutions. By making this list, it is clear that the University of Kentucky offers the best opportunities, the best resources, and the very best overall research enterprise capable of creating the world's next medical marvel or technological breakthrough.

The University of Kentucky is achieving outstanding success in the competitive arena of research grants and contracts. US News and World Report ranks the University of Kentucky College of Medicine 59th in best research and 58th in best primary care according to data collected in 2012 (US News, FY2014). In 2013, UK researchers brought in a record in extramural funding for grants and contracts—nearly $275 million. This is the seventh year that UK has exceeded $200 million in sponsored project awards. These funds contributed to more than 2,000 externally funded sponsored projects each year, and even more important, involved more than 800 faculty as principal investigators on grants and contracts last year. Currently, UK is ranked 59th for research spending in the sciences among public and private universities (National Science Foundation, FY 2011).

UK has a dynamic multidisciplinary research enterprise that emphasizes emerging technologies. This focus is reflected in the university's patent portfolio which includes 313 active patents, of which 30 patents were issued, 17 additional patent applications were filed, and 58 invention disclosures were submitted in FY 2013. UK has a particularly strong patent portfolio in drug development and design, plant biotech, equine health, and materials for medical implants as well as drug delivery systems and medical devices.

UK has been a leader in cutting edge biomedical research since its inception. In 1976, William Markesbery, MD, helped disprove early theoretical causes of Alzheimer's disease and turned the focus to brain cell degeneration. In 1981, medical researcher James Anderson, MD, showed how oat bran can reduce heart disease. Also in that same year, UK physicians led the development of the gamma knife for non-invasive brain surgery.

The UK Chandler Medical Center is at the forefront of biomedical research and consistently receives national rankings for excellence in teaching, research and patient care attracting over $100 million annually in research grants and contracts. The College of Medicine is regularly listed in many "top" or "best of" categories by national publications and organizations, and remains one of the top 100 institutions receiving NIH grant funding. Because NIH is the primary agency for funding biomedical research, the amount of NIH support can serve as a valuable indicator of the national standing of universities and institutions engaged in research focused on urgent medical priorities.

Click here for more information on the University of Kentucky's research rankings.