UK-Maternal and Pediatric Research Alliance (MaPRA)

Principal Investigators

  • John A. Bauer, PhD, Pediatrics
  • Thomas E. Curry, PhD, Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Peter J. Giannone, MD, Pediatrics
  • Ilhem Messaoudi Powers, PhD, Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics
  • John M. O’Brien, MD, Obstetrics and Gynecology
     

Research Priority Area

This research alliance is designed to enhance and coordinate transdisciplinary research in the areas of pregnancy, perinatology, and pediatrics. This research alliance welcomes all investigators (clinicians, physician-scientists, and basic/preclinical researchers) and is relatable to each of the already established UK Research Priority Areas.


Research Support

Click here for the MaPRA research support portal.
 

How to Join

If you have an interest in this research area and/or expertise and/or projects you are willing to contribute please consider joining MaPRA. We are especially seeking investigators ready, willing, and able to collaborate in teams, enhance the research momentum of the Kentucky Children’s Hospital, and create research-related work products and a collaborative culture.

You can join the UK-MaPRA by clicking below and completing the information requested. 

https://uky.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4VjDn0iktcQYNBI 

Please contact either principal investigator via the email addresses above, or contact MaPRA alliance administrators, Hong.Huang@uky.edu; Cynthia.cockerham@uky.edu , if you have any other questions or suggestions.

 

Meeting Times

First Tuesday of the month, 3 p.m. EST
 

Summary

  • The medical care for pregnant women and children comprise a significant portion of UKHealthcare and UK-COM and includes the Department of Obstetrics/Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine and the Department of Pediatrics/Kentucky Children’s Hospital. These clinical services are in many cases regionally vital to residents of the state of KY. Most of these clinical settings have been strengthened and expanded in recent years.
  • The UK Children’s Hospital has experienced unprecedented growth and it has taken a leadership role in KY for most pediatric services, and especially high-risk pregnancy and level 4 NICU care. There is at this time an outstanding opportunity to leverage signature clinical programs by adding and aligning research activities to address healthcare needs in these special populations.
  • There is already strength and momentum in the settings of perinatal and pediatric research, much of it has been developed and supported by individual investigator teams. Expanding the investigator pool, and developing research theme and interest groups will catalyze new research growth and improve collaborative ties.
  • The goal of the MaPRA alliance will be to serve as a beacon across the UK campus for the development and support of research studies that address pregnancy, infancy, and childhood. This effort will provide value with respect to faculty retention and recruitment, training opportunities, external reputation, and additional funding support specifically dedicated to pregnancy and childhood. The long-term goal of this alliance will be to form a lasting unit that is self-sustainable, with ties to other already established entities.

 

Alliance Members

  • John A. Bauer, PhD, Professor – Department of Pediatrics
  • Peter Giannone, MD, Professor – Department of Pediatrics
  • Thomas E. Curry, Professor – Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
  • Ilhem Messaoudi Powers, PhD, Professor - Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics 
  • John O’Brien, MD, Professor – Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Roman Deniskin MD, PhD, Assistant Professor – Department of Pediatrics
  • Johanne Dillon, MD, Associate Professor – Department of Radiology
  • Mina Hanna, MD, Associate Professor – Department of Pediatrics
  • Maggie Murphy, PhD, Assistant Professor – Department of Pediatrics
  • Aric Schadler, PhD, Statistician - Department of Pediatrics
  • Robin Shoemaker, PhD, Assistant Professor - Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment
  • Yasir Alsiraj, PhD, Assistant Professor – Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, College of Medicine
  • Hubert O. Ballard, MD, Associate Professor – Department of Pediatrics
  • Thitinart Por Sithisarn, MD, PhD, Associate Professor – Department of Pediatrics
  • Arnold J. Stromberg, PhD, Professor – College of Arts and Sciences
  • Ranjit Torgalkar MD, Assistant Professor – Department of Pediatrics
  • Mark Wurth, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor – Department of Pediatrics
  • Emily DeFranco, MD, Professor - Department of OB/GYN
  • Barbara Parilla, MD, Professor - Department of OB/GYN
  • Nancy Hendrix, MD, Assistant Professor – Department of OB/GYN
  • Amy Meadows, MD, Professor – Department of Psychiatry and Pediatrics
  • Ann Coker, PhD, MPH, Professor – Department of OB/GYN
  • Joshua Lile, PhD, Professor – Department of Behavioral Science
  • E. Ljuba Mirsky, MD Fellow, MFM – Department of OB/GYN
  • Ashely Boerrigter, MD Fellow, MFM – Department of OB/GYN
  • Tyler Hammond, Medical Student – College of Medicine
  • Greg Hawk, PhD, Assistant Professor – Department of Statistics
  • Zoe Taylor, MPH, Research Assistant – Department of Family and Community Medicine
  • Jill Lindsay Schaefer, Research Assistant – Department of Family and Community Medicine
  • Rachel Cooper, Medical Student – College of Medicine
  • Courtney Walker, Postdoc Fellow – Department of Behavioral Science
  • Princess Magor Agbozo, Researcher – Center for Health Equity Transformation
  • Ariel Arthur, Manager, Center for Healthy Equity Transformation
  • Joseph Stuart, Medical Student – College of Medicine
  • Jasveen Chadha, MBBS, Assistant Professor – Department of Anesthesiology
  • Patrick Hannon, PhD, Assistant Professor – Department of OB/GYN
  • James Damron, MD, Assistant Professor – Department of Anesthesiology
  • Ana Maria Linares, DNS, RN, IBCLC, FAAN, FILCA, Associate Professor – College of Nursing
  • Jean Fry, PhD, Assistant Professor – Department of Athletic Training and Clinical Nutrition
  • Rupin Sharma, MD, Assistant Professor – Department of Pediatrics Neonatology
  • Karen Roper, PhD, MS, Assistant Professor – Department of Family and Community Medicine
  • Gena Cooper, Medical Director – Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Amanda Harrington, MD, Assistant Professor – Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
  • Corey Hawes, DCN, RD, CSO, CNSC, Research Dietician - Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
  • Brittany Fuller, Clinical Research Nurse - Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
  • Minjae Kim, PhD, Assistant Professor – College of Engineering
  • Alisa Briggs, PhD, Associate Professor – Department of Pediatrics
  • Oelisoa Andriankaja, PhD, Associate Professor – College of Dentistry
  • Michelle Abou-Jaoude, MD, Assistant Professor - Department of Ophthalmology