News

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 26, 2020) – The National Science Foundation recently awarded a three-year, $1,163,869 grant to the University of Kentucky to develop new state-of-the-art metabolomics data analysis tools that will derive new data, knowledge and interpretation from the active metabolic state of organisms and ecosystems with broad biological and biomedical applications.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 25, 2020) — Working with their colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania, researchers at the University of Kentucky have found that they can differentiate between subtypes of dementia inducing brain disease.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 25, 2020) — Research looking at a possible new therapeutic approach for Alzheimer’s disease was recently published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation.

When flipping through almost any medical textbook or research publication, one will find that paragraphs of text are typically broken up with elaborate graphics illustrating the complex scientific processes and information.

These graphics are the work of medical illustrators, professional artists with advanced training in both science and visual communication. The University of Kentucky College of Medicine has two, Thomas Dolan and Matthew Hazzard, who are instrumental in their ability to enhance medical instruction, patient education, and research within the college.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an ever-changing environment requiring quick adjustment, especially in the field of research. In response to the pandemic, scientists at UK ceased non-essential research activity in the spring, and education was moved to online platforms. While these measures were necessary to ensure safety for faculty and learners, graduate students in the University of Kentucky College of Medicine Integrated Biomedical Sciences (IBS) PhD program saw their progress interrupted.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 24, 2020) – Kidney stones are infamously painful. Even at their tiniest size, these mineral deposits can wreak havoc as they exit the kidneys, leading to the type of breathtaking pain that’s often compared to the experience of giving birth.

But for Middlesboro resident Michael Slusher, that pain turned out to be a wake-up call for something much more serious.

“I’m probably the only person who says, ‘Thank God for a kidney stone,’” he said. “Because it discovered my kidney cancer before it metastasized.”

HAZARD, Ky. (Aug. 19, 2020) — The 6th Annual Appalachian Research Day (ARD): Come Sit on the Porch will be held as a virtual seminar series, beginning Sept. 16, 2020. ARD is an annual event hosted by the University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health (CEHR) to share results of health research conducted with communities in Appalachia.“Disseminating health disparities research findings at the local level is something our Center is strongly committed to,” said Dr.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 13, 2020) — PDS Biotechnology, a clinical stage immunotherapy company, has announced positive results from preclinical testing conducted at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, PDS0203. 

Nika Larian, a postdoctoral researcher in the University of Kentucky College of Medicine’s Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, has been awarded a Science & Technology Policy Fellowship with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships (STPF) aim to support evidence-based policymaking by leveraging the knowledge and analytical mindset of science and engineering experts, and foster leaders for a strong U.S. science and technology enterprise.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 6, 2020) — For a couple of years now members of the University of Kentucky Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center (SCoBIRC), in collaboration with UK College of Arts and Sciences, have been working to increase the representation of Black undergraduate students in neuroscience.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 5, 2020) — COVID-19 has dramatically altered everyday life around the globe. Ongoing research studies are not immune to the disruptions and changes caused by the global pandemic. Researchers at the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging (SBCoA) are continuing their important work amid COVID-19 by implementing many safety guidelines and protocols. While navigating this uncharted territory for many, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia research poses an added obstacle as the aging population is believed to be at greater risk from the virus.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 4, 2020) – The University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center has announced that Krystle Kuhs, Ph.D., M.P.H., will serve as co-leader of its Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program. Kuhs will co-lead the program with University of Kentucky College of Public Health Associate Professor Jerod Stapleton, Ph.D., who joined the university in November 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing requirements have affected every aspect of our lives, often causing anxiety, uncertainty and disrupted routines. In a recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation, nearly half (45%) of Americans reported that their mental health has been negatively impacted due to worry and stress over the virus. Such stressful situations, especially when they last for a long time, can lead to harmful health behaviors like increased alcohol consumption and trouble sleeping.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 31, 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 30, 2020) —The COVID-19 pandemic brought many things to a screeching halt and continues to impact our daily lives. However, important research at the University of Kentucky’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging (SBCoA) is continuing under extreme caution and deep dedication.

“It can’t wait,” said Dr. Greg Jicha, a neurologist at SBCoA.  

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.

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.

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.