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LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 12, 2020) — In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, University of Kentucky experts quickly mobilized and pivoted their research to unite in the fight against the novel coronavirus.
UK researchers across many disciplines are addressing COVID-19’s medical challenges and beyond — including developing new personal protective equipment (PPE) materials, designing testing and diagnostic equipment, and examining the wider societal, economic and legal implications of the pandemic.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 8, 2020) – A study led by University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researchers showed that patients who already used opioids, sedatives or antidepressants prior to colorectal surgery experience significantly more complications post-surgery.

The NIH Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) on Obesity and Cardiovascular Diseases, in collaboration with the Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS) announce the availability of limited funds to support pilot projects focused on research examining obesity-associated diseases. Emphasis for support will be placed on pilot projects that examine the relationship between obesity and cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, COVID-19, cancer, or neurodegenerative diseases. These pilot grants are intended to assist investigators new to this area o

When Blake Herald began his journey at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, he sensed there was something missing, something that would ensure a more inclusive environment for him and his fellow medical students. A collaboration with his peers and University leadership led to a solution.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 22, 2020) — University of Kentucky College of Medicine scientist Matthew Gentry is one of 20 recipients of a prestigious R35 grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders (NINDS) for his research on energy metabolism in the brain.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 26, 2020) — The COVID-19 pandemic, with reported cases in more than 200 countries, is a worldwide crisis challenging all aspects of health care systems around the globe. Managing the pandemic has required some drastic changes and allocation of resources. This is affecting the delivery of care for health conditions that can be unrelated to COVID-19. Experts in various fields across health care are working to adjust to the changes to ensure they provide the best care during this time while also protecting themselves and their colleagues.

Mere days after the COVID-19 pandemic forced limitations on research in laboratories, a team of neuroscience-related researchers from the UK College of Medicine figured out a way to keep the important discussions going, virtually.
The team’s solution: developing an online seminar series discussing a wide variety of topics in neuroscience, which is one of the six research priority areas in the UK Vice President for Research’s Research Priorities Initiative.

Since the $87 million HEALing Communities Study was announced just over a year ago, the University of Kentucky and its community and state partners have been working diligently to lay the groundwork to get the project up and running.

A group of University of Kentucky professors and scientists efforts to identify possible direct therapeutic approaches to treat COVID-19 was published in the Perspectives section of the most recent issue of Science, a journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).



Lung cancer is a complex and devastating disease, especially in the Commonwealth. In fact, Kentuckians are twice as likely as the rest of U.S. citizens to develop squamous cell carcinoma and small-cell lung cancer, both of which are very serious cancers that typically have low survival rates.
Leonard (Leo) Yenwongfai was just 5 years old when he officially solidified his plans to become a doctor. It was after a conversation he had with a physician who was taking care of a family member at the time. That man, also named Leonard, told him, “I want you to be a doctor just like me.”

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) has created a new biospecimen bank to support research on the novel virus. Logistical support for the biobank is led by the UK Markey Cancer Center.

As the worldwide coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic continues to play out, researchers are among those working to find innovative solutions to help flatten the curve.
One such researcher is Jamie Sturgill, assistant professor in the University of Kentucky College of Medicine Department of Internal Medicine. Sturgill's research focuses heavily on lung disease.

Linda J. Van Eldik, director of the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging at the University of Kentucky, co-authored a paper reporting the first human clinical study of a drug candidate that suppresses injury and disease-induced inflammation of the brain.

University of Kentucky virologist Rebecca Dutch normally studies the steps of infection for viruses like human metapneumovirus, but she's been looking at the novel coronavirus these days. The chair of UK’s Department of Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry is leading the College of Medicine’s COVID-19 Unified Research Experts (CURE) Alliance team, which brings together faculty expertise from multiple disciplines across the university to focus on advising COVID-19 patient care and clinical trials based on emerging research. Today, she answers some of our questions about COVID-19.

Timothy Ainger, PhD, had just completed a 10-hour clinic day when he pulled out his cellphone to check his messages. There were 74 in total, which was pretty typical because he was involved in group chats with his pals, as well as a Fantasy Football league. However, amid those messages were 14 notifications from his wife, Jan.