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Madison Blanton

Connect

mbbl227@uky.edu

Positions

  • PhD Candidate - Messaoudi Lab

College Unit(s)

Other Affiliation(s)
  • College of Pharmacy

Pronouns

she/her

Biography and Education

Biography

I’m a PhD candidate in the lab of Dr. Ilhem Messaoudi. I joined Dr. Messaoudi's lab with a passion for understanding how the immune system shapes health and disease. My research focuses on the role of monocytes and tissue-resident macrophages in alcohol-induced organ damage and the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD). I aim to understand how periods of short-term heavy alcohol consumption, abstinence, and post-abstinence drinking affect these cells. To explore the molecular mechanisms behind these changes, I am utilizing a combination of advanced molecular, cellular, and computational approaches.

Education

Milligan University

  • BS in Chemistry; Biochemistry concentration
  • Minor in Human Anatomy

Summary:

Current Year: G5
Hometown: Big Stone Gap, VA

Selected Publications

Blanton MB, Hemati H, Qiao Q, et al. Short-term heavy drinking in a non-human primate model skews monocytes toward a hypo-inflammatory phenotype. Front Immunol. 2025;16:1606092. Published 2025 Jun 23. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2025.1606092