@ukresearch
Follow this feed, from the office of the VP for Research at the University of Kentucky, to discover how university research & scholarship is making an impact. Learn more about UK Research at research.uky.edu.
Lance Johnson and Josh Morganti
A team of @uksbcoa.bsky.social researchers has uncovered a surprising clue in the battle against Alzheimer’s disease that could help doctors predict, and ultimately prevent, a common side effect of the newest generation of Alzheimer’s therapies.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/4rledHw
Hill Harper, J.D., and Joia Crear-Perry, M.D.
The University of Kentucky will host the 2026 UNITE Research Showcase Tuesday, April 28, to highlight impactful science dedicated to advancing the development of children, youth and families across the Commonwealth.
Learn more: https://research.uky.edu/news/uk-unite-research-showcase-2026-april-28
Terry Bunn standing outside near flowers
UK College of Public Health researcher Terry Bunn's journey shows how personal experiences can fuel impactful research. Her work on drug overdose prevention and recovery systems is helping to connect individuals with vital treatment and support services across Kentucky.
More: https://bit.ly/4uaY8Xu
A map of the USA showing association between county-level clusters of diabetes prevalence and diabetes-associated cancer mortality.
A new study from UK has mapped areas across the U.S. where high rates of diabetes and deaths from diabetes-related cancers overlap.
UK Markey Cancer Center and Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center research reveals patterns that could help target life-saving interventions.
More: https://bit.ly/4r8xiwB
Forty-eight students from UK will present their research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research on April 13-15 in Richmond, Virginia.
Students from various fields will present their research, showcase their work and engage with scholars.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/3OQkg9x
Jaesylin Stephens giving a presentation at a podium with a screen displaying an acknowledgments slide.
Jaesylin Stephens is collecting samples from the forest floor
UK senior Jaesylin Stephens went from watching nature documentaries on Madagascar to conducting research there in person and presenting her work at the Astronaut Scholar Technical Conference in Houston.
Proof that undergrad research can take you anywhere.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/4udUAE6
Abstract illustration of a brain with tangled, swirling lines and an electrical plug extending from it, outlined in bright yellow.
A study by researchers at @uksbcoa.bsky.social has uncovered a new reason why people with #Alzheimer’s disease often struggle with sleep, long before memory loss begins.
The study reveals that a protein called tau “hijacks” the brain’s energy supply.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/4aRtzgw
A group of people is gathered in an atrium for a poster presentation event. Numerous black triangular boards display various posters, while attendees engage in discussions around them.
CURE-KY, a consortium dedicated to expanding the impact of infectious disease research across Kentucky, will host its annual Infectious Disease Research Day March 19, highlighting breakthroughs that directly protect the health and economy of the commonwealth.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/4b4GAUj
A person in a lab coat, labeled "Campbell Lab," uses a pipette to transfer liquid into test tubes in a laboratory setting. They are wearing gloves and glasses, and various lab equipment is visible in the background.
With support from UK colleges and centers, the Office of the Vice President for Research, and the Office of Undergraduate Research, new opportunities allow undergraduate students to pursue hands-on research projects this summer.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/4s7xjS7
During UK's annual 'We Back Pat' basketball game, raising awareness and recognition for the Pat Summit Foundation, Dr. Pete Nelson was recognized for his groundbreaking work in discovering a new form of dementia at @uksbcoa.bsky.social .
Learn more: https://bit.ly/3MRjmbZ
The UK Students Participating as Ambassadors for Research in Kentucky (SPARK) Program has named its seventh cohort.
The SPARK program trains undergraduate students to conduct impactful research to improve health disparities. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3Zf3yme
As the recipient of an NSF CAREER Award, the UK College of Design's Kristi Bartlett is examining how students learn new design technologies.
“My CAREER award is giving me the opportunity to look at computer design education in a new way through a new paradigm.”
More: https://bit.ly/4ceqARU
UK is well-represented on a list of the most-cited researchers in the world.
In a database compiled by Stanford University and Elsevier, 125 current UK scientists and scholars appear among the top 2% of the most-cited researchers across 22 disciplines.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/4qWVH86
From left: Ainsley Byers, Jacob Childress, Katelyn Straw and Emmerson Willhoite.
Four UK undergraduate researchers will present their work at the 24th annual Posters-at-the-Capitol on March 5.
Posters-at-the-Capitol provides an opportunity for Kentucky lawmakers to engage with and observe the impact of undergraduate research.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/4r3ZX61
The Lexington Cancer Foundation presented a $1.2 million gift to the Markey Cancer Center, completing the organization’s $5 million commitment to the UK Cancer and Advanced Ambulatory Building, which will improve patient outcomes and support research.
Read more: https://bit.ly/4aCGPWt
A collage of six images: top left shows people in orange vests working by a stream, center a cow in a field, right people in lab coats examining a sample, bottom left a person holding a stick insect, bottom center chickens in a pen, and bottom right a tick on a leaf.
The UK One Health Initiative at @UKAgriculture is accepting seed grant proposals.
Researchers and faculty from Kentucky universities and colleges along with professionals from Kentucky state agencies are invited to apply. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3MQnYPJ
Serenity Wright in a field
Q&A: How UK Innovate’s TRUST Hub translates research into community impact
Serenity Wright answers questions about TRUST Hub (Translating Research through Universal Solutions Together), how it works and why this approach matters for Kentucky.
Read the Q&A: https://bit.ly/3ZJBeIP
A promotional image for a theater event titled "A Collective in Muse." It features a person dressed in a suit and hat, energetically stepping through a large picture frame while holding a rotary phone. The text includes event details: February 27-28, 2026, at the Fine Arts Building. Artistic Director: Kate Field. Ticket information is provided through a URL for the UK College of Fine Arts Theatre and Dance department.
The UK Department of Theatre and Dance presents “A Collective in Muse,” a groundbreaking two-day performance event featuring five original student works spanning film, immersive theatre, experimental installation and multidisciplinary performance.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/3OkCf7J
Carrie Oser and Michele Staton stand in a darkened room
UK researchers Carrie Oser and Michele Staton have been awarded a five-year grant, projected to total $7.2 million, from the National Institutes of Health to test overdose prevention strategies for women transitioning from jail back into rural Kentucky communities. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4bXQKrP
Three individuals are standing on a wooden floor, looking at a display board with architectural designs and images.
Two people are in a design studio. One person, wearing a green jacket, is pointing at a board with drawings and red strings. The other person, in a blue puffer jacket, is observing attentively.
A group of people are gathered in a spacious, well-lit design studio with wooden floors and high ceilings. They are standing in a circle around a rectangular table with papers on it.
A new course from the UK College of Design examines how emerging technologies, like AI, are reshaping architectural practice, while reinforcing the fundamental roles of narrative, research and human judgment in design.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/4axSQME
young beef cattle in a pen.
The University of Kentucky's Beef Extension Team has enhanced its Beef Systems Analyzer, an online management tool designed to help producers strengthen their operations through targeted, research-based recommendations.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/405cniE
elderly people playing musical instruments
Researchers from UK's College of Fine Arts and Sanders-Brown Center on Aging recently investigated how complementary and supportive care programs (CSCPs) — like animal interactions, music therapy and group games — affect life in four different Kentucky care facilities. https://bit.ly/3OwOsGi
Thilini Samadhi Weeraratne, Zachary Siegel and Abigail Moore
@ukychet.bsky.social awarded pilot funding to 3 doctoral students to support research projects focused on improving the health of a population of high need.
CHET’s 2025 Doctoral Student Pilot Grants were awarded to Zachary Siegel, Abigail Moore and Thilini Samadhi Weeraratne. https://bit.ly/4anheAF
empty chairs in a medical waiting room
People diagnosed with cancer during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic had lower survival rates than those diagnosed in the years before, according to a University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center study published in JAMA Oncology Feb. 5.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/3ZVgRIA
Carlie Arlinghaus and Riya Patel
Two UK College of Medicine students, Carlie Arlinghaus and Riya Patel, have been chosen for the Health Disparities Research Training Fellowship.
Each fellow will work with a behavioral science faculty mentor on a research or community-engaged project. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4r08cR0
Claire Clark
In a new essay, UK historian Claire Clark examines how confronting past choices in scholarship can redirect a scholar’s path and cultivate insight. The essay appeared in a special issue of the American Historical Review titled “Mistakes I Have Made.”
Learn more: https://bit.ly/4rySRXy
ERin Haynes at a podium with a microphone. Next to them is a banner that reads "East Palestine Train Derailment Health Research Program."
The East Palestine Train Derailment Health Research Program Office has officially opened, establishing a permanent local hub for long-term health studies following the Feb. 3, 2023, Norfolk Southern train derailment.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/4ahPMnW
Xin Liang, assistant professor in the UK College of Engineering, recently received the prestigious NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award to advance his research which helps scientists work more efficiently with massive datasets.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/4rvKcFo
A flyer titled "Climate Change Quilt Project" for Tuesday, Feb. 17. It announces a public lecture by Dr. Pamela Mischen at William T. Young Library from 11 AM to 12 PM, and a Student Quilt Workshop at Lewis Scholars Lounge from 2 PM to 4 PM. Logos at the bottom include Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability and the Environment, Student Sustainability Council, Honor the Earth, UK Libraries, and Lewis Honors College.
To help raise awareness for climate action across the United States, the Lewis Honors College, the Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability and the Environment, and the Student Sustainability Council are sponsoring the Climate Change Quilt project Feb. 17.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/4qTHQQB
Greg Gerhardt
Greg Gerhardt scuba diving underwater, surrounded by marine life. The diver is wearing a full diving suit and holding a camera.
Underwater scene featuring a person in scuba gear near a yellow submersible.
A world-class neuroscientist, educator, and explorer, Greg Gerhardt has built a career at the UK College of Medicine defined by innovation and pushing the boundaries of brain repair and Parkinson’s disease treatment through research.
Learn more: https://bit.ly/3LLlSQN
