As a result of the success of the faculty, staff, and learners, the College of Medicine has a strong reputation for research growth. That fact is clearly demonstrated in the two-fold increase of NIH and overall funding in just three years.
But with this success, what are the next steps to continue this trajectory and positive impact on science?
In 2019, the College of Medicine released details about an initiative that will outline the future efforts to expand its research footprint and mentor junior and other researchers working to obtain grant funding.
The Alliance Initiative capitalizes on collaboration and the transdisciplinary strategy built from the best practices and metrics across the nation in developing programmatic research. It is designed to provide seed funding and support for multidisciplinary teams of scientists, from colleges and centers across the University’s campus, to find answers to the health challenges that disproportionately affect Kentuckians.
Goals for the Alliance Initiative are detailed and intentional in order to create the greatest impact and successfully position the college and University to increase research funding. The goals include:
Support the development of transdisciplinary areas of strength within research priority areas.
Incubate applications that address three key factors in programmatic success: our faculty, our infrastructure, and systems (operations, facilities, equipment, systems for compliance and safety, etc.).
Promote the development of a leadership culture dedicated to mentoring and supporting the career development and academic success of all basic science and/or clinical faculty members of the Alliance Initiative.
Increase collaborative interaction and programmatic funding, especially in members working to obtain funding.
Achieve greater University of Kentucky science impact on discovery and in promoting new standards of care, clinical, and population impact.
Engage leadership from multiple colleges, departments, and/or centers across the campus for success.
Alliance Initiative Teams
- Alliance for Diabetes and Obesity Research (ADORE) led by Barry Inabnet, MD; Philip A. Kern, MD; and Barbara Nikolajczyk, PhD
- Alliance for Reduction of Diabetes Associated Microvascular Dysfunction (ADAM) led by Florin Despa, PhD, and Larry Goldstein, MD
- Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (AIM) led by Cody Bumgardner, PhD, Jeff Talbert, PhD, and Jennifer Wang, MD
- Brain and Epilepsy Alliance for Metabolism research (BEAM) led by Matthew S. Gentry, PhD
- Brain Restoration Alliance in Neurodegeneration (BRAIN) led by Greg Gerhardt, PhD; Craig van Horne, MD, PhD; and Randal Voss, PhD
- COVID-19 Unified Research Experts (CURE) led by Ilhem Messaoudi, PhD
- Development of ED Protocols to Treat Chronic HCV Patients (HCV Alliance) led by Jennifer Havens, PhD; Roger Humphries, MD; and Daniel Moore, MD
- Functional Imaging for NeuroDiagnostics for Epilepsy and Resective Surgery (FINDERS) led by Brian Gold, PhD; Meriem Bensalem Owen, MD
- Kentucky Research Alliance for Lung Disease (K-RALD) led by Christopher Waters, PhD, and Peter Morris, MD
- Leveraging Clinical and Behavioral, Biomedical and Policy Innovations to Facilitate Tobacco Treatment in Kentucky (LIFT) led by Seth Himelhoch, MD, MPH
- Myocardial Recovery Alliance (MYRA) led by Ken Campbell, PhD, and Emma Birks, MD, PhD
- Osteoarthritis Alliance of Kentucky (OAK) led by Cale Jacobs, PhD, and Brian Noehren, PT, PhD
- Prostate Expertise in Research For Overcoming Resistance and Mentoring (PERFORM) led by Vivek M. Rangnekar, PhD
- Radiopharmaceutical Therapy Alliance (RPTA) led by Charles Kunos, MD, PhD and Lowell Anthony, MD, FACP
- T Cells to Induce Liver Tolerance (TILT) led by Roberto Gedaly MD and Francesc Marti, PhD
- Transdisciplinary Implementation Science Alliance (TISA) led by Jing Li, MD, MS; Mahesh Kudrimoti, MD; and Gretchen Wells, MD, PhD
- Translations of Research Interventions in Practice, Populations, and Policy Leadership (TRIPPPLe) led by Matthew Bush, MD, PhD; Hannah Knudsen, PhD; and Nancy Schoenberg, PhD
- University of Kentucky Aortopathy Alliance Research Center (UK-AARC) led by Alan Daugherty, PhD, and Lisa A. Cassis, PhD
- University of Kentucky Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in GI Cancers Alliance led by Mark Evers, MD, and Tianyan Gao, PhD
- UKY Alliance for Infant Brain Injury and its Consequences (UKY-IBIC) led by John A. Bauer, PhD
- Virus Induced Thrombosis Alliance (VITAL) led by Beth A. Garvy, PhD, and Sidney W. Whiteheart, PhD
For more information about each team, please click the links to the right. As the program continues, updates will be shared there.