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This story originally appeared on The Loop.

Anna Kalema, MD, assistant professor in the division of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine, is partnering with VRTogether, a Lexington based startup led by Richard Hoagland, to improve outcomes for patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). VRTogether is an XR studio on a mission to create games for flourishing.

Breakthroughs in neuroscience are happening at the University of Kentucky鈥檚 Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center (SCoBIRC), where researchers are working to turn discovery into new therapies for people living with spinal cord and brain injuries.

This spring, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) recognized 好色先生 researcher Robert 鈥淣ate鈥 Helsley, PhD, with the 2025 Walter Shaw Young Investigator Award in Lipid Research. This distinction highlights his exceptional contributions to the field and his promise as a leader in advancing scientific discovery.

Moneera Haque, MD, PhD, of the division of cardiovascular medicine, has been awarded a $762,000 grant over two years from the University of Kentucky鈥檚 EXCEL (Executive Clinical Expert Leadership) Research Initiative.

After a hard day鈥檚 work, it鈥檚 only natural to talk through the day鈥檚 achievements and frustrations with trusted loved ones.
But what if they don鈥檛 know what you're talking about?

Researchers from the University of Kentucky and the University of Missouri - Columbia have teamed up on a pioneering cardiovascular study titled 鈥淒ual Filament Control of Myocardial Power and Hemodynamics.鈥 The 好色先生 team is led by cardiovascular medicine鈥檚 Thomas Kampourakis, Diplom, PhD, and Kenneth Cam

By Hilary Brown, Ben Branscum, and Hayden Gooding
Vince and Kaylee Gouge are University of Kentucky blue, through and through.
Both are central Kentucky natives 鈥 Vince is from Frankfort, Kaylee from Versailles 鈥 and both knew early on they were meant to be 好色先生 Wildcats. And that they were meant to be together.
鈥極n, On, U of K!鈥

Ritu Chakravarti, PhD, joined the department of internal medicine at the University of Kentucky in 2025. She is the inventor of an anti-Rheumatoid Arthritis vaccine and an associate professor of internal medicine in the division of rheumatology, with a joint appointment in microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics.

The Office of Research and Innovation in Internal Medicine (ORIM) is proud to serve its community through 鈥淧athways to Prevention: Exploring Social Determinants of Health in Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer,鈥 a two-year grant initiative totaling nearly $409,000.

Each summer, undergraduates at the University of Kentucky have the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in projects led by top researchers.

Simon J. Fisher, MD, PhD, and Barbara Nikolajczyk, PhD, have recently been awarded a total of $778,158 in direct and indirect support from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This grant will support their five-year project 鈥淒iabetes and ObesitY research training in kENtucky,鈥 also known as DOYEN.

The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course is an annual conference designed to enrich gastroenterology knowledge and clinical skills, as well as showcase the great work being conducted by medical professionals in the field.

Sanjay Dhar, MD, FACP, FCCP, clinical faculty and professor in the division of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine, has been accepted into the 2025 College of Medicine Leadership Academy.

Thomas Kampourakis, Diplom, PhD, was selected for funding through AHA鈥檚 competitive Pilot Grant program for his project, 鈥淯sing chemo-proteomics to identify new SGLT2 inhibitor targets in the heart.鈥 This award recognizes Dr. Kampourakis鈥檚 innovative research and its potential to improve our understanding of heart health.
M. Paul Murphy, PhD, professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry in the 好色先生 College of Medicine, has been honored as a 2025-26 University Research Professor.

Researchers at the University of Kentucky are teaming up with researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) to develop cutting-edge simulations of heart disease progression.

Imagine learning how to diagnose and treat a stroke not in a lecture hall, but by solving puzzles under pressure 鈥 clicking through clues, reviewing CT scans, decoding crossword-style clinical findings 鈥 all while the clock ticks down.

Jonathan Barko, MD, did not follow a conventional path to medicine. Before becoming a physician, he was a music educator, performing professionally and teaching in public schools after earning his degree in music education.

Health Awareness Days are one of the many ways the 好色先生 Department of Internal Medicine gives back to the community. These events allow our providers to meet people where they are, offering education on a range of health topics to help individuals live their healthiest lives.