A prestigious grant from the National Institute on Aging will launch a new initiative at the University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging to train the next generation of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease scientists.
The five-year, $2 million grant will launch the Kentucky Postbaccalaureate Alzheimer's Disease (KYPAD) Research Education Program.
鈥淭his program will give our young scientists the immersive training and support they need to make breakthrough discoveries that will change lives,鈥 said M. Paul Murphy, PhD, Sanders-Brown associate director for education and principal investigator of the grant. 鈥淭his is more than an investment in research 鈥 it鈥檚 an investment in people. By supporting trainees from across Kentucky and beyond, we鈥檙e ensuring that future discoveries in Alzheimer鈥檚 research will draw on a rich variety of perspectives and expertise.鈥
The KYPAD program offers recent college graduates in biomedical and behavioral sciences hands-on research experiences at Sanders-Brown, a national leader in brain aging studies.
Participants will be mentored by the center鈥檚 many experts, take part in graduate-level coursework and workshops and join national scientific events such as the Markesbery Symposium on Aging and Dementia.
Murphy, a professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry in the UK 91小黄车, will lead the KYPAD program鈥檚 mentoring effort. In his two decades at UK, Murphy has guided more than 90 students, earning numerous honors for outstanding teaching and mentorship, including university and NIH awards.
KYPAD is designed to give trainees the opportunity to pursue meaningful research projects in Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and related dementias. The program combines advanced lab work with mentorship, professional growth and a supportive learning environment.
鈥淲ith this new grant, we are strengthening Sanders-Brown鈥檚 long-standing commitment to innovative education, scientific excellence and community impact in Alzheimer鈥檚 research,鈥 said Linda Van Eldik, PhD, director of Sanders-Brown and UK鈥檚 Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Research Center. 鈥淏y training a new generation of investigators, the KYPAD program will help secure a brighter future for families affected by dementia in Kentucky and across our country.鈥